Woof, we weren’t kidding when we called Henry Cavill “Mr. Popular” earlier this week, huh?
This, in reference to a press release dropped on our heads by Netflix today, announcing that Cavill will not be returning as Geralt Of Rivia for the fourth season of its fantasy adaptation The Witcher, and will, instead, be replaced by Quibi’s own Liam Hemsworth in the part.
The Witcher Netflix series based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s best-selling books, and drawing some inspiration from CD Projekt Red’s video games, has announced a major change for Season 4.
While Season 3 will play out as normal with Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, it’s been announced Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games, Independence Day: Resurgence) will replace him in the following season.
In a statement on Netflix’s website, the British actor wished the 32-year-old Australian actor all the best as the White Wolf:
“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.”
Hemsworth and Cavill both issued statements on Instagram today announcing the news, with Cavill saying that he “will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4.” (Cavill will still be playing Geralt for the show’s third season, which is slated to arrive online in summer 2023, to be clear.) Cavill didn’t give a reason for his departure, although its easy to speculate that an increasingly crowded film schedule—include various signs and portents that he’s going to be resuming his duties as Warner Bros. Discovery’s resident Superman in a serious way pretty soon—might have impacted the decision.
Hemsworth, meanwhile, issued his own statement, expressing his delight at taking on the role of Geralt, a mutant monster hunter who finds himself inevitably swept up into vast and deadly plots by scheming nobles and magic users. “Henry,” Hemsworth wrote, “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.”
Hemsworth mentioned how he’s a fan of The Witcher and has been a fan of Cavill for many years, and is thrilled about his new adventure. This announcement follows the news earlier this week that Henry Cavill would be reprising his role as Superman in the DC universe.
On a related note, CD Projekt Red announced a remake of the original Witcher game this week. This title was first released in 2007 and will be rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. The new version is being developed by Polish studio Fool’s Theory – with veteran Witcher series staff helping out.
The Witcher last released new episodes in December 2021. One thing that Netflix’s press release didn’t address was whether the show would be going full-on The Crown with this move, and swapping out Cavill’s co-stars Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan as well, while it was busy getting itself a brand new Geralt.