Netflix’s The Witcher season 4 will give Ciri a separate story, which only makes me more worried about its Geralt of Rivia recast. Netflix’s The Witcher started as one of the platform’s most popular and successful TV shows, but its second season gained backlash due to the changes it made to the source material. Although The Witcher season 3 was an improvement, the show is now facing its biggest challenges to date after Henry Cavill’s departure and Liam Hemsworth’s casting as Geralt of Rivia for season 4.
At the end of The Witcher season 3, following the chaos of the Thanedd Coup, Ciri was transported to an unknown desert, Yennefer escaped with the surviving sorceresses and created the Lodge of Sorceresses, and Geralt recovered in Brokilon after his fight with Vilgefortz. The Witcher season 4 will catch up with Geralt, Jaskier, and Milva on their way to find Ciri, Yennefer working with the sorceresses, and Ciri’s time with the Rats, but Ciri’s story is making me more worried about Hemsworth’s debut as she won’t cross paths with Geralt again.
Ciri’s Solo Story In The Witcher Season 4 Makes Me More Worried About Geralt’s Recast
During San Diego Comic-Con 2024, details about The Witcher season 4 were revealed, especially about Ciri. Screen Rant spoke to Freya Allan about Ciri and The Witcher season 4, and she revealed that Hemsworth is a “really nice guy” but she hadn’t seen any of his work as Geralt as their characters don’t share any scenes this season. Allan added that Ciri is now forging her own path under the identity of Falka and with the Rats while doing her best to forget about her past life and Geralt.
Hemsworth is arriving at a TV series that already has its main characters, tone, and stories established, so his arrival, no matter how good or bad his performance is, is going to feel very different.
While this could be good for Hemsworth’s Geralt as it will give him space to play the character as he wants and will give the audience a chance to get used to this new Geralt, it’s also worrying me. Hemsworth is arriving at a TV series that already has its main characters, tone, and stories established, so his arrival, no matter how good or bad his performance is, is going to feel very different. The relationship and bond between Ciri and Geralt is the core of The Witcher, and sharing scenes with the Cintran Princess would help ground Hemsworth’s Geralt.
There are a couple of aspects that will make or break Hemsworth’s version of Geralt, and I feel one of those is his chemistry with Allan. Having scenes with Ciri in season 4 would have helped start developing the dynamic between the princess and the new Geralt, more so as The Witcher is now confirmed to end with season 5, so now Hemsworth will only have one season to show the chemistry between his Geralt and Ciri.
The Lack Of Familiar Characters May Make Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt Feel Even More Jarring
If Ciri continues her path on her own in The Witcher season 4, and with Yennefer also having her own storyline with the sorceresses, the only familiar characters Hemsworth’s Geralt will share time with are Jaskier and Milva (though the latter is still new). While Jaskier can definitely help make the transition to Hemsworth’s Geralt a lot smoother, Geralt’s most important relationships are those with Ciri and Yennefer.
Hemsworth’s Geralt will now have even less time to show his chemistry with Yennefer and Ciri.
Having Ciri, Yennefer, and Geralt separated again in Hemsworth’s debut season can make the new version of Geralt feel alienated, and it’s only postponing his most important dynamics to the next and final season. Hemsworth’s Geralt will now have even less time to show his chemistry with Yennefer and Ciri, and it’s even worse that this will happen in the show’s final season, which should be the most important.
Liam Hemsworth Will Need To Find Other Ways To Convince Us He’s The Same Geralt
There are ways in which The Witcher can address its new Geralt, but the reality is that there might not be any awareness of this change within the show. The Witcher should continue its course as normal and not try to give any explanations of why Geralt suddenly has a new look, but there are ways in which the transition can be smoother for the audience. Hemsworth could incorporate some of Cavill’s mannerisms into his performance, such as his now famous grunts and certain facial expressions – however, this could backfire as he could come off as unauthentic.
Without Ciri and Yennefer, the only character that can help incorporate the new Geralt is Jaskier. As the witcher’s best friend, Jaskier is also a key character in Geralt’s story, and his interactions with Hemsworth’s Geralt can help convince the audience that his and Cavill’s Geralt are the same person. There are a couple of things about The Witcher season 4 that worry me, but hopefully, the transition between Geralt actors won’t be too shocking.
