The Witcher Season 4 arrived on the 2025 TV schedule not long ago, and many fans have already gone all-in on Liam Hemsworth’s first season as Geralt of Rivia. The fantasy drama (which you can watch with a Netflix subscription) saw some big behind-the-scenes changes for the new set of episodes, but the same can be said for the characters we’ve followed since 2019. Now that most audiences have seen a major Season 4 death and gotten very upset about it, the showrunner has opened up about why Geralt “needed” it to happen right now. And, yes, there are SPOILERS AHEAD.

Who Died On The Witcher Season 4 And What Fans And The Showrunner Have Said About It

If there’s only one thing that can be said to be totally accurate about The Witcher for all of its run, it’s that loads of characters, major and not so much, die on a regular basis. The monster-filled fantasy has always been a bloody one, but the season which saw the cast and crew sweetly welcome new White Wolf Liam Hemsworth to the “gang” also saw the death of someone who’s very important to Geralt: his Witcher father figure, Vesemir.

This has caused some strife in the Witcher fandom, as the character survives in the books on which the series is based. Of course, we’ve been in this spot before, with changes to the book story getting a lot of flak previously, and partially being blamed for beloved star Henry Cavill deciding to depart after Season 3. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich opened up to Variety about why they felt the time was right for Vesemir to die, and said:

A lot of fans have definitely been of the opinion that it appeared that Vesemir was killed off simply for shock value. He and two of his remaining Witchers were called in by Yennefer to help her prepare the few mages she’d manage to assemble for their giant fight with Vilgefortz.

Unfortunately, Vesemir took the evil magic-user on himself, and quickly lost the fight. Viewers are also annoyed that when our hero finds out about his surrogate dad dying, well, Geralt simply doesn’t seem too pressed about the tragedy.

According to Schmidt Hissrich, with Geralt’s heroic actions finally seeing him realize his childhood dream of becoming an actual knight happening by the end of the season, Vesemir’s death (despite him not being present for it and having to be told about it later by Yen) comes at an important time for the former loner. Much of his journey throughout the series has been to recognize Ciri and Yen as his found family and how much he’s willing to put aside his previous life of remaining neutral at all costs to protect and help them.

So, it seems that Vesemir’s death will set him on a new path in the final season of The Witcher, where he fully abandons what he wants so that he can keep Ciri (especially) safe.

The Witcher cast faced a serious shakeup ahead of Season 4, after Henry Cavill left and Liam Hemsworth took over the role of Geralt. While there has been a lot of noise surrounding this switch, on set, things were very merry. That became very clear too as Joey Batey, who plays Jaskier, explained the sweet way the cast welcomed The Hunger Games actor.

I think it’s fitting that the way Hemsworth was welcomed to The Witcher was explained by Joey Batey, who plays a bard and Geralt’s closest friend. While chatting about The Witcher Season 4 and the major cast shift, the actor made it clear that their new co-star was welcomed with open arms and a trip to the pub. He told SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend:

Well, that’s so sweet, and it goes right along with Batey’s feelings about Hemsworth taking over the role. During an interview with CinemaBlend, he told us that his new co-star “looked absolutely fantastic,” and brought an “animalistic nature” to his fights and a “wryness” to the way he spoke that worked really well. That's pretty high praise!

To that point, in the story for SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend, Batey went on to compliment how The Last Song actor took ownership of the iconic character. After he was welcomed, it seemed like he fit into the Witcher world seamlessly, as the Jaskier actor explained:

Liam Hemsworth did say he felt like a kid on the first day of school when he put on the Geralt costume for the first time. However, his co-stars clearly explained that he was a natural when it came to playing The White Wolf.

It also simply sounds like he was a great guy to be around. Batey said that he and Hemsworth would really get each other laughing on set, and that “mischievous” behavior he described sounds delightful:

All around, I’m so here for how The Witcher cast welcomed Liam Hemsworth into the fold. Taking over the role of Geralt is no small task. He literally stepped into the shoes of the beloved character, and a lot of pressure comes with that. So, to have a group of people who were so excited to welcome and work with him must have meant the world.

Now, to see this crew on screen together, you can stream Season 4 of The Witcher (which recently dropped on the 2025 TV schedule) with a Netflix subscription.

Spoilers for Season 4 of The Witcher are ahead!

As those with a Netflix subscription who watch The Witcher know, the Continent is an incredibly harsh land. Not only do wars, both man-made and magical, continue to rage across its many cities, but there are literally terrifying monsters lurking in nearly every locale, from village to forest and desert to sea. The populace is hardly incapable of experiencing joy, however, and one thing that relieves some tension is the songs of a certain bard: Jaskier. In fact, The Witcher Season 4 (which recently hit the 2025 TV schedule) delivered our first-ever singing/dancing musical sequence for Joey Batey’s character, and I was shocked to find out just how “exhausting” it all was to film.

What Did Joey Batey Say About Filming Jaskier’s Musical Number?

There are many things to love about The Witcher, whether it’s the new-found monster fighting skills of Liam Hemsworth during his “noise”-filled inaugural season as Geralt of Rivia (which made him feel like a “school kid” when in costume for the first time), the amazing battle sequences or, oh, I don’t know, pretty much anytime we get to watch Joey Batey’s character sing a song. Geralt’s ever-funny friend Jaskier has had plenty of standout moments over the course of three seasons so far, but I don’t think anyone quite expected that the fourth season would add “full-on musical number” to that list.

Episode 5, “The Joy of Cooking,” saw Geralt and his travelling companions take a break after yet another hard-won fight to rest, recover, and enjoy a meal. This led to everyone sharing some tales from their own histories, and Jaskier’s version launched The Witcher universe into complete Hollywood Technicolor musical mode for about five minutes. When asked about filming the fun scene by CinemaBlend’s Riley Utley recently, the actor had a much different word to describe the process, though. As he said:

Awww, man! This is the “magic” of movie-making and starring in a TV show, I suppose. It looks like it would have been a blast to film, but there were so many moving parts as compared to things like Batey’s performances of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” (which got stuck in everyone’s head) and the Season 2 banger “Burn, Butcher, Burn” that it didn’t exactly amount to a normal day of filming. Just look at the first part of the scene:

There’s so much…twirling. Potentially too much for a regular, non-bard person. He explained further:

OK, this really sounds rough. Can you imagine being in the middle of your job and someone you don’t even really know feeling like they need to take pity on you and offer sustenance? I mean, don’t get me wrong; I would love it. But I’m a writer who sits at a computer all day and works from home, so it would be at least a teensy bit odd. Anyway…

Even though it wasn’t party time on set while the cast and crew worked on the complex sequence, it turns out that the impulse to bolster others during the process helped everyone come together (sounds like trauma bonding, but any bonding is good bonding…I guess) to keep the environment on set as light and happy as possible while everyone worked their asses off. As Batey noted:

That’s good at least. Now, honestly, I cannot wait to see how they top this musical performance in Season 5!

There’s no ifs, ands or buts about it, Geralt of Rivia’s look is iconic and very distinct. So, as Liam Hemsworth took over The Witcher role for Season 4, I was curious what it felt like for him to put that costume on for the first time, and I wondered how the cast reacted to him in it as well. So, I asked Hemsworth and his co-star, Anya Chalotra, about it, and they made a comparison that is just as funny as it is logical.

Ahead of The Witcher’s Season 4 premiere on Netflix’s 2025 schedule, I had the chance to interview Hemsworth, Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, and Ciri actress Freya Allan together. I asked them all about the fact that there was a new Geralt actor this season, and when I specifically posed a question to the Yennefer actress about seeing Hemsworth in costume for the first time, she said:

So, the three leads of The Witcher got to be together for this monumental moment, which was fun. It turns out it was funny too. That became clear as Liam Hemsworth cut in to explain that he kind of felt like a kid on the first day of school when he rolled up wearing that white wig and Geralt’s signature black look. He said:

I have to say, he pulls the fit (and the wig) off nicely, and overall, his castmates were easily able to work with him as Geralt after Henry Cavill left. However, The Hunger Games actor wasn’t the only one feeling like he was the new kid on the block. Chalotra, who has been playing Yen for four seasons, also felt that energy, too, as she explained:

She went on to say that while the whole situation was quite “surreal,” it also felt “natural.” Now, you can watch Hemsworth’s take on Geralt with a Netflix subscription, and, at least to me, it seems like he really did fit right into this world naturally.

Overall, it makes sense why putting on the costume for the first time felt like a big first day of school. It was a big first, and there was a lot of noise surrounding Hemsworth’s casting and Cavill’s exit. Plus, no matter how you shake it, it’s hard to replace a lead character after they’ve been played by someone for so long. Then, add in the lore and fandom that comes with The Witcher, as well as the incredibly distinct look Geralt has, and you have a recipe for pressure.

However, I love that they handled it all with laughs and a fun interaction.

Now, we can all see Liam Hemsworth in Geralt’s get-up too, because Season 4 of The Witcher is out now on Netflix, and Season 5 is on the way.

It won’t be long at all now before those with a Netflix subscription who are fantasy fans will be able to see The Witcher Season 4 as the series officially enters a new era. The fourth set of episodes are the first with new Geralt lead Liam Hemsworth in the role, and expectations are pretty high after the actor took over for previous star Henry Cavill. Let’s not forget that the show’s other stars had to adjust to the change, as well, and the cast was very candid about the switch.

What Some Of The Witcher Cast Said About Liam Hemsworth Taking Over For Henry Cavill In Season 4

The 2025 TV schedule is about to feature way more sword fighting, as we are now mere hours away from Liam Hemsworth’s first season of The Witcher. That cast shakeup (which saw former lead Henry Cavill announce both his departure and successor in a move that seriously pissed off fans) has led to a lot of not-so-great feelings from fans as the show proceeds, but how does the cast feel?

With stars like Freya Allan defending Hemsworth, it appeared that his co-stars were more willing to give him a shot than many of the fans (who seemed to abandon the show even in Cavill’s last season). When speaking to CinemaBlend’s Riley Utley recently, Jaskier actor Joey Batey was asked what it was like to see Hemsworth walk on set in full Geralt mode for the first time, and he said:

After word about The Hunger Games star’s new gig came out, we were able to get a look at some of the behind-the-scenes work he was doing to fill out his predecessor’s made-for-a-ripped-body armor. As Batey noted, he also voiced his character in The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep opposite Witcher video game actor Doug Cockle as Geralt, so having someone else portray the character wasn’t too much of a shock to his system.

Laurence Fishburne is also in his first season as a Witcher star this year, and his part as Regis will see him spending a lot of quality time with Geralt. He was asked about filming with Hemsworth and noted:

It seems that fans can count on Fishburne’s Regis being around for the fifth and final season of the action-packed fantasy, as well, seeing as how he mentioned that he basically worked with the Lonely Planet actor for two years (filming on Season 5 wrapped in September 2025). The Matrix star bonded with Hemsworth over their commitment to giving fans “something that the audience will embrace,” and he also opened up about how that desire impacted how he prepared for his part of Regis:

If this isn’t the best way to deal with filming under a bit of a cloud caused by an unhappy fandom, I don’t know what is. We can all see the result of their effort when The Witcher returns to Netflix on October 30.

October comes to an end, and November gets underway. While there’s a surprising lack of new content arriving on Hallowen itself, there’s plenty of great horror material already streaming on your favorite platforms, and then November 1 will bring the usual upheaval of content libraries. Here’s a look at what’s worth giving a look at this week.

Hedda - October 29 (Prime Video)

One of the most talked-about movies coming out of the Toronto International Film Festival was Nia DaCosta’s Hedda. The film, based on a classic play, gets a new twist from DaCosta and star Tessa Thompson. The film is already among the conversation for major awards consideration, and following a brief theatrical release, the movie will be available with a Prime Video subscription this week.

Star Wars: Visions, Volume 3 - October 29 (Disney+)

There are a lot of opinions about how the Star Wars franchise has fared under Disney but one of the unique and special creations we have seen in that time has been Star Wars: Visions. The series hands over the elements of the franchise to creators in Japanese anime to create original short films that put a visual and cultural twist on the story. The third batch of Visions shorts arrives this week as part of your Disney+ subscription.

Down Cemetery Road - October 29 (Apple TV+)

A major new streaming series release comes from your Apple TV+ subscription this week. Down Cemetery Road stars Emma Thompson as a private investigator hired after a small town suffers an explosion and the disappearance of a young girl on the same night. It looks dramatic, but also with a dose of humor that could make it quite a fun watch.

Disney Twisted Wonderland: The Animation - October 29 (Disney+)

In the second case of Disney being given an anime twist this week comes Disney Twisted Wonderland. In one of the stranger roads to Disney+, the series is based on a popular mobile game, and takes a little inspiration from Harry Potter is a story that sees the main character drawn into the world of Night Raven College, a boarding school with dormitories based on Disney Villains.

The Witcher, Season 4 - October 30 (Netflix)

The Witcher remained one of the most popular shows to watch with a Netflix subscription for three seasons, but the long-awaited new season will change things up in a big way with Liam Hemsworth taking over the lead role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill. Fans are not likely to go easy on the new actor, but if the show is good enough, it’s difficult to imagine people will be disappointed for long.

Jurassic World: Rebirth - October 30 (Peacock)

A lot of fans were surprised when we got the fourth film in the Jurassic World franchise so quickly, but based on its box office it may be shouldn't have been that surprising. If you missed the film in theaters you’ll need a Peacock subscription to see it this week. Jurassic World: Rebirth showed that even seven total movies in, the dinosaur franchise is still incredibly popular. Scarlett Johansson starred in this newest reboot of the series that already has a sequel rumored to be in development.

