The Witcher showrunner Lauren Hissrich says she "completely understands" why fans are furious about Henry Cavill's upcoming departure.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar during The Witcher: Blood Origin UK, Hissrich said he sympathized with viewers Cavill leaving the hit Netflix show. However, Hissrich simultaneously called on fans to continue with the television series, although Cavill will no longer be part of his cast.
Hissrich's response comes five weeks after it was revealed that the show's lead actor will not be returning as Geralt of Rivia after The Witcher season 3. The fantasy series, which returns in the second quarter of 2023, will bring to a close Cavill's reign, with Liam Hemsworth, brother of Marvel movie star Chris Hemsworth, replacing Cavill in season 4.
In los días que siguieron, the base of The Witcher fanatics expressed surprise and dismay because Cavill felt alejando de uno de los papeles de sus sueños. A Change.org (opens in a new tab) petition – which currently has over 275 signatures – has even been set up, calling on Netflix to try to persuade Cavill to stay and fire the show's writing staff. in lugar.
For her part, Hissrich says she fully understands fans' anger towards her and the rest of the show's creators. However, she also called on The Witcher fans to continue supporting her cast and crew, adding that failure to do so would be detrimental to the upcoming Blood Origin spin-off and future seasons of the main series. from The Witcher.
"It's a big deal for us, too," Hissrich admitted when TechRadar brought up how negatively fans had reacted to Cavill's impending departure. "And that's the problem: there's a lot of talk and rumor about it and we completely understand why the fans go there.
"What I will say is come back for season three of The Witcher so we can keep doing it. Obviously that [Cavill's departure] is great news. But what I don't want to do is have him stay on Blood Origin, Declan. [de Barra, Blood Origin's showrunner], cast and crew. This is his time in the spotlight."
Cavill is a self-proclaimed Witcher superfan and his portrayal of Geralt was the highlight of one of the best shows on Netflix in its first two seasons. Without him, fans fear the main series will deviate further from author Andrzej Sapkowski's source material, with much of the fanbase previously criticizing plot-based deviations taken by the show's creative team in season 2 of The Witcher.
As a huge Witcher fan, Cavill has been vocal as much as his fanbase that he wants the series to stick more closely to Sapkowski's fantasy novels. In December 2021, he told Netflix's The Witcher Season 2 Unlocked Aftershow (opens in a new tab): "I'm a huge fan of the books and I stick with them, and it's about making sure this story plays out." without too many kidnappings or parallel things going on to cover our tracks.”
Multiple rumors have circulated online since news of Cavill's departure broke, with many fans suggesting that he had a falling out with the show's writers and producers over the direction of the show's story. Ever the chivalrous, Cavill did not express any animosity towards the show's creative team in his own Instagram post (opens in new tab) about leaving the Witcher TV show. Instead, he opted for Liam Hemsworth to carry on Geralt's legacy in the live-action adaptation.
Obviously, only a few people know the truth behind Cavill's departure from the show and it's highly unlikely that we'll ever find out. Hissrich's comments, however, will do little to quell fan speculation as to why he spent time playing Geralt, or convince them to continue watching the show's main run and/or become its sequel.
TechRadar will bring you more Blood Origin coverage ahead of its December 25 release. Check back with us over the next two weeks for more exclusives and our full thoughts on The Witcher's second spin-off project.
For more Netflix and The Witcher content, check out the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix documentaries. If not, find out how to read the Witcher books in order, or watch one of these five gory fantasies while you wait for season 3 to arrive.
Today's best Netflix deals
(opens in a new tab)
(opens in a new tab) (opens in a new tab)
