by Liz Keating '24 on November 4, 2022
A&E Staff
Arts & Entertainment
This past Saturday, Netflix announced that a new actor will play Geralt of Rivia in the fourth season of The Witcher, stating that Liam Hemsworth will take the place of Henry Cavill in the fantasy series after three seasons. The third season is expected to air in the summer of 2023. In addition, the four-part prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin will debut on Netflix on Dec. 25 and will feature Sophia Brown, Laurence O’Fuarain, and Michelle Yeoh. Henry Cavill’s stoic but charming portrayal of the white-haired witcher himself, Geralt, was praised by many when Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the Witcher books premiered in 2019. Since then, The Witcher has grown into a full-fledged Netflix franchise, spawning additional seasons, anime prequels, films, and even a kid-friendly spin-off.
However, the star of the first series won’t be staying close by as the fantasy establishment develops. In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Cavill said, “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.” He continued, expressing excitement for Hemsworth and appreciation for his role, “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.”
For his part, Hemsworth said he is “over the moon” to be stepping in as Geralt of Rivia. “Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honored 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.”
This shift in direction begs the question, were there other opportunities that arose for Cavill, or some bad blood left at the studio? The recent announcement that Cavill would reprise his role as Superman in the DC Extended Universe was also widely shared across the internet. The timing of the announcements raises the possibility that these two decisions were connected, but no one knows for sure. Fans eagerly await the summer 2023 release of the show to see if Hemsworth is capable of filling his predecessor’s role. To make sure you are all caught up, you can stream the first three seasons on Netflix—it’s worth it.