Netflix announced some shocking news on Saturday that has fans of The Witcher devastated. The show’s star Henry Cavill has decided to leave the production, meaning the titular main character will be recast. Starting in Season 4, Geralt of Rivia will be played by actor Liam Hemsworth instead.
The news that Geralt would be recast caught fans completely off guard, and many actually believed it was a joke at first. Cavill has been a huge fan of The Witcher franchise for years, and his personal love for the material has become a bit of a meme online in and of itself. Netflix and Cavill did not explain this parting of ways, leaving plenty of room for fans to speculate. Many shared their suspicions, including the possibility that Cavill’s recent return to the DCEU is related.
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Cavill will be replaced by Hemsworth, which most fans did not seem to take as a comfort. No matter who replaced him, fans likely would have been heartbroken. The Witcher has been plotted out for seven seasons, meaning that in the end, Cavill will have starred in less than half of it.
The Witcher Season 3 is slated to premiere in the summer of 2023 on Netflix. Season 4 is not yet in production. Here’s a look at how fans are reacting to the news of Cavill’s departure.
Joke
First and foremost, many fans assumed that this was all some kind of elaborate prank or promotional stunt.
Nerd
Fans were stunned that Cavill left this role after proving himself to be a huge fan of the source material. They felt that no actor would be able to match his dedication to the source material or be willing to admit their passion for it.
Good For No One
The Witcher fandom is undeniably divided, with many outspoken fans disliking the Netflix original series for one reason or another. However, commenters noticed that no one in any portion of the fandom seemed to be happy about this casting news.
Superman
Cans complained bitterly that they didn’t care about Superman and would gladly trade Cavill’s work in the DCEU for his continued work on The Witcher. Of course, there’s no confirmation that Cavill had to choose between the two roles or that the DCEU influenced his decision to leave The Witcher.
Other Shows
Some fans reasoned that if this could happen to Cavill, it could happen to other stars of their favorite fantasy shows. They imagined with horror how they would react if, for example, Matt Smith was recast in House of the Dragon.
Plan
Fans mourned for the old reports that Cavill planned to star in seven seasons of The Witcher, all planned out to adapt Andrzej Sapkowski’s books. Many suspect that his feelings on the writing contributed to his departure from the show.
Reasons to Watch
Fans who were heartbroken about Cavill’s departure found a few silver linings to focus on instead. They still planned on watching for Jaskier, Yennefer, Ciri and other characters, noting that the women of The Witcher are the main characters, in many ways.
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