Netflix's The Witcher has only aired two seasons. However, its fourth has been confirmed, even before the release of Season 3. Season 4 has already polarized the fanbase after recent news that Henry Cavill will be leaving the show, and Liam Hemsworth is set to replace him.
While controversial, this news also surprised fans, who believed Henry Cavill was committed to the full seven-season plan for the project. Fans are devastated to see him go, though Hemsworth could bring an interesting new era to The Witcher. Information on The Witcher's Season 4 is scarce, but there's enough to give fans some idea of what the future holds for The Witcher.
8 Liam Hemsworth Will Be Geralt Of Rivia
As fans know, Geralt of Rivia is at the center of The Witcher, and he is expertly brought to life by Henry Cavill. The casting is considered one of the best aspects of the show, with Cavill bringing the book character to life perfectly. However, the biggest piece of information about The Witcher Season 4 is that Cavill is leaving the role.
Both Cavill's departure and Hemsworth's casting have produced their fair share of controversy. Cavill hasn't stated a reason for leaving. Some speculate it's due to his role as Superman in the DCEU or personal dissatisfaction with the show's writing, which has received some criticism for not staying true to the source material. Hemsworth is a fan of the franchise, but some doubt that he'll be able to live up to Henry Cavill's high standards.
7 Season 4 Hopefully Won't Change Its Cast Too Much
Although Geralt is The Witcher's central and titular character, he's far from the only significant presence in the show. Its storylines also follow Yennefer of Vengerberg and Cirilla of Cintra. The show has a fleshed-out world beyond its central cast, with popular characters like Jaskier, Tissaia de Vries, and Cahir often stealing the spotlight.
Season 4's cast isn't as well-known, but Season 3 will see the introductions of several new characters. It's been said that Chris Fulton won't be returning as the Season 2 villain Rience, but it's speculated that Sam Woolf may take over the role. Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan are thought to be continuing in their roles as Yennefer and Ciri, respectively.
6 The Witcher Will Likely Begin Adapting Baptism Of Fire
The original plans for The Witcher involve seven seasons. The first season introduces the world and characters by adapting select stories from The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. With six books after that, and Season 2 adapting elements of Blood of Elves, it looks likely that the seasons are meant to adapt roughly one book each.
Season 2 ends in a position that matches the beginning of The Witcher franchise's fourth book, The Time of Contempt. It has Geralt and a select band of allies pledging to protect Ciri from various forces seeking her for her heritage. If this pattern holds true, then Season 4 will probably adapt Baptism of Fire, the fifth book in the franchise.
5 The Plot Will Likely Become More Focused
Season 1 of The Witcher heavily adapts the short story collections The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. Its second season has some episodes that adapt stories from these books, rather than drawing wholly from the novel Blood of Elves. They also both follow several distinct storylines. As such, the first two seasons are more introductory, and less about forward plot momentum.
Season 3 will likely see this begin to change, and the trend will continue beyond Cavill's departure. The Netflix series is probably done with the short story connections and will start to focus on the novels. As a result, the plot is likely to begin progressing in a faster and more focused manner in Season 4.
4 The Cast Will Continue To Grow
The Witcher's first two seasons introduce a sprawling cast of characters. Although it has three clear leads, there are many other significant characters. The first season alone introduces plenty of fan-favorites, like Cahir, Triss Merigold, and Fringilla. The second season takes things even further by adding many more monarchs, lords, and rogues to The Witcher's cast.
Season 3 promises to add a great many characters from the books. These include the teenage gang member Mistle, an altered version of Redania's Prince Radovid, the fighter Gallatin, and the Dryads' adoptive daughter Milva. Season 4 is unlikely to break this trend. Depending on how the adaptation goes, it could introduce characters from The Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, or even later books.
3 The Characters Will Likely Split Up Again
The Witcher is notable for its unusual storytelling, particularly in its first season. Its earliest episodes follow three disparate timelines. The first season tells Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri's stories, but decades apart from one another and only occasionally overlapping. The stories get closer as the season goes on until the finale takes place with all storylines happening at once.
Even Season 2 breaks things up, rarely having its three characters in one place. Season 3, adapting The Time of Contempt, will have the three together for a significant length of time. In Season 4, when Henry Cavill leaves, Liam Hemsworth may need to carry a storyline by himself. In Baptism of Fire, Geralt and Yennefer lead independent searches for Ciri, but none of the characters are together.
2 Season 4's Release Date Will Be 2024 Or Later
The Witcher's first season aired in 2019, and the second in 2021. The show has a staggered gap between releases. Often, it fills these spaces with shorter, standalone additions like Nightmare of the Wolf and the upcoming Blood Origin miniseries. Season 3 is a departure from other releases; it isn't coming in November or December, but in the summer of 2023.
All that is known about Season 4's release date is that it will be in 2024 at the very earliest. If previous trends hold, then fans can expect it in 2025. Hopefully, Netflix will continue to shorten the time between seasons and air Season 4 earlier. However, it's likely that the major changes to the show's central character will cause delays. 2024 would be an optimistic estimation for an airing date, but it's not beyond the bounds of possibility.
1 The Witcher Will Likely Be More Faithful To The Books Than Season 2
Faithfulness is a hot-button topic in any adaptation. In particular, franchises with devoted fanbases like The Witcher risk alienating fans if an adaptation is wildly different from the source material. The Witcher's first season is largely faithful. It adds, removes, expands on, or adapts certain events. However, most of its content draws from the pre-existing books. Season 2, on the other hand, diverges much more heavily.
Blood of Elves is a difficult book to adapt, so The Witcher leans more on an original narrative. In particular, its storyline about Yennefer losing her powers and its overall villain in the Voleth Meir are entirely original to the show. This has been more controversial with dedicated fans. Showrunner Lauren Hissrich said in an interview that Season 2 is probably the most the show will ever stray from the books. As such, Season 4 is likely to be a much more faithful and accurate adaptation, which fans will enjoy.