November is going to be a solid month for streaming content. Music fans will see an updated Beatles Anthology coming to Disney+. Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated Frankenstein will make its streaming debut. The first Christmas movies of the season will also arrive.

The Witcher Season 4 is on the horizon on the 2025 TV schedule, and meanwhile, the sun is setting on The Witcher Season 5. Now, I realize that’s a bit confusing, because we aren’t even able to watch Season 4 with a Netflix subscription yet. However, it makes sense because one cast member has gotten sentimental about production wrapping on the final season of this beloved Netflix fantasy series just a few weeks before new episodes drop.

Freya Allan, who has played Ciri since day one, took to Instagram to post about wrapping on Season 5 of The Witcher. Posting a sweet image from her first day on set during Season 1 alongside a heartfelt caption, she captured the bittersweet energy that comes with a massive moment like this. Take a look:

It’s hard to fathom that it’s already been seven years, but at the same time, it feels like The Witcher has been on forever. It premiered in 2019, and Season 4 will drop on October 30, 2025, six years later. Now, Season 4 wrapped a year ago, so assuming they operate on the same timeline with Season 5, we’ll see the final season sometime in the last months of 2026.

That means Allan was about 18 years old when the show premiered, and likely between 16 and 17 when they were filming. Now, she’s 24. Those are formative years in anyone’s life, and to literally grow up on this show is pretty incredible. So, obviously, the sentimentality is very warranted.

Plus, both on screen and off, on The Witcher, the cast and crew have been through a lot. Obviously, their characters have been on quite a fantastical journey. Meanwhile, off-screen, these actors have had to film said journey, which is action-packed and intense. They’ve also had go through a major casting change, and while many fans are loving and passionate, they’ve also had to deal with the “attacky” fanbase, as Allan put it.

That fanbase was particularly loud when Henry Cavill left The Witcher, and Liam Hemsworth took over the role of Geralt. Fans were so mad, in fact, that a petition got over 300,000 signatures that was titled “NETFLIX: You MUST keep Henry Cavill as The Witcher and replace the writers instead.”

Now, Hemsworth has opened up about the “noise” of taking on this iconic role. He said he put it “aside,” and hopefully, he was able to do that while filming both Seasons 4 and 5.

As we know, Season 4 will premiere in a few weeks, and Season 5 will mark the end of The Witcher. We’ll get to see Ciri with the Rats, and we’ll get to find out if her powers are truly gone or not. Then, after the upcoming episodes, we’ll be waiting one last time for the final installment.

It seems like we won’t have to wait too long, though, because as Season 4 premieres in about a month, Season 5 has wrapped, meaning we’re well on our way to see this Netflix hit’s epic conclusion.

Soon, after over a two-year wait, fans who are eager to step back into the world of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer will be able to, when The Witcher Season 4 comes to the 2025 TV schedule. Those with a Netflix subscription were shocked and even angered in late 2022 when star Henry Cavill departed and handed the reins over to Liam Hemsworth, who has largely remained quiet on what it’s been like to take over the role. With the new season on the horizon, though, he's opened up about the “noise” that came after he signed up to portray Geralt, but I really don’t know if Season 4 is going to help that issue or not.

What Did Liam Hemsworth Say About Fan Response To Him Taking Over The Witcher From Henry Cavill?

Whether you’re a fan of The Witcher video games or books who’s watched the once incredibly popular fantasy series or not, you likely remember what happened when the star of Seasons 1-3, Henry Cavill, announced he was leaving. There had already been many rumors about the Superman actor not being happy with the creative direction of the drama, and fans who loved his portrayal of the White Wolf were none too pleased (yes, that’s putting it in extremely mild terms) that he’d decided to leave the show.

As we look forward to the October 30 premiere of the fourth season (the first of two with the new star which will round out the series), Liam Hemsworth spoke to Entertainment Weekly about taking over as Geralt and noted that his announcement as the new lead was a bit of a distracting time. The Hunger Games star said:

I think calling the response to his casting “noise” is probably fair, seeing as how while fans were absolutely pissed off about the casting change, they didn’t seem to hold it against Hemsworth or his predecessor, but the showrunner and writers who’d been crafting the show. They were seen as making creative choices that tinkered too much with the story set forth in Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, which made it hard for Cavill (a loud and devoted member of the tale’s fanbase) to soldier on.

In fact, fans have even come to the Expendables 2 star’s defense when it comes to his casting. When 2023 promos for the third season proudly declared, “Yes, he’s still Geralt in Season 3” (meaning Cavill) many online were pissed that the show appeared to actively throw Hemsworth “under a bus.” So, even though co-star Freya Allan has noted that their “fanbase can be attacky,” that mostly hasn’t been the case with Hemsworth specifically…so far.

Here’s Why I Don’t Know If The Witcher Season 4 Premiere Will Help The ‘Noise’ Or Hurt

Look, I’m a fan of The Witcher who didn’t previously have any attachment to the source material. I never read the books or played the video games, so I was free to watch the series without any real expectations of anything other than being entertained. I do understand, however, that it’s really hard to not have lots of expectations when an IP you love is adapted into another form, and I’ve also had some issues with what I saw on screen, whether those problems crossed over with long-time fans’ thoughts or not.

Here’s the thing; right now talk of The Witcher is pretty flat, and it has been since Season 3 wrapped a little over two years ago. For the most part people got their anger out right after news of the Cavillworth switch, they peeped some of the third season and slowly bounced away more and more as those episodes rolled on. Fans who’ve decided that they are done with the show are likely committed to that, so they don’t feel much need to discuss it anymore. Hence, the “noise” and “distraction” has died way down.

But, as I see it, one of two things will happen when Season 4 hits Netflix: either negative talk of the series will ramp up again (let’s be real, folks like to pile on) or word of mouth will stay at basically the level it is now because hardly anyone will give the new Geralt a shot. Either way, that’s not good for the show, as news about it will be negative.

Obviously, it’s not impossible that people will check it out and actually have mostly positive thoughts about what they see, but with Season 5 already being set as the last one, I think those who are still quietly seething about the leading man swap will have even fewer reasons to give the series a shot, meaning that a once very strong performer for the streamer could die a cold, lonely death when it all comes to an end in 2026.

Even though it’s become common for television shows to be released all year, it’s still rather exciting when the fall releases come around. At some point, the 2025 TV schedule will bring those with a Netflix subscription more fantasy in the form of The Witcher Season 4, which is the first one where Liam Hemsworth takes over for previous lead, Henry Cavill. There had been hopes of building a whole televised franchise around other tales on The Continent, but I had basically forgotten that The Rats spinoff was in the works, and new word on the project doesn’t sound good.

What’s Going On With The Witcher’s Rats Spinoff?

For a while there it seemed like things were basically going well when it came to developing author Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher books into stories for streaming giant, Netflix. Not only did The Witcher make waves with an enthusiastic Henry Cavill as star when it debuted in late 2019, but a 2021 animated tale, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, was also well received and helped set up the second season.

This is why (despite the poor reception to prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, and its ending) a spinoff called The Rats was put into development and began filming, wrapping in early 2023. The potential show was another prequel, but this one was set to follow the band of young criminals that Ciri found herself with during The Witcher: Season 3 ending. However, a new report from Redanian Intelligence alleges that production on that spinoff was a “disaster” behind the scenes, and “everything went wrong” during filming.

One of those things was the 2023 WGA strike, which led to showrunner Haily Hall being present during production, along with The Witcher’s showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, but neither being able to actually work on the show because of strike guidelines. Filming was planned for six months, but ended after two, and the reason is supposedly because Netflix executives saw early footage and deemed it unreleasable. Leading to the drama being shelved.

With many Witcher fans still upset that the show will return without Cavill for the final two seasons, I doubt that there will be much interest in reviving a series that was never set to involve Geralt (or any other current Witcher players).

So, what’s going to happen to the Rats footage that was filmed? Reportedly, it won’t all suffer the fate of being shoved into a box in the corner of a dark, dusty room. Two alleged possibilities noted by the outlet’s sources say that we could see either a one-off film, The Rats: A Witcher’s Tale, or see scenes used as flashbacks in the upcoming season of the parent series.

All things The Witcher will likely come to a stop after the next couple of years (Season 5 is already well into filming and will be the fantasy’s last), so my bet is on that latter option more than the former. Fans will be able to see what happens when the main show returns later this year.

Alright, we need to talk about something that's been bothering me for ages, and that's the long wait for TV shows.

Before you agree with me, let me say that there are some aspects of a TV show I don't mind waiting for. I'm not the kind of purist who thinks that every single show needs to be on every year. However, there's one aspect that bothers me about shows, some of which are even on the 2025 TV schedule. So let's get into why.

I Honestly Don't Mind Waiting Long For TV Shows

First off, I don't mind waiting for TV shows, within reason. There are particular television series that I always expect to wait a long time for. Namely, most of the best fantasy shows out there have tended to have a long wait time for fans to enjoy them. While Game of Thrones aired everywhere for some time, it took two years for Season 8 to come out, even if Season 8 was not the best.

From there, we can examine many other TV shows that have taken years to air. A notable example is The Witcher. The first season came out in 2019. The next one was in 2021, and the third was in 2023. I don't even know when The Witcher Season 4 is set to come out, since they have a new actor playing Geralt now. Either way, it'll be several years latr.

For shows like this, with a high budget, intense creatures, a lot of story, and so much more, I'm okay waiting for years. That's not that bad because it allows for hype to build. For example, House of the Dragon Season 2 is expected to be released in 2024, and House of the Dragon Season 3 is scheduled to be released in 2026, with the possibility of an all-out war (fingers crossed). That's exciting!

Those kinds of shows are fun to look forward to. However, there's one aspect of this waiting period for other shows that I can’t agree with, and I need to address it.

Even So, I'm Really Starting To Hate How Children Grow Up So Fast. With Filming, They Don't Look Like Kids Anymore

The kids, man. The kids.

In certain instances, I’m somewhat okay with it, but there have been many aspects where the children no longer resemble children.

Here's a great example. Ginny & Georgia is on Netflix, and it's one of the best teen romance shows on there, with plenty of other great dramatic material. However, there's one child named Austin, who is in the 4th grade, in Season 1.

Season 1 came out in 2021. Season 3 was just released in June 2025. Austin is still in the fourth grade because the show's narrative has taken place over a year. Do you want to know how old the actor who plays Austin is now? Diesel La Toracca is 14. This kid should be in high school.

Sure, there have been some funny people online who say, 'Oh, it's a metaphor for how trauma instantly makes you grow up and he mirrors that,' but no, that sort of stuff takes you out of the casting as a whole. At this rate, we could age the whole cast up and put him in middle school so it's at least relatively close to where he should be.

While there are many other cases I could point to, this was the glaring one I had to bring up with the children. But we're not done yet.

The Same Goes For These High School Shows When Actors Are Cast Younger But Take Years To Come Out

Another excellent example of this is Euphoria. Is it a great show on HBO that got the world talking? Yes, that and more. I was part of the conversation when it first premiered, and I happily watched it when it returned for Season 2.

However, the Euphoria cast members are all now in their late 20s to early 30s, with some even approaching their late 30s. And we're still in high school?

Back in the days of shows on the CW, it felt more realistic because those shows were released every year, with around 20 episodes each season. The actors didn't look that much older because the story constantly changed and adapted. However, now we're waiting years between seasons for this series – the first was a three-year wait between 2019 and 2022, and I'm pretty sure it'll be four years for Euphoria Season 3.

There have been talks of a time skip in Season 3, and if so, thank the Lord, because that is literally the only way this type of show could still work. However, many other shows have adhered to this idea. Wednesday Season 2 is also in a similar boat. How long are they going to keep 22-year-old Jenna Ortega in high school? I'm not sure.

Stranger Things Did It Right With A Time Skip, But What Will Other Shows Do?

Stranger Things is another excellent example of how, despite nearly ten years of watching this series, there have only been five seasons, and the fifth one hasn't even been released yet. By the time the fourth season arrived, these kids were still just teenagers in high school, and the actors were considered adults. Heck, Millie Bobby Brown is married now. That's just how much time has passed.

Even so, there has been a confirmed time skip for Season 5, which is really the only way this could make sense (similar to Euphoria). But how will other shows accomplish this? How will a series like the new Harry Potter show on HBO maintain its actors' ages while staying true to the story? The clock is ticking.

I Don't Know How We're Going To Adapt Filming -- Or Someone Needs To Be Recast

In this matter, I'm unsure what to do. Either something needs to change in the behind-the-scenes process (such as editing, budgeting or production costs) in order for the show to move forward, or someone needs to be recast if the story remains stuck in the same timeline.

I'm not the kind of person to willingly put someone out of a job. However, if it takes the viewer out of the moment and you're just laughing at the idea of this older kid in the fourth grade instead of feeling the trauma he's going through, you're doing it wrong. Something's gotta give.

I don't know what's going to change, but something will, or else we'll be losing a lot of viewers because it's just not realistic for people to age that fast in a year. This does make me want to rewatch some older TV shows to see how well they handled aging. Hmm, it may be time to utilize my streaming services for a little TV marathon.

While I doubt that every fantasy author in the world is well-acquainted with the work of every other fantasy writer who happens to create wild universes for readers to dive into, there are certainly some scribes who simply cannot be ignored. Two such acclaimed writers are George R.R. Martin and Andrzej Sapkowski, who have given fans the worlds that led to Game of Thrones and The Witcher. Each series has spawned franchises, and while Sapkowski recently threw some shade at Martin (for obvious reasons), he also decided to defend him.

