Liam Hemsworth will replace Henry Cavill in The Witcher season 4, but Netflix’s marketing tactics suggest even they’re not confident in the recasting.
Netflix’s latest marketing tactic for The Witcher season 3 suggests even the streamer isn’t that confident about replacing Henry Cavill with Liam Hemsworth. The Witcher is Netflix’s adaptation of the fantasy novel series of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski, which later became a hugely popular video game franchise. Henry Cavill has played the lead role of Geralt of Rivia since The Witcher TV show debuted in 2019 and was a noted fan of the property before signing on. While there may have been fan skepticism about his casting initially, Cavill has proven immensely popular in the part.
Unsurprisingly, there was shock when it was announced Cavill was leaving The Witcher after season 3, and being replaced by Liam Hemsworth as Geralt. While there have been reports of tension and creative differences between Cavill and The Witcher’s showrunners prior to his departure, it appears the real reason he exited was to reprise the role of Superman following his Black Adam cameo. Alas, news of his Superman return was short-lived, as new DCU head honcho James Gunn announced the role would be recast with a younger actor for the upcoming Superman: Legacy; David Corenswet has since taken the role.
Netflix Knows The Witcher Fans Are Giving Up Because Of Henry Cavill’s Exit
Even in light of Cavill’s Superman exit, some Witcher devotees were hopeful he could still return as Geralt. However, it’s clear that’s not going to happen, and fans have expressed their unhappiness about Geralt’s recasting online and how they might abandon The Witcher following Cavill’s exit. In an oddly brazen move, Netflix is leaning into this Witcher season 3 discourse with its latest marketing campaign (via Twitter), with a series of billboards declaring “Yes, he’s still Geralt in Season 3.”
It’s been presented playfully, and is sure to stoke online debate around season 3; in fact, it already has. It’s still a bizarre and shortsighted move for the streamer to pull, as it suggests even they’re not confident about Hemsworth replacing Cavill for The Witcher season 4. Given the negativity that greeted news of Hemsworth’s casting, it’s hard not to feel sympathy for the actor in light of the “Yes, he’s still Geralt in Season 3″ campaign, which seems to be mocking the recasting before he’s even had a chance to make his mark on the role.
Can The Witcher Survive Henry Cavill’s Exit?
These Witcher season 3 billboards also imply Netflix isn’t enthused about the show’s future beyond the fourth season. Perhaps the streamer is setting itself up for potential failure now by leaning – even in a tongue-in-cheek manner – into the disappointment surrounding Cavill’s exit. If both The Witcher season 4 and Hemsworth prove to be a big hit with viewers and fans, they can take credit for the recasting. If it doesn’t, they can lean into the joke again. Either way, it’s hard not to feel pessimistic about The Witcher’s long-term future.
