In just a number of weeks, Netflix will release its upcoming dark fantasy series, The Witcher. The live-action adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels possesses many distinct qualities in content already, but the show itself seems to be somewhat unique among fantasy shows in its approach to bringing such a fantasy-rich world to life.
Both showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich and production designer Andrew Laws have explained that The Witcher will not rely on CGI where it can be avoided. "We wanted something real, even during fight sequences" Laws stated. He went so far as to compare the effects present in The Witcher to cinematic feature films. Thanks to recently published images from Italian magazine, Corriere, it is becoming increasingly clear that Laws and Hissrich were not exaggerating.
Several new images were released, many of which showcase what looks to be an immersive fantasy world on par with some of the most successful in recent memory. One image in particular -- featuring a sizeable set of claws belonging to a mysterious beast -- is a perfect example. The beast itself is not visible in the image, but the claws alone are enough to inspire confidence in the show's production value. An incredible amount of detail has gone into creating the monstrous limb and not a bit of CGI to be seen. If there is, it is of sound quality and has been well integrated.
Most of these stills seem to have been taken from scenes set in the coastal town of Blaviken, which, as revealed in The Last Wish, is where Geralt earns the nickname the "Butcher of Blaviken," following a tragic turn of events involving the curse of the Black Sun and a gang of bandits. The monster claw is therefore likely to belong to a Kikimora, which was first mentioned in the novel. The insect-like monster also appeared at the end of the series' teaser trailer. While that creature was clearly created using CGI, it's apparent that that will not necessarily be the case in every scene.
Fans will likely be able to see more when the first full-length trailer premieres at the Lucca Comics & Games event on Oct. 31. Hissrich and several of the show's stars are set to appear at a panel to discuss the series, followed by author Andrzej Sapkowski on the following day.
The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg, Freya Allan as Ciri and Joey Batey as Jaskier. The series will be available to stream on Netflix this December.
(via Redanian Intelligence)