What Did The Witcher’s Author Say About George R.R. Martin?

Die-hard fans of George R.R. Martin’s work likely have a few sticking points when it comes to the celebrated writer, but perhaps none is more obvious than the fact that Game of Thrones had to wrap up with a contentious finale six years ago…and the man still hasn’t finished A Song of Ice and Fire. Book six, The Winds of Winter was supposed to be finished 13 years ago as of 2025, and he also has plans for a seventh and final book that is (clearly) nowhere near completion.

Meanwhile, The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski completed the main books in his series by 1999, meaning that when that TV series (which you can watch with your Netflix subscription) ends after Season 5, they will have had his full work to pull from. When speaking at the Opole book festival (via Redanian Intelligence) recently, the writer headed off questions about whether or not he was going to add to his collection of stories about The Continent by saying:

SHOTS. FIRED. Look, I love a spicy writer, and he just came right outta the gate with a slam for his fellow author, despite the fact that, apparently, no one had even mentioned Martin!

Of course, lots has been said and written about the incredibly extended delay that fans are seeing with TWOW. Many who’d been hoping to be able to finally read the end of ASOIAF as Martin intended it have given up on the idea of him ever completing it, and while there can certainly be some unnecessary toxicity regarding their disappointment, the basis of their feelings is pretty easy to understand.

Martin is working on several different projects to varying degrees at once (including helping out with the ever-expanding GOT TV universe, like the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is slated for the 2025 TV schedule), so he should be given some grace for that. But, even he’s admitted that TWOW is “a big mother of a book” which he now calls “the curse of my life.” Sapkowski continued his thoughts, and noted that he really does get why Martin seems to be having so much trouble with this one book:

“Indecent” it may be, but it happened, and now Martin has to figure out a way to make his own vision come to life, before the HBO drama is the final word on A Song Of Ice And Fire.

We’re midway through February and that means love is in the air. Valentine’s Day is here and while the best streaming services aren’t entirely devoid of romantic options, what’s new on new on Netflix and other platforms this week aren’t exactly your standard love stories.

While there is one straight romantic story in a new Bridget Jones film, the rest of what’s streaming this week is full of monsters, suspense, and more than a little karate.

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep - February 11 (Netflix)

It’s still going to be a while before we get The Witcher Season 4 but if your Netflix subscription is collecting dust waiting for it to arrive, there’s some good news. A new animated Witcher movie Sirens of the Deep arrives this week, and while it doesn’t include Henry Cavill or Liam Hemsworth, it does include the voice of Doug Cockle, the voice of Geralt of Rivia in the Witcher video game series.

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy - February 13 (Peacock)

It’s been a decade since the last Bridget Jones movie starring Renée Zellweger and nearly 25 years since the rom-com franchise got started. The last installment isn’t in theaters but requires a Peacock subscription. Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy sees our titular heroine as a widow raising two children and trying to find a way to start her romantic life back up.

Cobra Kai, Season 6, Part 3 - February 13 (Netflix)

It’s sort of amazing that a bizarre spinoff of the Karate Kid that started on YouTube somehow became such a hit, but here we are, six seasons later, and Cobra Kai is as popular as anything the franchise has ever done. A lot of fans will be said to see the final episodes arrive on Netflix this week, but certainly, they will be watching.

The Gorge - February 14 (Apple TV+)

If you’re interested in something a bit different than your standard romance this holiday season, then take advantage of your Apple TV+ subscription and check out The Gorge, Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller play two soldiers standing guard on opposite sides of a massive chasm, to prevent whatever is inside from getting out. It’s an old-fashioned love story.

SNL50: The Anniversary Special - February 16 (Peacock)

Over five decades Saturday Night Live has produced some of the best comedy, the best comedians, and the best music, on television. The show celebrates its 50th anniversary with a special broadcast that will see many of the show’s most popular current and former stars along with a host of musical guests.

The White Lotus Season 3 - February 16 (Max)

Since its debut, The White Lotus has been a remarkable anthology series. This season will include talents like Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, and Jason Isaacs. It's a great reason to have a Max subscription.

As we roll into the back end of February and early March there’s still plenty of upcoming great streaming content on the way. Come back next week to see what else you won’t want to miss.

Between the popular Witcher video game series and the The Witcher TV series, available with a Netflix subscription, the original novels by author Andrzej Sapkowski are more popular than ever. The newest book, a prequel to the series, was recently published in Polish, and with it comes confirmation of a major fan question. Just how old is Geralt of Rivia?

The newest Witcher book confirms the year that Geralt of Rivia was born, which, would make him about 38 years old when he first meets Yennifer of Vengerberg. Of course the thing that really has fans blown away is that by this date, Yennifer herself was quite a bit older when the two first met.

The Age Gap Between Geralt and Yennifer Is Bigger Than Most Fans Guessed, And In The Wrong Direction

The Witcher stories take place over decades, but considering that Geralt of Rivia is a mutant Witcher and Yennifer of Vengerberg is a wizard, it’s essentially impossible to gauge either of their ages based solely on how they look. It turns out that when Geralt and Yennifer first met, Geralt was 38, and Yennifer was twice that age, as she’s 38 years older than he is.

While it seems all the Witcher fans on Reddit had different estimations for just how old the various characters were, many seemed to guess that, if anything Geralt was a lot older than he actually is. The fact that Yennifer is so much older than Geralt, as a lot of fans making jokes about the Witcher and older women.

• So age gap Ciri-Geralt is almost identical to Geralt-Yen. Daughter, father, grandma. How cute. - Ferengsten
• He loves older women. I dig it. 😎 Del-Marr
• So Geralt is closer to Triss in age than Yen? I can’t lie this is crazy. I always thought Geralt was late eighties early nineties. Lol - NaturalDesperate638
• Yennefer you sick fuck, he was only 60 years old! How dare you take advantage of a poor sexagenarian… - monalba
• Damn Yen is a cougar lmao - Aggressive-Expert-69

Some fans thought Geralt was a lot older than he apparently is. Others at least assumed that Yennifer wasn't quite as old as she is. In the books it's well established that wizards can halt their aging, so it's impossible to guess how old one actually is.

The Netflix Series Flipped The Ages

Since The original novels had not previously set a date for Geralt’s birth, the various adaptations of the work had to make their own determinations. As a result, the Netflix series inverted the chronology almost exactly, as Geralt is 32 years older than Yennifer in the series. The popular video game series essentially has them the same age, with Geralt just a year older than Yenn.

Of course, the ages aren't the only difference between the source material and the series. The Netflix Witcher has been criticized previously for the way it differs from the books.

Things will get even more confusing when The Witcher Season 4 debuts next year. Liam Hemsworth who is taking on the role of Geralt, is seven years younger than Henry Cavill, who played the role for the show’s first three years.

Say it ain’t so! We’re near the end of the year, meaning we only have a few 2025 Netflix movies and TV shows coming to our TVs, smartphones, and tablets.

If you want to know about all the 2025 movies, eagerly awaited upcoming TV shows, various comedy specials, live sports, and more documentaries than you can handle, then you have come to the right place. Below you will find all the 2025 Netflix movie and TV show release dates for originals that will soon be available for anyone with a Netflix subscription. Please note, all release times are at 3:01 a.m. ET unless noted, and all new series are listed in ALL CAPS.

December Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

The day fans have been waiting for (and dreading) for years will come at the end of December when Stranger Things airs its final episode. However, it's not all tears, as Netflix has some other promising movies and shows coming out before the end of 2025, including Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Monday, December 1

All the Empty Rooms (Documentary)
LOVE IS BLIND: ITALY (Series)
My Next Guest with David Letterman and Adam Sandler (Series)
Troll 2 (Film)

Wednesday, December 3

My Secret Santa (Film)

Friday, December 5

Jay Kelly (Film)
The New Yorker at 100 (Documentary)
The Night My Dad Saved Christmas 2 (Film)
Owning Manhattan Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, December 11

Lost in the Spotlight (Film)

Friday, December 12

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Film)

Friday, December 19

Breakdown: 1975 (Documentary)
The Great Flood (Film)

Monday, December 22

Elway (Documentary)

Wednesday, December 24

Goodbye June

Thursday, December 25

Christmas Gameday: Cowboys vs. Commanders (Sports)
Christmas Gameday: Lions vs. Vikings (Sports)
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 (Series)

Tuesday, December 30

Cover-Up (Documentary)
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story (Documentary)

Wednesday, December 31

Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 3 (Series)

2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Date TBD

While the list of Netflix original movies and TV shows features a lot of ironed-out dates, there are a number of announced projects that have yet to receive a release date at the time of this writing. With shows like Black Mirror, Wednesday, and the final season of Stranger Things all slated to hit at some point in 2025, we have a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

• The Choice (Series)
• The Undertow (Series)
• Mystery (Film)
• The Witness (Series)

January 2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

The new year kicked off with quite a bang when WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, moved to Netflix. But that wasn't the only big premiere for January 2025, as Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, new docuseries, and the return of The Night Agent became available.

Wednesday, January 1
MISSING YOU (Series)

Thursday, January 2
Cunk on Life (Film)
Stranded with my Mother-in-Law Season 2 (Series)

Friday, January 3
Bandidos Season 2 (Series)
LOVE IS BLIND: GERMANY (Series)
SHAFTED (Series)
SELLING THE CITY (Series)
Umjolo: My Beginning, My End! (Film)
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Film)

Saturday, January 4
WHEN THE STARS GOSSIP (Series)

Monday, January 6
My Happy Marriage Season 2 (Anime)
WWE Raw (Live Sports Entertainment)

Tuesday, January 7
THE BREAKTHROUGH (Series)
Gabriel Iglesias: Legend of Fluffy (Comedy Special)
JERRY SPRINGER: FIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION (Docuseries)

Wednesday, January 8
Dubai Bling Season 3 (Series)
Fake Profile Season 2 (Series)
HOUND'S HILL (Series)
I am a Killer Season 6 (Series)
SUBTERAN (Series)

Thursday, January 9
AMERICAN PRIMEVAL (Limited Series)
ASURA (Series)
I AM ILARY (Series)
The Upshaws Season 6 (Series)

Friday, January 10
Ad Vitam (Film)
Alpha Males Season 3 (Series)

Saturday, January 11
SAKAMOTO DAYS (Anime)

Tuesday, January 14
Ari Shaffir: America's Sweetheart (Comedy Special)
Single's Inferno Season 4 (Series)

Wednesday, January 15
PUBLIC DISORDER (Series)

Thursday, January 16
Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 (Series)
LOVERS ANONYMOUS (Series)
XO, Kitty Season 2

Friday, January 17
Back in Action (Film)
Incognito (Film)
Young, Famous & African Season 3 (Series)

Sunday, January 19

Love Is Blind: Germany: The Reunion (Special)

Wednesday, January 22
W.A.G.S TO RICHES (Series)

Thursday, January 23
The Night Agent Season 2 (Series)

Friday, January 24
The Sand Castle (Film)
SHAFTED (Series)
THE TRAUMA CODE: HEROES ON CALL (Series)

Monday, January 27

MS. RACHEL (Series)

Tuesday, January 28
Liza Treyger: Night Owl (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, January 29
THE HOOLIGAN (Series)
Six Nations: Full Contact Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, January 30
Mo Season 2 (Series)
The Recruit Season 2 (Series)
The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse Season 2 (Anime)

Friday, January 31
High Tides Season 2 (Series)
Lucca's World (Film)
The Snow Girl Season 2 (Series)

February 2025 Netflix Movie And TV Release Dates

The final part of Cobra Kai Season 6, and the conclusion of the series, premiered in February 2025, bringing an end to one of the best Netflix original series. But it wasn’t all bad news for subscribers, as we saw the return of other fan-favorites and a pair of new arrivals.

Monday, February 3

Bogota: City of the Lost (Film)

Wednesday, February 5
CELEBRITY BEAR HUNT (Series)
Envious Season 2 (Series)
Kinda Pregnant (Film)
PRISON CELL 211 (Series)
Sintonia Season 5 (Series)

Thursday, February 6
APPLE CIDE VINEGAR (Series)
THE ARE MURDERS (Series)
CASSANDRA (Limited Series)
GOLDEN KAMUY - THE HUNT OF PRISONERS IN HOKKAIDO (Series)
Sweet Magnolias Season 4 (Series)

Friday, February 7
THE GREATEST RIVALRY: INDIA VS. PAKISTAN (Series)
Pokemon Horizons: The Series Season 5 (Series)
Wrong Side of the Tracks Season 4 (Series)

Tuesday, February 11
Felipe Esparza: Raging Fool (Comedy Special)
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep (Film)

Wednesday, February 12

Death Before the Wedding (Film)
Honeymoon Crasher (Film)

Thursday, February 13
Cobra Kai Season 6 Part 3 (Series)
Dog Days Out (Film)
The Exchange Season 2 (Series)
La Dolce Villa (Film)

Friday, February 14
I AM MARRIED... BUT! (Series)
Love is Blind Season 8 (Series)
MELO MOVIE (Series)
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Film)
Umjolo: There is no Cure (Film)
Valeria Season 4 (Series)

Monday, February 17

Gabby's Dollhouse Season 11 (Series)

Tuesday, February 18
COURT OF GOLD (Series)
OFFLINE LOVE (Series)
Rosebud Baker: The Mother Lode (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, February 19
MY FAMILY (Series)

Thursday, February 20
ZERO DAY (Limited Series)

Sunday, February 23
The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (Awards Ceremony)

Tuesday, February 25
Full Swing Season 3 (Series)

Wednesday, February 26
Miss Italia Musn't Die (Documentary)

Thursday, February 27
Demon City (Film)
RUNNING POINT (Series)
TOXIC TOWN (Series)
The Wrong Track (Film)

Friday, February 28
AITANA: METAMORPHOSIS (Series)
Squad 36 (Film)

March Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With long-awaited Netflix originals like The Electric State, all kinds of series from the United States and abroad, and a documentary about one of the biggest natural disasters in America’s history, there’s a lot going on.

