With The Witcher universe constantly expanding, any news related to the series is welcome. Recently, the long-rumored spin-off series, The Rats, received an update on its production journey. Reports from Redanian Intelligence suggest that the story of The Rats could be featured as a special standalone episode placed somewhere within the fourth season of the hit Netflix fantasy saga.
The Rats spin-off series was first announced a couple of years ago by Netflix, with the official plot describing it as a deep-dive into the lives of the titular teenage misfits before they crossed paths with Ciri in Season 3 of The Witcher. It read:
“Six teenage thieves must rely on their criminal skills as they plan the biggest heist of their careers against the most dangerous crime ring in the kingdom.”
Netflix initially hesitated to greenlight the project but allowed the production to shoot for two months under direction from Witcher writer Haily Hall, however, the report suggests that the streaming giant ultimately decided not to proceed with an independent series.
A Special Episode Titled ‘The Rats: A Witcher Tale’ Will Air During Season 4
The buzz around The Rats escalated when the possibility of an actual game associated with it was confirmed. It now seems that the recorded footage, which is assumed to have been primarily a pilot for a potential spin-off series, will now be featured as a special episode in Season 4 of the Netflix series. It could either air between two parts of the upcoming season or be released separately on the streaming service prior to the season premiere in 2025.
This plan is further supported by the fact that Mairzee Almas, the director of The Rats, has dropped a clue on her LinkedIn page. She has listed The Rats as a special episode she worked on under The Witcher franchise.
Although there has been no confirmation of this by Netflix, the mere mention of it and the confirmed title, The Rats: A Witcher Tale, has sparked curiosity in fans. Last year, The Witcher’s casting director mentioned the possibility of a special episode or two being included in the season outside the traditional 8-episode run. She spoke with Deadline and revealed:
“I had a really lovely opportunity recently with a very special — almost standalone — episode of season four of The Witcher, which is exploring a completely new group of people. We found a boy called Connor Crawford and we were able to put him in this group of kids in The Witcher. The whole group is very exciting in terms of talent: Christelle Elwin, Juliette Alexandra, Ben Radcliffe. You meet the characters in season three and then they come into their own in season four.”
While details are limited, chances are that the story of The Rats will somehow find its way into the new season, which is currently in production and slated for a 2025 release. The Witcher Season 4 is already facing several challenges, as the first to feature Liam Hemsworth as Geralt since taking over the role from Henry Cavill. Whether the inclusion of “special episodes” can appease fans is yet to be seen, but with the series coming to an end with its fifth season, the fantasy saga has a limited time to secure its legacy.
