Today, Netflix announced that The Witcher will be back for a fourth season. However, it wasn’t all good news, as the streamer also confirmed that Henry Cavill will not be returning for season 4. Instead, Liam Hemsworth will be the new monster slayer, Geralt of Rivia.
Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the popular Witcher books first started airing in 2019 and quickly exploded in popularity, with many praising Henry Cavill’s stoic but charming take on the white-haired witcher himself, Geralt. Since that first season, The Witcher has become a bonafide franchise for Netflix, leading to more seasons, anime prequels, movies, and even a child-friendly spin-off. But the star of the original series won’t be sticking around as the fantasy franchise grows.
In a tweet posted earlier today, Netflix confirmed that Cavill will be stepping away from the role after season three of the Witcher airs...sometime in the future. Starting in season four, Liam Hemsworth will be joining the “Witcher family” and will wear the white wig and carry the cool swords as Geralt moving forward.
“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,” said Cavill in a statement shared by Netflix.
“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,” continued Cavill, “Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”
Hemsworth, a Witcher fan himself, also shared a statement about the surprising news, saying that he’s been a fan of Cavill’s take on the character for years and that he was “inspired” by his performance and what he brought to the character.
“I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world,” said Hemsworth.
The initial reaction online has been...not great! Many fans are confused and upset to see Cavill leave the role. And while it’s likely he’s hanging up the swords and the medallion to replace it with a red cape and tights as he returns to the DCEU film franchise as Superman, I assume many Witcher fans will be saddened to see the nerdy actor leave the popular show. But hey, with all that DC money he can probably build an even cooler PC!