Saturday, March 1

THE POTATO LAB (Series)

Monday, March 3

Hot Wheels Let's Race Season 3 (Series)

Tuesday, March 4

Andrew Schulz: LIFE (Comedy Special)
WITH LOVE, MEGHAN (Series)

Wednesday, March 5

JUST ONE LOOK (Series)
THE LEOPARD (Series) MEDUSA (Series)

Thursday, March 6

Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black Season 1 Part 2 (Series)
Larissa: The Other Side of Anitta (Documentary)
LOVE IS BLIND: SWEDEN: AFTER THE ALTAR (Series)

Friday, March 7

Chaos: The Manson Murders (Documentary)
Delicious (Film)
Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 7 (Series)
Nadaaniyan (Film)
Plankton: The Movie (Film)
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU TANGERINES (Series)

Monday, March 10

American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden (Documentary)

Wednesday, March 12

Everybody's Live with John Mulaney (Live Event)
TEMPTATION ISLAND (Series)
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY (Series)

Thursday, March 13

ADOLESCENCE (Series)
Love is Blind: Sweden Season 2 (Series)

Friday, March 14

The Electric State (Film)

Monday, March 17

CoComelon Lane Season 4 (Series)
Inside Season 2 (Series)

Wednesday, March 19

Twister: Caught in the Storm (Documentary)
Woman of the Dead Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, March 20

BET YOUR LIFE (Series)
KHAKEE: THE BENGAL CHAPTER (Series)
THE RESIDENCE (Series)
WOLF KING (Series)

Friday, March 21

GO! (Series)
High Tides Season 2 (Series)
Revelations (Film)
Little Siberia (Film)

Tuesday, March 25

Chelsea Handler: The Feeling (Comedy Special)
Con Mum (Film)

Wednesday, March 26

CAUGHT (Series)
MILLION DOLLAR SECRET (Series)

Thursday, March 27

Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn's Treasure (Documentary)
Survival of the Thickest Season 2 (Series)

Friday, March 28

THE LADY'S COMPANION (Series)
The Life List (Film)

Monday, March 31

Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer (Documentary)
Promised Hearts (Film)
Rhythm + Flow Italy Season 2 (Series)

April Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With the fifth and final season of You premiering on Netflix this April, there’s a lot to look forward to this spring. But that isn't all, as the long-awaited Havoc action thriller starring Tom Hardy and directed by The Raid’s Gareth Evans, will finally land on the platform after years of being teased.

Tuesday, April 1

Jewel Thief - The Heist Beings (Film)
Nimesh Patel: Instant Karma (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, April 2

Banger (Film)
GARNACHAS: GLORIOUS STREET FOOD (Series)
Love on the Spectrum: U.S. Season 3 (Series)

Thursday, April 3

DEVIL MAY CRY (Series)
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season 3 (Series)
PULSE (Series)

Friday, April 4

KARMA (Series)
Test (Film)

Monday, April 7

BLIPPI’S JOB SHOW (Series)
Kill Tony (Comedy Special)

Tuesday, April 8

THE CLUBHOUSE: A YEAR WITH THE RED SOX (Series)
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) Season 4 (Series)
KIAN’S BIZARRE B&B (Series)
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Season 5 Part 2 (Talk Show)

Wednesday, April 9

BAD INFLUENCE: THE DARK SIDE OF KIDFLUENCING (Series)
The Dad Quest (Film)
Unicorn Academy Chapter 3 (Series)

Thursday, April 10

Black Mirror Season 7 (Series)
Frozen Hot Boys (Film)
Moonrise (Anime)
NORTH OF NORTH (Series)

Friday, April 11

THE GARDENER (Series)
Meet the Khumalos (Film)

Saturday, April 12

RESIDENT PLAYBOOK (Series)

Tuesday, April 15

THE GLASS DOME (Series)

Wednesday, April 16

The Diamond Heist (Series)
I AM NOT MENDOZA (Series)
PROJECT UFO (Series)

Thursday, April 17

ISTANBUL ENCYLOPEDIA (Series)
RANSOM CANYON (Series)

Friday, April 18

iHostage (Film)
Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror (Documentary)

Saturday, April 19

HEAVENLY EVER AFTER (Series)

Monday, April 21

Pangolin: Kulu’s Journey (Documentary)

Wednesday, April 23

A TRAGEDY FORETOLD: FLIGHT 3054 (Docuseries)
BATTLE CAMP (Series)
Bullet Train Explosion (Film)
CARLOS ALCARAZ: MY WAY (Series)

Thursday, April 24

You Season 5 (Series)

Friday, April 25

Havoc (Film)
Pokemon Horizons Season 2 - The Search for Laque Part 2 (Series)

Monday, April 28

Chef's Table: Legends (Documentary)

Wednesday, April 30

ASTERIX & OBELIX: THE BIG FIGHT (Series)
THE ETERNAUT (Series)
Exterritorial (Film)
TURNING POINT: THE VIETNAM WAR (Docuseries)

May Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With another addition to the Too Hot to Handle franchise (this time in Italy), the debut of Sirens, and a new Fear Street movie, May was a killer month for Netflix.

Thursday, May 1

ANGI: FAKE LIFE, TRUE CRIME (Documentary Series)
The Biggest Fan (Film)
THE FOUR SEASONS (Series)

Friday, May 2

Unseen Season 2 (Series)

Sunday, May 4

Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (Special)

Monday, May 5

Britain and the Blitz (Documentary)
Mighty Monsterwheelies Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, May 6

The Devil's Plan Season 2 (Series)
Untold: Shooting Guards (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 7

Full Speed Season 2 (Series)
Last Bullet (Film)

Thursday, May 8

Blood of Zeus Season 3 (Series)
FOREVER (Series)
Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful (Documentary)

Friday, May 9

A Deadly American Marriage (Documentary)
Nonnas (Film)
Bad Influence (Film)
THE ROYALS (Series)

Tuesday, May 13

BAD THOUGHTS (Series)
Untold: The Liver King (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 14

AMERICAN MANHUNT: OSAMA BIN LADEN (Series)
FRED AND ROSE WEST: A BRITISH HORROR STORY (Series)

Thursday, May 15

BET (Series)
FRANKLIN (Series)
Love, Death & Robots Season 4 (Series)
Pernille Season 5 (Series)
SECRETS WE KEEP (Series)
Thank You, Next Season 2 (Series)
Vini Jr. (Documentary)

Friday, May 16

DEAR HONGRANG (Series)
FOOTBALL PARENTS (Series)
The Quilters (Documentary)
ROTTEN LEGACY (Series)

Tuesday, May 20

Sarah Silverman: Postmortem (Comedy Special)
Untold: The Fall of Favre (Documentary)

Wednesday, May 21

NEWLY RICH, NEWLY POOR (Series)
REAL MEN (Series)
SNEAKY LINKS: DATING AFTER DARK (Series)

Thursday, May 22

SIRENS (Series)
TYLER PERRY'S SHE THE PEOPLE (Series)

Friday, May 23

Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (Documentary)
Big Mouth Season 8 (Series)
Fear Street: Prom Queen (Film)
FORGET ME NOT (Series)
Off Track 2 (Film)

Saturday, May 24

OUR UNWRITTEN SEOUL (Series)

Monday, May 26

CoComelon Season 13 (Series)
Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (Documentary)
Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, May 28

FI: THE ACADEMY (Series)

Thursday, May 29

DEPT. Q (Series)

Friday, May 30

The Heart Knows (Film)
A Widow's Game (Film)

Saturday, May 31

Netflix Tudum: The Live Event (Live Event)

June Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

The third and final season of Squid Game debuted on Netflix in June 2025, but that wasn't the only thing that hit the platform as the summer got underway.

Tuesday, June 3

SARA - WOMAN IN THE SHADOWS (Series)

Wednesday, June 4

Criminal Code Season 2 (Series)
Eva Lasting Season 3 (Series)
POWER MOVES WITH SHAQUILLE O'NEAL (Series)

Thursday, June 5

Barracuda Queens Season 2 (Series)
Ginny & Georgia Season 3 (Series)
Tires Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 6

K.O. (Film)
MERCY FOR NONE (Series)
Tyler Perry's Straw (Film)
THE SURVIVORS (Series)

Monday, June 9

The Creature Cases Season 5 (Series)

Tuesday, June 10

FAMILIES LIKE OURS (Series)
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy (Documentary)

Wednesday, June 11

ANIELA (Series)
Cheers to Life (Film)
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. (Documentary)
Our Times (Film)
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster (Documentary)

Thursday, June 12

FUBAR Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 13

Kings of Jo'Burg Season 3 (Series)
Too Hot to Handle: Spain (Series)

Tuesday, June 17

Justin Willman: Magic Lover (Comedy Special)
Kaulitz & Kaulitz Season 2 (Series)
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (Documentary)

Wednesday, June 18

America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2 (Series)
Rosario Tijeras Season 4 (Series)
Somebody Feed Phil Season 8 (Series)
YOLANTHE (Series)

Thursday, June 19

THE WATERFRONT (Series)

Friday, June 20

KPop Demon Hunter (Anime)
OLYMPO (Series)
Semi-Soeter (Film)

Tuesday, June 24

Steph Tolev: Filth Queen (Comedy Special)
Trainwreck: Poop Cruise (Documentary)

Thursday, June 26

The Ultimatum: Queer Love Season 2 (Series)

Friday, June 27

Pokemon Horizons Season 2 -- The Search for Laqua Part 3 (Anime)
Squid Game Season 3 (Series)

July Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

A sequel nearly 30 years in the making will finally come out in July when Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore II hits the streaming service. But that isn’t the only big movie on the way, as The Old Guard 2 is here with the next set of adventures for Charlize Theron’s band of immortal warriors.

Wednesday, July 2

The Old Guard 2 (Film)
Tour de France: Unchained Season 3 (Series)

Thursday, July 3

COUNTDOWN: TAYLOR VS. SERRANO (Series)
The Sandman Season 2 Part 1 (Series)

Friday, July 4

All the Sharks (Documentary)

Saturday, July 5

The Summer Hikaru Died (Anime)

Tuesday, July 8

BETTER LATE THAN SINGLE (Series)
Nate Jackson: Super Funny (Comedy Special)
Quarterback Season 2 (Series)
Trainwreck: The Real Project X (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 9

BUILDING THE BAND (Series)
THE GRINGO HUNTERS (Series)
UNDER A DARK SUN (Series)
Ziam (Film)

Thursday, July 10

7 Bears (Film)
Brick (Film)
Leviathan (Anime)
OFF ROAD (Series)
TOO MUCH (Series)

Friday, July 11

Aap Jaisa Koi (Film)
Almost Cops (Film)
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano 3 (Boxing)
Tyler Perry's Madea's Destination Wedding (Film)

Monday, July 14

Apocalypse in the Tropics (Documentary)
Sakamoto Days Season 1 Part 2 (Anime)

Tuesday, July 15

Trainwreck: Balloon Boy (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 16

Amy Bradley is Missing (Documentary)

Thursday, July 17

CATALOG (Series)
Community Squad Season 2 (Series)
UNTAMED (Series)

Friday, July 18

Almost Family (Film)
DELIRIUM (Series)
I'm Still a Superstar (Documentary)
SUPERSTAR (Series)
Vir Das: Fool Volume (Comedy Special)
Wall to Wall (Film)

Tuesday, July 22

Trainwreck: P.I. Moms (Documentary)

Wednesday, July 23

Critical: Between Life and Death (Documentary)
LETTERS FROM THE PAST (Series)

Thursday, July 24

A Normal Woman (Film)
HITMAKERS (Series)
My Melody & Kuromi (Anime)
The Sandman Season 2 Part 2 (Series)

Friday, July 25

Happy Gilmore II (Film)
TRIGGER (Series)
THE WINNING TRY (Series)

Tuesday, July 29

Dusty Slay: Wet Heat (Comedy Special)
Trainwreck: Storm Area 51 (Documentary)
WWE: Unreal (Docuseries)

Wednesday, July 30

Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (Documentary)
UNSPEAKABLE SINS (Series)

Thursday, July 31

An Honest Life (Film)
GLASS HEART (Series)
LEANNE (Series)
MARKED (Series)
The Sandman Season 2 Special Episode (Series)

August Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

At long last, Wednesday Season 2 will debut on Netflix this August. But we won't get to experience the long-awaited return in one go, as we'll have to wait until September to see how things end for Jenna Ortega's titular character.

