The Witcher season 4 will recast Vesemir as well as Geralt, but this may not be such a bad thing, as it may end up working in Liam Hemsworth’s favor. Henry Cavill played Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher season 3, as well as the former two seasons, but he will pass the torch to Liam Hemsworth for season 4. Hemsworth will face an uphill battle to impress fans after Cavill’s stellar performance despite a strong track record in fantasy roles. Kim Bodnia’s replacement may face a similar struggle, with Bodnia’s Vesemir having developed a bond with Geralt.
However, both the new Geralt and Vesemir can likely play off each other to cement themselves into their new roles. A spokesperson for Kim Bodnia confirmed to Radio Times that he wouldn’t be returning to the role as his “shooting diary didn’t fit in with Netflix’s shooting schedule of The Witcher season 4.” Now, it just remains for a replacement for Bodnia to be announced. Although it may seem like multiple recastings could disrupt the show severely, it is actually more likely the case that the dual recasting of Vesemir and Geralt could pay dividends.
The Witcher Season 4’s Vesemir Recast Could Actually Help Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt
Despite the huge loss of Cavill, Hemsworth is well-equipped to play Geralt, having played Gale in The Hunger Games movies and Marcus in the fantasy series The Elephant Princess. Having to reforge Geralt’s relationship with interlocking characters will be part of Hemsworth’s challenge, however. Luckily, starting afresh with one other actor will help both actors establish themselves as original versions of Geralt and Witcher mentor Vesemir. Hemsworth won’t have to recreate the chemistry that Cavill had with Bosnia, allowing viewers to judge them on their own merit.
The Success Of The Witcher’s Recasts Depends On The New Actors & Their Chemistry
Whether Kim Bodnia’s replacement works out well for The Witcher season 4 in the end will depend on his chemistry with Liam Hemsworth. If The Witcher casts someone who has acted alongside Hemsworth before, it allows the producers to see the on-screen dynamic that could be created by the two, which would help. But even an unknown could be perfectly suited for the old Witcher Vesemir if he portrayed the gruff depth of Andrej Sapkowski’s character and created a vibrant chemistry with Hemsworth.
Meanwhile, Liam Hemsworth will have to ensure he brings what was excellent about Cavill’s Geralt back to the story of The Witcher season 4 while ensuring a unique interpretation of Geralt. Geralt’s grumpiness was perfectly exhibited by Cavill and Hemsworth seems like more of a romantic. If Hemsworth can maintain Geralt’s cynicism, he should be well-received, and if he can bring a touch of the Hemsworth charm to the role, it may not be unwelcome. However, Hemsworth’s interplay with Bodnia’s replacement will be crucial to both of their success in The Witcher.
