The Witcher Season 3 is now almost complete and will debut next year. If our guess is correct, it might be ready to release by May, 2023, and as of now all eyes are on The Witcher: Blood Origin which is all set to debut this fall (possibly December 2022). Also, just a few months ago, CDPR also announced a new Witcher game with Witcher 3 next gen update also coming up soon. That aside, a new Witcher anime film called The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep was also leaked. So, The Witcher Universe is in full swing but today we have some really really bad news which will make half of you mad, and the other half will lose all hope. You know what we are talking about, and all of us have just one question – WHY?!
The Real Reason Why Henry Cavill Quit As The Witcher
Henry Cavill is most popular for his role of DC’s iconic superhero Man of Steel, but he has also made a great impact with the Witcher series. As you may know, Henry Cavill portrays the Witcher called Geralt of Rivia, who is a mutant created by magic to kill monsters. Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher novel series acts as the source material for the series as well as the games.
Many of you might also be aware that Henry Cavill is a huge fan of the Witcher universe and has played the games multiple times. Even during the lockdown, he spent his time playing Witcher 3 on Deathmarch difficulty. Due to his commitment and hard work, he now portrays Geralt of Rivia on screen which is a dream come true for any fan. Last year Cavill committed to a 7 season plan for the Witcher series but it seems like that wouldn’t be the case. Just a few hours ago Cavill announced his exit from the Witcher universe and so did Netflix.
It’s official: The Witcher is returning for Season 4, and Henry Cavill will be handing his swords to Liam Hemsworth as the new Geralt of Rivia after Season 3. Welcome to the Witcher family, @LiamHemsworth!
Read more: https://t.co/ABQMdqkzXX pic.twitter.com/xyIaRBbiRT
— The Witcher (@witchernetflix) October 29, 2022
Henry Cavill’s official statement reads, “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4. In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”
All this seems pretty generic so what is the real reason behind Henry Cavill’s exit from the franchise? While Netflix and Cavill have presented this as a mutual break-up, it seems like this was due to the creative differences between the two parties. As mentioned above Cavill is a huge fan of the universe and was ready to commit till the very end of the line. So what went wrong? As you may know, The Witcher has deviated a lot from the source material, which obviously is the magnum opus of the franchise. Moreover, recently we received reports about how the writers of the series expressed their lack of love towards the source material and how they went on to make fun of it (Read more about this here).
It is our understanding that in such an environment, it’s possible that a Witcher fan like Henry Cavill couldn’t just practice ignorance. Therefore, it is highly likely that Cavill quit the franchise over these creative differences. Another reason could be the financial conflicts between Henry Cavill and Netflix, although that seems unlikely. Cavill was being paid handsomely by the streaming giant. According to reports by Variety and THR, Cavill earned nearly $400K every episode in season 1 and $1M for each episode in season 2. So, it highly unlikely that they parted ways because of money and considering how this was apparently, “the dream role” for Cavill, it has to be the creative differences.
One thing is for sure, this is a massive heartbreak for both Henry Cavill fans and The Witcher fans. The show already seemed to be struggling in season 2 and this is definitely a huge blow to the franchise which was just getting started. A mid-story actor change for the main character is never a good idea and we’ll have to see how it impacts the universe. Fans are rightfully disappointed and are already urging Netflix to cancel The Witcher after season 3. Anyways, it seems like Liam Hemsworth has been deemed worthy of carrying on Cavill’s legacy. But honestly, its hard to picture an actor with such soft features and innocent look as the brooding and complicated killing machine that is Geralt of Rivia.
Liam Hemsworth being a fan of The Witcher universe universe himself said, “As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure,” Hemsworth’s statement reads. “Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”
The Witcher Season 3 is all set to arrive in summer 2023 and will be the last one featuring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.
If you have any questions regarding The Witcher lore, feel free to ask in the comments below. For more content, stay tuned. As usual, like, subscribe and share our articles as we here are trying to build a community of people High on Cinema!