Friday, August 1

My Oxford Year (Film)
Perfect Match Season 3 (Series)

Saturday, August 2
BEYOND THE BAR (Series)

Tuesday, August 5

SEC FOOTBALL: ANY GIVEN SATURDAY (Series)

Wednesday, August 6

Wednesday Season 2 Part I (Series)

Friday, August 8

Stolen: Heist of the Century (Documentary)

Tuesday, August 12

FINAL DRAFT (Series)
Jim Jeffries: Two Limb Policy (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, August 13

Fixed (Film)
Love Is Blind: UK Season 2 (Series)
SAARE JAHAN SE ACCHA: THE SILENT GUARDIANS (Series)
Songs from the Hole (Documentary)
YOUNG MILLIONAIRES (Series)

Thursday, August 14

IN THE MUD (Series)
Miss Governor Part 2 (Series)
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (Anime)

Friday, August 15

The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies (Documentary)
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser (Documentary)
Night Always Comes (Film)

Monday, August 18

CoComelon Lane Season 5 (Series)

Tuesday, August 19

AMERICA'S TEAM: THE GAMBLER AND HIS COWBOYS (Series)

Wednesday, August 20

RIVERS OF FATE (Series)

Thursday, August 21

Death Inc. Season 3 (Series)
Fall for Me (Film)
Gold Rush Gang (Film)
HOSTAGE (Series)
One Hit Wonder (Film)

Friday, August 22

Abandoned Man (Film)
LONG STORY SHORT (Series)
The Truth About Jussie Smollett? (Documentary)

Wednesday, August 27

Fantasy Football Ruined Our Lives (Film)

Thursday, August 28

Babie Mysteries: Beach Detective (Film)
My Life with the Walter Boys Season 2 (Series)
The Thursday Murder Club (Film)

Friday, August 29

TWO GRAVES (Series)
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish

September Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

A little less than a month after Wednesday Season 2 premiered on Netflix, fans got to see how the story concludes when Part 2 dropped in the early part of September.

Wednesday, September 3

Wednesday Season 2 Part 2 (Series)

Thursday, September 4

Pokemon Concierge: Episodes 5-8 (Series)

Friday, September 5

Inspector Zende (Film)
LOVE CON REVENGE (Series)

Sunday, September 7

THE FRAGRANT FLOWER BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY (Series)

Wednesday, September 8

DR. SEUSS'S RED FISH, BLUE FISH (Series)
Her Mother's Killer Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, September 9

Jordan Jensen: Take Me with You (Comedy Special)
KISS OR DIE (Series)

Wednesday, September 10

aka Charlie Sheen (Documentary)
THE DEAD GIRLS (Series)
Love is Blind: Brazil Season 5 (Series)
LOVE IS BLIND: FRANCE (Series)

Thursday, September 11

DIARY OF A DITCHED GIRL (Series)
Kontrabida Academy (Film)
Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black Season 2 (Series)
Wolf King Season 2 (Series)

Friday, September 12

Beauty and the Bester (Documentary)
MALEDICTIONS (Series)
The Wrong Paris (Film)
YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE (Series)

Saturday, September 13

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford (Boxing)

Wednesday, September 17

1670 Season 2 (Series)
Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen (Documentary)
Next Gen Chef (Series)

Thursday, September 18

THE BA***DS OF BOLLYWOODS (Series)
BLACK RABBIT (Series)
PLATONIC: BLUE MOON HOTEL (Series)
Same Day with Someone (Film)

Friday, September 19

BILLIONAIRES' BUNKER (Series)
HAUNTED HOTEL (Series)
She Said Maybe (Film)

Monday, September 22

Blippi's Job Show Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, September 23

Cristela Alonzo: Upper Classy (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, September 24

THE GUEST (Series)

Thursday, September 25

Alice in Borderland Season 3 (Series)
HOUSE OF GUINNESS (Series)
WAYWARD (Series)

Friday, September 26

ANGELA: LIMITED SERIES (Series)
French Lover (Film)
Pokemon Horizons Season 2 -- The Search for Laqua Part 4 (Series)
Ruth & Boaz (Film)

Tuesday, September 30

Earthquake: Joke Telling Business (Comedy Special)
Nightmares of Nature: Cabin in the Woods (Documentary)

October Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

With an assortment of original Netflix movies on the way, as well as a growing list of new and returning shows, the platform is going to be hot as the fall weather kicks in.

Wednesday, October 1

Love is Blind Season 9 (Series)
RIV4LRIES (Series)

Thursday, October 2

DUDES (Series)
THE GAME: YOU NEVER PLAY ALONE (Series)
Rockstar: DUKI From the End of the World (Documentary)

Friday, October 3

GENIE, MAKE A WISH (Series)
MONSTER: THE ED GEIN SERIES (Series)
THE NEW FORCE (Series)
OLD DOG, NEW TRICKS (Series)
Rhythm + Flow France: After the Beat (Documentary)
Steve (Film)

Saturday, October 4

Ranma 1/2 Season 2 (Series)

Monday, October 6

DR. SEUSS'S HORTON! (Series)

Tuesday, October 7

True Haunting (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 8

Caramelo (Film)
IS IT CAKE? HALLOWEEN (Series)
NERO THE ASSASSIN (Series)

Thursday, October 9

BOOTS (Series)
THE RESURRECTED (Series)
Victoria Becekham (Documentary)

Friday, October 10

KURUKSHETRA: THE WAR OF MAHABHARATA (Series)
My Father, the BTK Killer (Documentary)
OLD MONEY (Series)
Swim to Me (Film)
The Woman In Cabin 10 (Film)

Saturday, October 11

TYPHOON FAMILY (Series)

Tuesday, October 14

Everybody Loves Me When I'm Dead (Film)
SPLINTER CELL: DEATHWATCH (Series)

Wednesday, October 15

Inside Furioza (Film)
NO ONE SAW US LEAVE (Series)
Six Kings Slam 2025 (Live Event)

Thursday, October 16

The Diplomat Season 3 (Series)
ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS (Series)
Starting 5 Season 2 (Sports Series)
The Time That Remains (Film)

Friday, October 17

27 Nights (Film)
Good News (Film)
The Perfect Neighbor (Documentary)
She Walks in Darkness (Film)
Turn of the Tide Season 2 (Series)
Turn of the Tide: The Surreal Story of Rabo de Peixe (Documentary)
The Twits (Movie)

Tuesday, October 21

Michelle Wolf: The Well (Comedy Special)
Who Killed the Montreal Expos? (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 22

MOB WAR: PHILADELPHIA VS. THE MAFIA (Docuseries)
THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE (Series)

Thursday, October 23

The Elixir (Film)
Nobody Wants This Season 2 (Series)

Friday, October 24

A House of Dynamite (Film)

Saturday, October 25

THE DREAM LIFE OF MR. KIM (Series)

Monday, October 27

THE ASSET (Series)

Tuesday, October 28

Babo: The Haftbefehl Story (Documentary)
Mo Amer: Wild World (Comedy Special)
Nightmares of Nature: Lost in the Jungle (Documentary)

Wednesday, October 29

Ballad of a Small Player (Film)
RULERS OF FORTUNE (Series)
Selling Sunset Season 9 (Series)

Thursday, October 30

Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers (Documentary)
AMSTERDAM EMPIRE (Series)
Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will (Documentary)
SON OF A DONKEY (Series)
THE Witcher Season 4 (Series)

Friday, October 31

BAD INFLUENCER (Series)
Breathless Season 2 (Series)
Rhythm + Flow France Season 4 (Series)

November Netflix Movie And TV Show Release Dates

At long last, the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, or at least the first of three volumes, will land on Netflix this November.

Saturday, November 1

Dr. Seuss's The Sneeches (Film)
In Waves and War (Documentary)

Tuesday, November 4

Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things (Comedy Special)
Squid Game: The Challenge Season 2 (Series)

Thursday, November 6

THE BAD GUYS: BREAKING IN (Series)
DEATH BY LIGHTNING (Series)
The Vince Staples Show Season 2 (Series)

Friday, November 7

AS YOU STOOD BY (Series)
Baramulla (Film)
Frankenstein (Film)
Groom & Two Brides (Film)
Mango (Film)

Saturday, November 8

Countdown: Jake vs. Tank (Docuseries)

Monday, November 10

Marines (Documentary)
Sesame Street Volume 1 (Series)

Wednesday, November 12

A Merry Little Ex-Mas (Film)
Being Eddie (Documentary)
DYNAMITE KISS (Series)
Eloa the Hostage: Live on TV (Documentary)
MRS. PLAYMEN (Series)
Selling the OC Season 4 (Series)

Thursday, November 13

THE BEAST IN ME (Series)
Delhi Crime Season 3 (Series)
HAD I NOT SEEN THE SUN (Series)
LAST SAMURAI STANDING (Series)

Friday, November 14

THE CRYSTAL CUCKOO (Series)
In Your Dreams (Film)
Letter: The Story of the Ordinarius (Film)
Nouvelle Vague (Film)

Monday, November 17

Gabby's Dollhouse Season 12 (Series)
Selena y Los Dinos (Documentary)

Tuesday, November 18

Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That (Comedy Special)

Wednesday, November 19

The Carman Family Deaths (Documentary)
Champagne Problems (Film)
Envious Season 3 (Series)
The Son of a Thousand Men (Film)

Thursday, November 20

A Man on the Inside Season 2 (Series)
The Follies (Film)
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays Season 8 (Series)
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Season 4 (Series)

Friday, November 21

ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran (Film)
Train Dreams (Film)

Monday, November 24

Missing: Dead or Alive Season 2 (Series)

Tuesday, November 25

Is It Cake? Holiday Season 2 (Series)

Wednesday, November 26

Jingle Bell Heist (Film)
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 (Series)

Friday, November 28

Left-Handed Girl (Film)
The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo (Documentary)

Expect to hear more about even more 2025 Netflix movie and TV release dates in the coming weeks and months. But in the meantime, it's never a bad idea to watch some of the best movies on Netflix or binge one or two of the best Netflix shows.

The Witcher, which is arguably one of the best shows on Netflix, is still going strong and set to usher in a new season at some point. For a while now, fans have known that a fourth season of Witcher is on the way and that Liam Hemsworth is replacing Henry Cavill in the role of lead protagonist Geralt. Nevertheless, production details have been relatively scarce. However, a social media post from one of the show’s main cast members seems to confirm that filming has wrapped, so bring on Hemsworth!

Freya Allen, who’s played the key role of Ciri since the action/drama series’ first season, recently shared a sweet post to Instagram. The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes star shared several pieces of artwork, which are renderings of characters like Mistle and Giselher. In addition to tagging the actors who play those specific roles, Freya Allen appeared to signify the end of production by sharing a message of gratitude for a “special” season. Check out her post in its entirety down below:

It would certainly seem that production on the season has come to an end, and I can’t think of a sweeter way for the actress to have marked the occasion. It goes without saying that making the show, which is adapted from Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series, is no small task. So I would imagine that it helps to have a firm group of collaborators by your side while going through the process. So kudos to the Gunpowder Milkshake alum for highlighting her co-stars while marking the end of the season.

The starlet’s recent post arrived after Liam Hemsworth provided an update on the status of production. While promoting his 2024 movie release, Netflix’s Lonely Planet, earlier in the month, the Australian actor revealed to ET that he only had three weeks left of filming in the UK. Hemsworth noted that he’s “really excited” about the new season and said that the shoot has been “fun” Like Freya Allen, he also shared some kind words for the cast and crew.

Henry Cavill’s departure from the role of Geralt of Rivia was likely surprising to devoted viewers, and Liam Hemsworth’s casting has been met with mixed reactions. Nevertheless, the Hunger Games alum has shown that he’s gone all in for the part, as he’s gotten absolutely ripped for the role. (Which is saying a lot, since he’s known for staying in shape in general.) The first official look at Hemsworth as the character dropped this past May, and he definitely looks the part. Though some may miss seeing Cavill in Seasons 4 and 5, which will close out the show, it’ll be intriguing to see what Hemsworth brings to the role.

As for when we’ll actually be able to see the Land of Bad actor don the armor and sword, that remains to be seen. A release window has yet to be announced but, with filming now having wrapped, one would hope that Season 4 might be with us near the end of 2025, at the earliest. Time will tell but, at the very least, it’s great that principal photography is seemingly at an end.

While you wait for The Witcher Season 4, grab a Netflix subscription and stream the first three seasons now.

In an era where so much of the new movies and TV are based on existing franchises or other popular media, there are a lot of very strong opinions from fans about how their favorite characters are portrayed. Sometimes the negativity surrounding certain shows or characters can get extreme but Henry Caill draws a line between what he considers toxic and what is simply passionate.

Henry Cavill, having played both Superman and The Witcher, and set to play the Highlander, has certainly had experience with fans who have strong opinions about how popular characters are portrayed. A recently resurfaced interview, coincidentally with our own Reelblend Podcast co-host Jake Hamilton, has fans once again talking as Cavill makes it clear that he doesn’t think simply being negative is the same as being toxic.

Henry Cavill says fans have a right to be negative about things that they are passionate about. More than that, he knows that some people will be negative about anything that is presented, as there is no way that any presentation of a character or story is going to please everybody. Fans have now caused the clip to go viral as they support the sentiment with one comment saying…

As many commenters have pointed out, Henry Cavill probably understands the situation because he is also a fan. The actor expressed his love for The Witcher books and games that preceded the Netflix series. He’s also a pretty massive Warhammer 40K nerd, and among Cavill's upcoming projects is an adaptation of that franchise for Amazon. Cavill can appreciate a fan’s reaction because one assumes he has felt the same way…

Of course, Cavill’s comments, which came just as the first season of The Witcher was getting underway, are perhaps also a bit telling. Cavill left the show after three seasons, and The Witcher will continue without him, with Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia. While the exact reasons for Cavill’s departure aren’t known, it’s been reported Cavill himself was unhappy with the direction of the series and the way the show was handling the characters and story. Fans are noticing the connection…

It will certainly be interesting to see how The Witcher is seen by those fans. While some have taken issue with the way the show has been written, the response to Cavill himself in the role has been largely positive...

