The Witcher cast break silence on Henry Cavill Season 3 exit

The Witcher cast break silence on Henry Cavill Season 3 exit
Images via Netflix

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Published 

30th Jun 2023 14:39

It's all change in the world of The Witcher, and it looks like Geralt of Rivia is getting a new face. Although the likes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Game of Thrones have recast characters like Aunt Viv and Daario Naharis, it's nothing compared to recasting the lead of the Witcherverse.

We've known for a while that Henry Cavill is bowing out at the end of Season 3, due to be replaced by The Hunger Games' Liam Hemsworth. The decision has come as a shock to many, and with rumblings of behind-the-scenes drama, it doesn't entirely sound like Cavill wasn't happy with the way the show was heading.

The Witcher cast respond to Henry Cavill exit

Ciri and Geralt on horseback The Witcher Season 3
Click to enlarge

While swapping Cavill out for Hemsworth is sure to be an adjustment for fans, it's arguably even bigger for those who worked with the OG Geralt on a daily basis. The cast of The Witcher has been quiet since the Earth-shattering news was announced, but now, they're letting ComicBook.com what they think.

Yennefer actor Anya Chalotra admitted she's "excited," saying, "Yeah, can't wait to have Liam on board. Well, he is, but to meet him and have him as Geralt." Although she confessed it's going to "be bizarre," adding, "I feel like I'm definitely going to feel that loss. I think we all will.

"Henry's been incredible and carried the show, so definitely going to feel that, but very, very excited for what's to come. There's so much story to tell." Similar sentiments were echoed by Jaskier's Joey Batey, who gushed, "Yeah, very excited, and we'll all miss Henry greatly."

Batey gushed that Cavill was always the "first to laugh on those bad days and to crack jokes, and that presence is cemented in the DNA of the show." Ciri actor Freya Allan looked ahead and concluded, "I think it's intriguing and exciting to get to see another version of this, or interpretation of this character." 

How many seasons of The Witcher will there be?

Geralt and Yennefer The Witcher Season 3
Click to enlarge

Way back when, Cavill was all-in on plans for The Witcher to run for seven seasons. The lead was said to be something of a Witcher dictionary and could cite whole chunks of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels. Although unconfirmed, this might've jarred with accusations the show's writers weren't fans of the source material

The Witcher has just debuted the first half of Season 3, which will serve as Cavill's last. Beyond Hemsworth's debut in Season 4, there are already plans for a fifth season. After that, we don't know if Netflix is still on track for a seven-season run.

Everything is up in the air right now, with petitions to fire the writers and rehire Cavill being a worrying sign. Others have vowed to boycott the fantasy epic in Season 4, while the first reviews of Season 3 are hardly the show's best. Even if Cavill is done, the Witcherverse is far from over yet.

Tom Chapman
About the author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
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