Netflix's The Witcher took various liberties with the characters and events introduced in Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, so even long-time fans of the franchise won't know what to expect when Season 2 hits screens later this year. Showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich recently promised that fans can expect the upcoming season to be a touch darker and more intense than Season 1.
In an interview with Sci-Fi and Fantasy magazine, Hissrich explained that the approach to the series had shifted slightly since Season 1. "In Season 1, especially with all those short stories from Sapkowski's The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, we embraced different tones. Going into Season 2, it had been my intention to keep doing it that way, let it go with the flow, but the stories are a bit more intense. We lean into those darker elements, and I think they perfectly suit the stories. The only thing we really tried to be consistent about was keeping [Geralt’s] sense of humor."
While fans will just have to wait and see what some of those intense moments are, audiences have gotten plenty of brief glimpses into Season 2 of The Witcher with some of the series' trailers and clips, a lot of which centers on the first episode, which adapts Sapkowski's short story, "A Grain of Truth," from The Last Wish. The episode's special guest star, Kristofer Hivju, debuted as Nivellen in one of the clips released at Netflix's TUDUM event, showcasing a conversation adapted from the books.
As far back as February 2020, when production on Season 2 began, reports emerged from the set, suggesting that the show would be adding its own dark twist on the fantasy world, going so far as to kill off certain characters that appear in Sapkowski's Blood of Elves, which much of the series will adapt.
In addition, Netflix recently released an anime tie-in film exploring the history of Kaer Morhen and introducing the oldest surviving witcher from the School of the Wolf, Vesemir, who will be played by actor Kim Bodnia in Season 2. It's currently uncertain how large of a role Geralt's fellow witchers will play in the series, and how closely the season will adapt the events of the novels. It was reported that a major battle will occur in The Witcher Season 2, one that will impact every character deeply.
Season 1 of The Witcher is available for streaming on Netflix. Season 2 will premiere on Dec. 17.
Source: Redanian Intelligence