Toxic fandom certainly exists. We’ve seen some respond to casting decisions with racism and entire shows met with misogyny and review bombing. Henry Cavill doesn’t think being critical is the same thing.

Not too long before the one-year anniversary of Season 3, The Witcher is getting fans ready for the official switch of actors playing Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill had the starring role for the first three seasons, but will be replaced for Season 4 as well as the fifth and final season. A first look at Liam Hemsworth as Geralt has finally been revealed, and fans... well, the commentary from fans is pretty brutal.

Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill as Geralt was one of the first big The Witcher Season 4 details that we had, with the announcement happening all the way back in late 2022. While Cavill stuck around for the third season, Season 4 will start the Hemsworth era.

And the new first look at Hemworth on The Witcher shows what his jacked real-life physique looks like while dressed in the Geralt costume. Personally, I think he looks as close to Cavill as could be realistically hoped for, but a lot of other fans are less satisfied. First, check out the video for yourself:

All in all, it's a pretty standard clip of what fans have come to expect from The Witcher after three seasons. There's Geralt looking broody, his horse by his side, and the sounds of monsters all around them. Hemsworth or Cavill, it's safe to say that any version of Geralt can wreak havoc on monsters... but possibly not with as much brutality as how fans were roasting Hemsworth in the comments on the post. @Nerdy_SenpaiTTV wrote:

That comment doesn't start out too badly for Liam Hemsworth, with the popular sentiment that it's a shame that Henry Cavill is leaving before the show is complete. That said, being called a Jeep in comparison to a Bentley isn't exactly a compliment! Another fan, @AI_EmeraldApple, wrote:

Well, it's no wonder that Freya Allen described the fanbase as sometimes being "very attacky" to cast members. Another commenter aimed their blame at the streaming service more than the man replacing Henry Cavill. According to @AerithReborn:

For another fan on social media, the takeaway wasn't whether or not Liam Hemsworth looked enough like Henry Cavill to replace him as Geralt, but that Liam is the wrong Hemsworth. @Bright726 put it this way:

The Hemsworth brothers do have a strong resemblance, but Chris of course is the man behind Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as the villain in Furiosa as the latest installment in the Mad Max franchise. Chris undoubtedly has the biggest name of the Hemsworth brothers, although we shouldn't overlook Liam's part in the Hunger Games cast. Another fan, @TravellingMack, had some empathy for the new Geralt actor:

Despite Netflix releasing the first look, no Season 4 premiere date has been announced for when Liam Hemsworth will arrive to take over the narrative in The Witcher timeline. The fourth season at the very least is in production, so progress is certainly being made on what will be the penultimate batch of episodes. For now, you can always revisit the first three seasons so far streaming with a Netflix subscription.

It’s been a long, somewhat strange, journey for The Witcher, which totally fits, seeing as how that’s what Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer have to deal with on the drama that’s enchanted those with a Netflix subscription since December 2019. We found out just in April 2024 that Season 5 will be our last look at the Continent, but with the fourth season currently in production with a new lead, the future looks kinda tricky. Now, star Freya Allan is defending her new co-star, Liam Hemsworth, from backlash, and admitted “that fanbase can be attacky.”

What Did The Witcher’s Freya Allan Say About Liam Hemsworth And The Show’s Fans?

Word came down that the upcoming The Witcher Season 4 is now officially in production with new Geralt, Liam Hemsworth, at the same time we found out that the fifth set of episodes will be the last ones. But, the Witcher fandom has basically been in an uproar since October 2022, when previous star Henry Cavill revealed that he was leaving the role that had really helped to endear the fantasy series to fans (and Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of the books it’s based on). When speaking with Collider, Ciri’s portrayer, Freya Allan, spoke about what she’s seen of Hemsworth’s efforts so far, saying:

He has, indeed, been training. Just before we got the news that the fourth season was finally filming, the Hunger Games star let everyone see how much work he was putting in to get the ripped Geralt look we’re all so used to seeing. And, the photo was so effective that the sister of his ex-wife, Miley Cyrus, even briefly liked the pic. Allan continued, explaining what she hopes to see from the fans once we finally get a look at him in character:

As noted earlier, the fanbase has been pretty annoyed (to put it mildly) about Cavill no longer being involved with the show. A petition to fire the writers and get him back on board was even started, seeing as how rumors abound that those behind the scenes weren’t crazy about the source material, something that many viewers (and Cavill himself) actually loved and wanted to see adapted as faithfully as possible.

Along with that, there had already been several times in the past where the creative direction of the series was not, shall we say, approved of by much of the audience. There was quite a bit of blowback after Yen betrayed Geralt and Ciri in Season 2, plus, many viewers have been open in general about liking the books more than the show, and the showrunner has gotten into some intense social media storms over series criticisms before.

I’m with Allan in hoping that fans give his version of the White Wolf a chance before completely dismissing it. I haven’t always been 100% on board with everything that happens on the show, but, overall, I’ve felt that it was worth sticking with. So, I see no reason to totally abandon The Witcher just because we have a new lead. Hopefully, millions of other fans will see the value in at least trying Hemsworth’s time on the action-packed series before deciding yay or nay on the final two seasons.

It has been quite a while since we got any solid info about The Witcher Season 4, which is coming up for those with a Netflix subscription at some point in the future. Well, April 18 is the day that the streamer decided to deliver a couple of big updates about the fantasy drama, as it was announced that The Witcher will be ending with Season 5, which will shoot back to back with the fourth installment. But, with three more full novels in Andrzej Sapkowski’s series that need adapting, why is new star Liam Hemsworth only getting two seasons as the White Wolf?

What We Know About The Witcher Seasons 4 And 5

Word came down from Tudum today that Netflix has renewed The Witcher for Season 5, but that it will be the last that fans will see of Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, Jaskier, and their many allies and enemies on The Continent. Not only that, but Season 4 of the action-packed series is now in production, and news on the show is set to keep rolling for a while, as the final season will film right after.

The book series on which it's based features three remaining novels that have yet to be adapted for the creature-heavy streaming series, so why might Netflix be pulling the plug after the fifth season?

Why Will Liam Hemsworth Only Get Two Seasons Of The Witcher?

Let’s start with the simplest of reasons, shall we? The Tudum story also noted that the two final seasons will, indeed, cover the last three novels written for the main Witcher Saga (Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and Lady of the Lake). Sapkowski (who shared his not-so-great thoughts on the show in early 2023) only wrote five novels in the main saga, with a couple of short story collections being published prior, and one standalone novel coming along after.

The first three seasons of the hit used tales from both short story collections and the first two novels to begin the adventures of Geralt of Rivia and fill out the histories of Princess Ciri and powerful mage Yen, and showed how our heroes eventually became a family. That’s a lot of content that was mined for only Seasons 1-3, so it makes sense that the writers were able to craft a two-season arc to wrap things up out of the last three novels.

Also, there’s the little matter of Mr. Hemsworth, himself. For the first three seasons, noted beefy fantasy geek Henry Cavill (who’s now working on a Warhammer adaptation and a Highlander reboot) had worn Geralt’s armor as the White Wolf and the lead of the series. While people typically had many mixed feelings about the show overall, no one disputed his commitment to bringing Geralt to life, with Sapkowski praising his performance around the time Season 1 dropped in December 2019.

But, fans were dealt a blow in October 2022, when Cavill announced that he was leaving the role after the third season, which, by the way, was still many months away from airing. Many viewers, who adored his portrayal, were angered to the point of starting and signing a petition to fire the writers and get him back on the show, seeing as how there were rumors that he and many of those crafting the story were clashing on the direction things were taking, and that some of the creatives actually “actively disliked” the source material.

All of this, prior to the release of The Witcher Season 3, led to less than enthusiastic fan responses to those episodes, with the ratings showing a significant dropoff, not just for each new episode, but also compared to Season 2.

On top of that, the once active Witcher franchise on Netflix has failed to gain ground in other areas, especially with the live-action prequel, The Witcher: Blood Origin, trying to further the lore but not being met with any great reception. 

Certainly none of this is the fault of Liam Hemsworth. In fact, fans seem to be on his side, despite their desire to have Cavill back and all the writers fired, because when promos for the third season were seen as throwing Hemsworth under the bus, that pissed fans off, too. 

While the Hunger Games star has been showing off his ripped Geralt physique, it seems that Netflix has decided to cut its losses, and let the series wrap with one additional season. We’ll be hearing more about The Witcher as filming on Seasons 4 and 5 continue.

At present, Liam Hemsworth is preparing for a major gig, as he’ll be taking on the lead role as Geralt of Rivia on Netflix’s The Witcher. In doing so, he’s taking over for Henry Cavill, who played the role during the first three seasons. While we’ve yet to get a glimpse of the incoming actor in costume, he did share a pic amid his workout efforts, and Hemsworth looked ripped. The image has since gone viral on the web, and a number of fans have seemingly taken notice. In fact, even the sister of his ex-wife, Miley Cyrus, reacted to it. 

The Hunger Games actor’s photo currently has over 370,000 likes, which is very impressive. A number of fans have since weighed in on the matter and have seemingly been keeping an eye on the growing buzz the Instagram post is receiving. Interestingly, Noah Cyrus was one of the many to drop a like on the post though, per Us Weekly, the like has since been removed. As far as we can tell, that was the only manner in which the 27-year-old singer responded. Nevertheless, many seemed to take notice, with one user on X merely sharing the comment “messy.” You can see the pic for yourself down below:

It was confirmed during the summer of 2012 that Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus were getting married, after having begun an on-and-off relationship. The two, who met on the set of The Last Song, eventually broke off the engagement in 2013 by, after getting back together in 2016, they got engaged again. They eventually tied the knot in December of that year and, by 2019, they announced their separation, with their divorce being finalized in 2020. The singer previously opened up about there being “conflict” in the marriage, and Hemsworth has also been speculated to have inspired Cyrus’ hit single, “Flowers.”

Considering the history between the two former lovers, it’s interesting that Noah Cyrus would like the Independence Day: Resurgence actor’s post. We can’t say for sure what this little like may indicate about where things stand between Cyrus and her former brother-in-law. However, at first glance, one can’t help but wonder if it means the two remain on relatively solid terms since the leading man’s split from Miley. 

This social media-related development arrives as drama is reportedly unfolding within the Cyrus family. Noah and her mother, Tish, are allegedly estranged, due to the former supposedly dating her mother’s current husband, actor Dominic Purcell, shortly before he began seeing the latter. Sources also claim that Miley was aware of the supposed relationship and is currently unhappy with the drama surrounding her mother and sister.

Meanwhile, fans of The Witcher have been looking for hints regarding Liam Hemsworth’s debut. The actor’s casting was announced in October 2022 ahead of the third season’s premiere. As of right now, it’s hard to say what fans can expect from his take on Geralt, but I’d think that he’s aiming to put his own spin on the role. Surely, plenty of Netflix subscribers will be tuning in to see how Hemsworth fares in his new gig. And, after Noah Cyrus liked his workout pic, I now can’t help but wonder if she’ll be one of the many to check out Season 4 when it drops.

You can stream the first three seasons of The Witcher on Netflix now, and also be sure to take a look at the 2024 TV schedule for more programming options.

In late 2022, fans of The Witcher were shocked to hear that Henry Cavill decided to step down as Geralt of Rivia after Season 3 and that he would be replaced by The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth. Now, just ahead of The Witcher Season 4's rumored filming start date, Hemsworth shared a photo of his current physique, and he looks absolutely ripped! 

Liam Hemsworth took to his Instagram account on Friday to share a “leg day” gym photo while showing gratitude to fans for his latest movie. Check it: 

The 34-year-old actor checked in on social media to show off his massive arms in a black and white photo where he also thanked the public for going to see his movie on the 2024 film schedule, Land Of Bad. Hemsworth shared that the “feedback has been awesome” on the new action thriller that also stars Russell Crowe, Milo Ventimiglia and his own brother, Luke Hemsworth. The movie hit theaters back in February, but landed on VOD a few weeks ago, likely to many more people checking it out. 

As for what Hemsworth will be doing next, per Netflix, The Witcher is set to start production this spring. This week The Matrix actor Laurence Fishburne was announced to be joining the new season as Regis, who is a fan-favorite character that was introduced in Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel Baptism of Fire. Other new actors joining the Season 4 cast are Sharlto Copley as bounty hunter Leo Bonhart, James Purefoy as Skellen, Emhyr’s court advisor and spy; and Danny Woodburn as Zoltan the dwarf. 

The upcoming season will of course see the return of Anya Chalotra’s Yennefer and Freya Allen’s Ciri and pick up with what happened at the end of Season 3. While we don’t know exactly how the switch between Cavill and Hemsworth will occur in Season 3, the show’s executive producer gave fans a hint last year. 

While it's certainly exciting to see Liam Hemsworth getting in shape right before he's set to play Geralt, it hasn’t been the smoothest transition thus far. Fans of the series have really embraced Henry Cavill in the role of the White Wolf since the show’s premiere, and it’s not necessarily easy to see the actor go. However, when Season 3 premiered last year, some fans of the show came to Hemsworth’s side when they felt like promos were throwing him under the bus. 

While The Witcher was positively received by critics overall, viewing trends showed a decline in interest from audiences tuning into Season 3. Time will tell how Hemsworth is received by fans of the series. We still have yet to see Hemsworth in costume and playing the role, but that’s definitely to come. Ahead of Season 4, you can catch up with all three seasons of The Witcher with a Netflix subscription. 

