The Witcherfranchise lost the perfect Geralt of Rivia with Henry Cavill’s departure, andit seems like the ideal replacement may be on its way, and it’s not Liam Hemsworth. In the lead-up to season 3, Henry Cavill announced that it would be his final run as the head ofThe Witchercast. The Superman actor spent years building rapport with the fanbase, who appreciated his love for the games and source material, resulting in a devastated reaction to his departure. Following season 3’s lackluster reviews, losing Cavill stings even more.
While there’s nothing wrong with Liam Hemsworth, who could very easily give an outstanding performance, excitement has lessened surroundingThe WitcherTV series. But Netflix isn’t giving up on the IP, and 2025 will see therelease ofThe Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, an animated title set in the saga. This won’t be the first animated feature, following Netflix’s critically acclaimedThe Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolfin 2021. With the TV series struggling,the animated format could be the key to pulling the franchise together.
Doug Cockle Voicing Geralt In The Witcher’s New Movie Is Very Exciting
The Witcher Games' Voice Actor Is Back Playing Geralt
Voice actor Doug Cockle, who defined Geralt of Rivia for millions of audiences in his portrayal of the character in all three video games, includingThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, will return to the character inSirens of the Deep.The film’s trailer feels like a return to form for the franchise, with Doug Cockle’s iconic voice sending an immediate rush of excitementto the fanbase. Especially after the praise forNightmare of the Wolf, the movie may overtake the TV show as the most exciting installment toThe Witchermythology in 2025, excluding Andrzej Sapkowski’s new book.
Andrzej Sapkowski’sThe Witcherbook seriesestablished the premise of the franchise, but the 2015 video game really saw it take off to a new level of mainstream audience appeal. For that reason,Doug CockleisGeralt of Rivia to such a significant portion of the fanbase, just as Kevin Conroy was to Batman. To see him return is simultaneously a breath of fresh air forThe Witcherfranchise and a burst of nostalgia. Responses on social media to the trailer have already demonstrated mass excitement for Cockle’s return to the character.
The Witcher’s Sirens Of The Deep Sounds More Exciting Than Season 4
The Witcher Animated Projects Feel More Like The Franchise Gamers & Readers Are Familiar With
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deephas quickly become a highly anticipated release for Netflix, and it might be the perfect option for dedicated fans ofThe Witcherfranchise. Even withThe Witcherseason 4 getting a fresh start with Liam Hemsworth’s interpretation of the character,the show has a steep hill to climb to earn fans back over. Meanwhile, an animated project, this time involving the franchise’s most popular character, can bring to life the true-to-the-source-material version of the fantasy universe that many have hoped for.
The fantasy genre, in general, is so challenging to capture in live-action.Game of Thronesbenefitted from being a low-magic fantasy, at least long enough for it to accumulate momentum and earn a more massive budget. Animation has far more freedom for bringing the fantastical to life, and pivoting in this direction as the main focus for the franchise could be fruitful for winning fans over.
Liam Hemsworth Is Still A Great Choice To Replace Henry Cavill In The Witcher
Liam Hemsworth Isn’t The Problem With The Witcher Show
It should be made perfectly clear that Liam Hemsworth is far from a bad choice for Geralt inThe Witcherseason 4. He’s an exciting actor, and it will be fun to see what he does with the role in Cavill’s absence. However,The Witcherseason 3 saw such a downward trend for the series, which had its problems to begin with.The various changes to the source material and seemingly low production budget have prevented Netflix’s dark fantasy series from reaching its full potentialfrom the beginning, and even an outstanding Geralt performance will struggle to save it now.
It’s impossible to tell what the next season will look like, but it’s hard to imagine them drastically rerouting
Liam Hemsworth could be excellent in the role, surprising fans who were devout followers of Henry Cavill’s portrayal of the character. Yet, Netflix’sThe Witcherwill still be the same show, likely with the same issues viewers had with season 3. It’s impossible to tell what the next season will look like, but it’s hard to imagine them drastically rerouting to appeal to everything audiences have been hoping for with book-faithful storylines and characterizations. For now,The Witcher’sanimated route might be the best option.
The Witcher
The Witcher, released in 2019, follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.
