The Witcher star Henry Cavill announced he is leaving the Netflix series and will no longer play Geralt of Rivia. Instead, the titular monster slayer will be played by actor Liam Hemsworth.
On social media, Cavill wrote, "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."
Following the announcement, Hemsworth stated, "As a Witcher fan I'm over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I'm honoured that he's handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf's blades for the next chapter of his adventure... I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world."
As Cavill clarified in the announcement, the change will come in Season 4, which was officially announced by Netflix. Reports suggest development has already begun for the fourth season, along with Season 5, which will be shot back-to-back. Previous reports suggest filming will begin sometime in late 2023, following the release of The Witcher Season 3.
Cavill has been a passionate Witcher fan and brought that enthusiasm to the Netflix show. Early on, showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich detailed how the Man of Steel star contacted her about playing Geralt before the show was near casting. Although other actors auditioned for the role, Hissrich ultimately returned to Cavill and gave it to him.
The actor has explained in the past how he has played CD Projekt Red's video games and Andrzej Sapkowski's novels and brought his knowledge of the Witcher lore to the Netflix show. He brought that to the series, with Hissrich explaining how he would send notes about Geralt of Rivia's depiction. As an example of how these notes contributed to the show, the showrunner explained how the character was given more in terms of dialogue.
The Witcher Season 3 is set to be released in the summer of 2023.
Source: Instagram, Netflix