When it comes to crafting dynamic fight scenes in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, a multitude of elements went into their choreography. One Piece director and executive producer Marc Jobst delved deep into his experiences about how his time on The Witcher and working with Henry Cavill helped capture the intensity of those moments. 

Marc Jobst boasts an impressive portfolio, having lent his expertise to several beloved Netflix series, including Daredevil, Luke Cage, and The Punisher (before the Marvel shows were moved over to Disney+), Hannibal, Hemlock Grove, Runaways, and more. 

As mentioned above, Jobst also worked on The Witcher, a major Netflix series starring Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, for three seasons – that is, until Liam Hemsworth takes on the role in Season 4 now that Cavill’s run has ended. Jobst was part of the team that brought the famous anime One Piece to life with the live-action adaptation on Netflix, where he not only directed the first two episodes of the series, but worked as an executive producer as well. In an interview with CinemaBlend to promote One Piece for its August 31st release, Jobst went into detail when asked about how the fight scenes were choreographed, and what made them look so slick. He told us:

The director worked with Cavill in some of his intense fights in The Witcher, and explained when he was directing the fight scene of Cavill in the pilot episode of the Netflix series, he learned that having a camera operator that is “dedicated” to the stunt team is essential and that they learn the choreography, so everything flows easily. With this in mind, he used this for the opening fight scenes of One Piece.

For those who don’t know, action sequences are a major part of both the One Piece Netflix series, as well as the anime and manga that the show is based on – which is arguably one of the most popular anime in the world. It was essential in making sure the fight scenes felt real enough for the audience to connect with, but also felt as whimsical as they did in the manga and anime series. 

Jobst further elaborated on this topic, where even though he learned that important lesson regarding the flow of fight scenes, he knew he couldn’t apply the same tone he would with other shows he has worked on, like The Witcher or the Marvel series’. 

Instead, he focused less on the final punch of the character, and more about the “journey to the punch,” where fans get to enjoy how the fight looks rather than the killing blows:

One Piece has continued to gain hype over the last few weeks leading up to its release, and with fight scenes being a pretty big part of all eight episodes, it’s great to know that a series such as this was in good hands. To be honest, it makes me just want to watch any kind of One Piece-based media again – time to re-watch the Netflix series. 

In addition to the interview, Marc Jobst asked us to state:

If a Season 2 comes around, I have a feeling there will be plenty more intense fight scenes where that comes from. Now, if Henry Cavill somehow arrived in Season 2 of One Piece doing his own stunts again like The Witcher, that would be the ultimate collision. Sword fights, round two? 

It's been over a year since The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 2 ending made some big reveals about where we’ll next see Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer in their dangerous travels on the Continent. The third season really pulled fans in many different directions, as our main trio’s family-like time together at the start quickly gave way to more tragedy, desperate measures, and them having to separate once again, which will lead to some intriguing and daring new adventures for everyone involved when Season 4 finally comes around.

Unfortunately, it’s still early days, so there are many things we don’t know about the new episodes. But! That doesn’t mean we’ve heard nothing about what’s to come in the fourth season of the epic fantasy that those with a Netflix subscription have turned out for in the millions. Below, you’ll find some information about what’s to come on The Witcher now that star Henry Cavill has departed, so let’s get into it!

What Is The Witcher Season 4 Release Date?

The Witcher Season 4 will hit its streaming home on October 30, 2025, so fans don't have much time left to wait!

Liam Hemsworth Is Taking Over As Geralt In The Witcher Cast

The news that the sword-swinging drama had been renewed came with a sad and shocking announcement for fans, as Cavill also revealed that he was stepping away from his post, with The Hunger Games’ Liam Hemsworth taking over as Geralt for Season 4 and 5 of the epic series. A few weeks before the debut, Netflix gave us our first full trailer with Hemsworth in character. Take a look!

Though the switch in leads made fans angry enough to start a petition (which basically blamed the writers for not respecting the source material), some have also come to Hemsworth’s defense, however. A promo for the third season was thought to throw the new star under the bus, which angered some in the fandom. Even still, time will tell if the fans still upset over Cavill leaving will actually return to the series for Hemsworth’s debut.

The Rest Of The Cast Is Expected To Return

The rest of the extensive cast (whose characters survived the third season, anyway) is all set to return. This means that we expect to see Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra return as Ciri and Yennefer, respectively, along with talent like Joey Batey (Jaskier), Mimî M. Khayisa (Fringilla), Eamon Farren (Cahir), Mahesh Jadu (Vilgefortz), Anna Shaffer (Triss), Royce Pierreson (Istredd), Mecia Simson (Francesca), Meng’er Zhang (Milva), and many more. 

Laurence Fishburne And Others Have Joined The Witcher Cast

Seasons 2 and 3 both brought with them some new characters and actors to portray them as our beloved trio moved about the Continent, and Netflix announced that the star of The Matrix films and many other movies and series, Laurence Fishburne, will play an important role in the upcoming season. So, let’s take a closer look at all the confirmed new cast members and who they’ll be playing!

Laurence Fishburne (Regis)

Laurence Fishburne (black-ish, The School for Good and Evil, Contagion) is taking on the role of enigmatic and seasoned “barber-surgeon” Regis in Season 4. The character, who’s a favorite among those who’ve read The Witcher books and played the video games, will be the streaming series introduction to a class of beings known as “higher vampires.” These creatures are extremely rare and have special abilities that regular vamps do not, like being able to look completely human and being undetectable even to Witchers.

Sharlto Copley (Leo Bonhart)

No season of this show is complete without a dreaded new foe or two, and viewers will be treated to yet another one who will likely cause major problems for Ciri. Tudum announced that Sharlto Copley (District 9, Monkey Man, Free Fire) is set to star as renowned bounty hunter Leo Bonhart, who’s known for being extremely professional, but also sadistic and fond of killing Witchers, so everyone is going to need to be on the lookout for this bad guy.

James Purefoy (Skellen)

The star of shows like Rome and The Following, and movies like A Knight’s Tale, James Purefoy is playing noted Nilfgaardian spy and Emhyr’s court advisor, Skellen. Those who’ve read the books or played the games will know that Skellen employed a certain bounty hunter to find Ciri and bring her to his boss, so we’ll probably see him also be a treacherous foe in Season 4.

Danny Woodburn (Zoltan)

Danny Woodburn, known for his work on Seinfeld and in films like Mirror, Mirror and Jingle All the Way, has stepped up to portray a good friend of Geralt’s (Finally! Another good guy), Zoltan. The dwarf is a popular character from the books and games, so we might see him and his traveling companions meet up with Geralt, Jaskier and Milva as they head toward Nilfgaard.

The Witcher Season 4 Story

As we saw by the finale of Season 3, not only are Geralt, Yen, and Ciri split up again, but they now have to forge ahead separately to try to continue keeping the young princess safe. After a heroic season for Geralt, which led to him being seriously injured, he was last seen heading to Nilfgaard. Word had gone out that Emhyr had finally captured Ciri and taken her to his court, though it was actually Teryn that his mage accomplice brought to him, but Geralt and his friends don’t know that. 

Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich told Tudum that the White Wolf will, again, see his “boundaries tested” as he becomes attached to yet another found family in his mission to rescue Ciri from Emhyr. She added:

When he was (just barely) done recuperating from his injuries, he left with Jaskier, and the archer, Milva, to locate his Child of Surprise. He sure will get a surprise when he gets to the palace and realizes the real Ciri’s not even there.

Yen is also attempting to save Ciri, but on her own, as she’s now the leader of Aretuza after Tissaia’s death. Schmidt Hissrich confirmed that the sorceress will have “big choices to make” as she tries to figure out how to lead her fellow mages.

Ciri will also have a new task, now that she will have her own new family of sorts in the Rats, the young group of criminals she found herself thrown together with in the finale. The showrunner said that the princess will be struggling with the choice she’s made “for her future” to become “Falka,” and we’ll find out if she has simply chosen not to use her powers, or if she did “actually magically relinquish” them.

All in all, it sounds like it’ll be a grand ol’ time of continued emotional and physical struggle for our favorite characters!

We'll Find Out More About Vilgefortz And His Plan

Vilgefortz never seemed completely trustworthy to me, though it’s clear that Tissaia and others were fully fooled and had no clue he was working with Nilfgaard for quite some time. The upcoming set of episodes will reveal more about him and his plans, however, like just how many of the events we’ve seen so far have been a part of it. Schmidt Hissrich told Tudum:

She added that there were “breadcrumbs that we have laid out to see how [Vilgefortz and Emhyr] align,” and that “there’s a lot more going on [with] their past — and their future.” Sounds juicy, indeed!

A Plan Is In Place To Explain The New Geralt For Season 4

Fans have been wondering if there will be a story reason given for Geralt’s obviously different appearance in Season 4. While this makes me very worried that something extremely convoluted is on the way, executive producer Tomek Bagiński revealed to Yahoo UK in June 2023 that they plan to employ something “very lore accurate” that’s “very, very close to the meta ideas which are deeply embedded in the books, especially in book five” to explain the switch.

The Witcher Has Already Been Renewed For Season 5, Which Will Be Its Last

Along with the news that Season 4 was finally filming, it was also announced that the show would return for Season 5, but that will be fans’ final look at The Witcher in live action. As noted above, Hemsworth is set to star in both seasons, and the tale that’s being planned will cover the final three books in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s series.

While The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 2 ending showed viewers several twists at the end of July that they should still be talking about, pretty much no one who’s a fan of the fantasy drama can stop talking about the fact that it was star Henry Cavill’s final episode as Geralt of Rivia. Ever since he announced his departure in October 2022, and revealed that Liam Hemsworth would be taking over as the White Wolf, there have been a number of rumors about what could have led the die-hard fan to abandon the ship he’d worked so hard to board. Now, one of the show’s directors has spoken about why he has “trust” in the former star’s choice to leave it all behind.

Why The Witcher’s Director Understands Henry Cavill Leaving The Series

One of the chief allegations that led fans to become so upset about Cavill leaving that they started a petition to fire the writers instead, is that those who crafted the series didn’t respect or even like the books on which the sword fight-heavy show (and the video games which came before it) was adapted from. Audiences might want Cavill back, but director Marc Jobst (who worked on two episodes of the hit) has some thoughts on why the Geralt of our hearts might have wanted to call it quits, pointing to the incredible amount of work the actor put into his role. He told ScreenRant:

We’ve heard quite a few times about how dedicated Cavill was to bringing the world of The Witcher into live action. He did all of his own stunts, and a serious injury sustained while working on the series delayed Season 2 a bit more. Plus, a recent look at him preparing for Season 3’s Shaerrawedd battle, while hearing how long it takes to get such stunts right, really led to some understanding of why he might be ready to move on. As Jobst added:

The star might never come right out and say why he ultimately decided to leave The Witcher, but at least we can all look back on the glory that he gave us with fond memories.

Fantasy franchises have indeed taken over the world and have been for decades now. They offer great stories, but there is always room for improvement with any franchise. So today, we will talk about the best and worst things from some of the best fantasy movies and TV shows, starting off with a classic. 

Harry Potter (2001 - 2011)

The Harry Potter saga comprises seven books and eight films, chronicling Harry's survival of a lethal curse and his escapades at Hogwarts School. 

Best Thing: It's Incredible Trio: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint embody Harry, Hermione, and Ron immaculately, something often seen in successful franchise adaptations. They captivated a generation with their chemistry and made the films that much better.

Worst Thing: So Many Things Left Out From The Books: However, the films fail to capture various book aspects, like neglecting Teddy's character entirely, disregarding S.P.E.W., and omitting Peeves, among other substantial characters. Despite their achievement as highly acclaimed fantasy works, these movies leave out important book content.

The Lord Of The Rings (2001 - 2003)

The Lord of the Rings movies follow Frodo Baggins' journey to destroy the One Ring, forged by Dark Lord Sauron, averting his domination of Middle-earth.

Best Thing: The Story Itself: The Lord of the Rings offers an unrivaled fantasy story. The films garnered numerous awards, including Oscars, especially for visual effects, and the tale is remarkably captivating and character-centric.

Worst Thing: It's Less Than Compelling Female Characters: Although The Rings of Power has attempted to progress in this aspect, the franchise still lacks engaging female characters. Often relegated to plot advancing, these characters need more depth, humor, and agency. Galadriel stands as the lone exception, but her portrayal falls short of her important role. 

The Witcher (2019 - Present)

The Witcher, Netflix's binge-worthy series, stars Henry Cavill as Geralt, a Witcher who finds himself on a mission to protect Princess Ciri after he becomes her surrogate father. Now, she is entangled in a greater war where she is a pawn.

Best Thing: Henry Cavill's Geralt: Henry Cavill's portrayal of Geralt is praiseworthy, capturing the essence of the character from books and games, and it's a shame he will be gone in the fourth season. His replacement, Liam Hemsworth, has a tough act to follow.

Worst Thing: The Effects: While the story could be my first pick, The Witcher disappoints in visual effects. The monsters lack a terrifying nature and fail to match their book descriptions, something I was craving from the series. 

Pirates Of The Caribbean (2003 - 2017)

Travel the seas with this famous band of pirates, led by the infamous Jack Sparrow.

Best Thing: Johnny Depp As Jack Sparrow: Johnny Depp has played many iconic roles throughout his time in Hollywood, but to me, there's none more iconic than Jack Sparrow. He doesn't just play him; he becomes him, which improves the movies.

Worst Thing: The Lack Of Story As Films Continue: The first film in the franchise was great, and the second was decent, but by the time the third came around, I lost interest. The story just wasn't there, and critical characters began to vanish, replaced by underwhelming new ones. 

The Chronicles Of Narnia (2005 - 2010)

This famous fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, follows the Pevensie children, who are transported to the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe and find that they are the ones who are meant to protect the land from evil. 

Best Thing: The Focus On Sibling Relationships: One of the things I remember the most about the first film was that it focused on sibling relationships, which I really enjoyed. It emphasized love, betrayal, forgiveness, and more, all within that family landscape. 

Worst Thing: The Scattered Plot Threads In The Films: The books have unique stories, but the movies? Everything feels very scattered. By the third film, the plot felt convoluted. Even with other characters from past films showing up, nothing stood out. 

Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)

The Game of Thrones franchise, based on the books by George R.R. Martin, follows several different characters as they all fight for one thing: power and the chance to sit on the Iron Throne.

Best Thing: The Overlapping Character's Stories: I'm not sure there will ever be another group like the Game of Thrones cast. Fans fell in love so quickly with every potential candidate for the throne – or found ones to hate - and somehow every single character fit wonderfully and created a near-perfect story. 

Worst Thing: The Ending Of The Show: The ending was rushed and felt incomplete. It is a polarizing issue for any show fan, and many would agree that it was fumbled by the creators of the TV show, as the book series wasn't even done yet. 

Highlander (1986 - 2007)

Released in 1986, Highlander is about several immortal warriors in a war that has lasted for centuries, focusing on the tale of Connor MacLeod.

Best Thing: It's A Fresh Story Of Immortals Hiding In Plain Sight: When Highlander was released, the film was full of fresh ideas regarding immortals hiding in plain sight. It gave the movie a chance to look into different centuries, and there was so much opportunity for cool set design and historical details. 

Worst Thing: The Special Effects That Are Used In Later Films: I'm not even going to get into how horrendously bad the movies get as the film series goes on, but I hated the special effects in later movies. The first film felt real and well-choreographed in its fight scenes, but by the time we get to the last film, it all feels fake. 

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005 - 2008)

This critically acclaimed Nickelodeon TV show follows Aang, an Airbender who was chosen as the next Avatar. He awakens from a decade of sleeping in an iceberg, quickly realizing that he must take down the Fire Lord before he takes over the world. 

Best Thing: Its Strong Characters For Both Males And Females: Avatar: The Last Airbender does not have a single character that outshines the other. Everyone adds such significance to the story that no episode feels like filler.

Worst Thing: How There Aren't More Seasons: This may feel like a copout, but my main issue is that there were only three seasons. Sure, the story of the Fire Lord was covered in those seasons, but there was so much more to tell – as fans later saw in the comics that were released. This series easily could have been long running, but I suppose that's what the upcoming movie is for -- to explore those stories. 

Shadow And Bone (2021 - Present)

Based on the books of the same name, Shadow and Bone follows Alina Starkov, a young woman who discovers she is a Grisha with a rare power that could save everyone and take on an evil darkness. 

Best Thing: Its Diverse And Imaginative World: In terms of modern fantasy, Shadow and Bone has some very diverse characters. And not only that, but the world is unique, combining plenty of interesting characters and fascinating lore. 

Worst Thing: The Use Of Love Plotlines That Don't Further The Main Conflict: Shadow and Bone Season 2 improved in many ways, but the love plotlines were not one of them. I would say out of everything, that should be left out of a possible Season 3 – or at least focus on one love story, for God's sake. 

The Wheel Of Time (2021 - Present)

Based on the novels by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, the Prime Video series, The Wheel of Time, mainly follows Moiraine, a member of a powerful organization of women sorcerers. She seeks out five villagers when she believes one of them could be the key to saving their world from evil – or possibly bring the world to its knees again. 

Best Thing: The Impressive Amount Of Lore: This isn't for everyone, as the amount of lore can be hard to keep up with. That being said, it's impressive. The world here is beautifully detailed and one you can easily get lost in. 

Worst Thing: Characters That You Don't Really Care About But I struggle to care about the characters with the amount of lore that is presented. The Wheel of Time cast is excellent, but since most feel more like a plot device rather than individuals, it's hard to care when someone is kidnapped or killed or something else. This could change as time goes on, but for now, that's my main complaint.

How To Train Your Dragon (2010 - 2019)

The animated film series, How To Train Your Dragon, follows Hiccup, a young Viking who becomes an expert in dragons and befriends one of the most dangerous, naming him Toothless. 

Best Thing: The Incredible Array Of Dragons There Are: There are many great things about How To Train Your Dragon, but the one thing I love the most is the creativity of the dragons. There are so many different kinds, and all of them are vastly unalike so it feels like there's one for anyone to enjoy. 

Worst Thing: Side-Characters That Need Less Screen Time: Some side characters are interesting, but there are times in the movies when they make jokes that don't sit well with me, and that time could have been spent moving the plot forward. Tuffnut and Ruffnut were very much hit or miss for me, along with a few others. 

Twilight (2008 - 2012)

The famous vampire/teen romance film series, Twilight, follows Bella, an ordinary teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire but finds herself in a love triangle with a werewolf. 

Best Thing: A Genuinely Interesting Romance That Has Layers: I will openly admit that the love story of Twilight has its moments that shine. While the movies themselves could have shown it better, the books paint a great romance with many layers. Even so, the chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart made the love story in the films fun to watch.

Worst Thing: The Vampires Themselves: Vampires, even romantic interests, should at least be a little scary. These sparkle in the sun and play baseball during thunderstorms. I can't take them seriously. 

Labyrinth (1986)

Lastly, we have Labyrinth, directed by Jim Henson. The famous musical fantasy film follows a teenager on a quest to reach the center of a maze to rescue her half-brother from Jareth, the Goblin King. 

Best Thing: David Bowie As Jareth, And The Practical Effects: David Bowie as Jareth is always the best thing ever, and I don't think anyone else would be able to play the Goblin King better. I also want to say that the practical effects were amazing. Jim Henson is always a winner, and when he brings his puppets, they always kill it. It added to the fantasy aspect immensely. 

Worst Thing: That We've Had To Wait This Long For A Sequel: Seriously, how have we had to wait this long for a sequel to this film? There was a reboot announced in 2016, but there’s been barely any news on it. I need to see this world again. I'm tired of just reading comics from this franchise, please. 

What is it that you love about fantasy franchises? I'm going to have to keep an eye out for any premieres on my 2023 TV premiere schedule to make sure I keep up with all my fantasy shows. 

Both halves of The Witcher's third season have officially released in the 2023 TV schedule, with the Season 3 finale also serving as the series finale for Henry Cavill as Geralt. The star is handing the lead role over to Liam Hemsworth for Season 4 and beyond, and that development didn't go over well with fans as soon as it was announced back in 2022. Now, some comments from executive producer Tomek Baginski about the Netflix show may just add fuel to the fire of those already frustrated about Cavill's departure. 

For some background – if fans still feel the way they did last year with a petition about Henry Cavill leaving, then many blame Netflix and the writing for the upcoming actor change for Geralt rather than Cavill himself. As a vocal fan of both The Witcher video games and the novel saga by Andrzej Sapkowski, viewers have theorized that the star decided to leave due to all the changes made by the show, which allegedly made him consider an exit after Season 2 instead of after Season 3. 

The gist is that fans of the source material do have some pretty valid reasons to be upset about the show's adaptation, and new comments from executive producer Tomek Baginski to Polish website Wyborcza (via CinemaBlend's sister site PC Gamer) could just make the discontent (which may have led to lower viewership for Season 3) worse. Baginski claimed that a "perceptual block" with American audiences meant that The Witcher had to tell simplified stories, and cited his experience when he tried to promote a film retelling of the Warsaw Uprising in Europe. He said:

Given that the audience for The Witcher is presumably made up largely of Americans, it's easy to understand why those comments might not go over well with a lot of fans! Anybody who has read Andrzej Sapkowski's books can vouch for the fact that the Polish author certainly didn't tell simple stories, and a common complaint among readers is that the show has taken great liberties with the source material. The author himself hasn't had a lot to say about the show, but EP Tomek Baginski still had more thoughts regarding American audiences:

The executive producer also named another demographic as an explanation for simplified storytelling compared to the books and the games. Speaking with Imponderabilia, Baginski said that "the younger the public is the logic of the plot is less significant," and added that "Those people grow up on TikTok, YouTube, they jump from video to video." 

All in all, these interviews were far from complimentary toward Americans and young people, which may be the last thing that these demographics need to feel friendlier to the fantasy show. It remains to be seen if the show is going to start veering more towards how the books and even games tell Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri's stories, although it's worth noting that Baginski previously teased that the switch over to Liam Hemsworth will be "very lore accurate."

For now, you can always revisit the first three seasons of The Witcher with Henry Cavill as Geralt with a Netflix subscription.

Warning: Spoilers for The Witcher Season 3 Vol. 2 ending are ahead. Come back once you’ve watched the full season!

Well, after several months of wondering not only how The Witcher will wrap things up in its latest season, but how star Henry Cavill will depart his role as Geralt of Rivia, fans have finally been able to binge the final episodes and see where we leave Ciri, her gruff protector, Yennefer, and a host of other characters.

The Witcher Season 3 Vol. 2 ending has helped the show land back at number one for those with a Netflix subscription (despite the previous downturn in viewers for the first part, released in June), and brought our characters to some very new emotional territory after the events of the Vol. 1 ending. Let’s dig in, shall we?

How Ciri Escaped Capture

Well, poor Ciri has been on the run for a full three seasons now, so I suppose no one should be surprised that she had to escape three times over the course of Vol. 2’s three episodes. First, after heading to Aretuza and finding both Yen and Geralt in the midst of the coup, she had to escape from Vilgefortz. That saw her magically transported to the middle of the desert in Korath, where she wandered for several days and finally got close enough to civilization (with the help of a unicorn and visions of legendary elven leader Falka) to…get captured by a group of folks looking to win the reward for taking her to Emhyr in Nilfgaard.

Ciri awoke in a tavern, tied to a post while a young man was tied to another, as her captors took a break before heading to the emperor. As they discussed her with other patrons, we hear someone tell them that Ciri couldn’t be Ciri, because word has come from Emhyr that she’s already on her way to the palace (though it turns out that Vilgefortz has delivered Teryn to the emperor, the Aretuza apprentice Geralt had earlier rescued from experiments).

During their conversation, she manages to get one of them to come over and feed her, allowing her to steal a knife so that they can cut themselves loose. When a fight starts between the patrons, we’re introduced to the young man’s friends, a group known as the Rats, and when they’ve dispatched most of the patrons, they have Ciri fight the man who’d fed her and then held her at knife point during the melee. 

The princess wins, making her first human kill, and when a Rat asks who she is, she tells them to call her Falka, making it seem that Ciri will be with them for a while.

Yennefer’s In Charge Of The Mages Now

The Thanedd Coup killed/seriously injured a lot of mages, and left Tissaia white haired and somewhat broken after using some last resort magic to clear out the last of their elven attackers. Several of the female mages who’ve survived journeyed to where Geralt fought the creature made of the apprentices Vilgefortz experimented on, undid the magic that bound them and took them back to Aretuza for burial.

Yen had been hoping to find Ciri there, but, of course, had no luck. The trip did help to cement everyone’s desire to get back what they’d lost during the coup, and once they’re back at Aretuza, Yen tries to convince a guilty Tissaia that Vilgefortz’s betrayal wasn’t her fault. Unfortunately, her teacher/mentor doesn’t listen, and kills herself. Yen then heads to Brokilon, where Geralt is recovering from his near-fatal fight with the traitorous mage, and heals him enough to really get him back on his feet, making him promise they’ll see each other again. 

When she’s back at Aretuza, Yen rallies the remaining high-ranking female mages in an effort to finally take down Vilgefortz, and, without Tissaia or the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, her mission now is to lead them. 

How Henry Cavill's Geralt Ended Season 3

This has been the big question since we found out that Cavill was leaving, and would be replaced by Liam Hemsworth, in October 2022. We were promised a “heroic sendoff” for his Geralt amid rumors of some pretty serious creative conflicts between him and the team behind the fantasy hit, but I doubt that many fans would see his last scene that way.

As noted, Geralt’s beach-front battle with Vilgefortz left his sword destroyed and him (literally) broken and close to death, with the hero nearly drowning until Triss found him and took him to Brokilon so the dryads could work on healing him in a safe place. He’s desperate to hear some word of Yen and, especially, Ciri’s whereabouts, since he had to send her fleeing from the beach before the fight and didn’t know what happened to her.

When Jaskier finds him, he’s eventually able to tell a slowly recovering and very stubborn Geralt about Emhyr’s declaration that Ciri is headed to Nilfgaard. Once Yen heals him enough to get him fully upright, he and Jaskier begin to make their way to Emhyr’s stronghold. However, after managing to get the Nilfgaardian guards to let them through, Geralt takes exception to the family behind them being turned away.

The White Wolf heads back and kills nearly all the guards at the checkpoint, then deals a final blow to his neutrality by telling the one remaining guard to give Emhyr the message that he “will free Ciri” before he, Jaskier, and the elven archer Milva (who’d secretly followed them out of Brokilon to help) take some of the guards’ horses and continue on their way to Nilfgaard. 

So, what does this mean? This means that our last shot of Cavill as Geralt is him and his cohorts (and their horses) walking away from the camera. Which was…a definite choice that’s not quite the “strong” Cavill exit many were probably hoping for. Though, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich explained to Tudum that his battle with the soldiers and parting words for Emhyr are what matters most, and said:

We’ve been teased that it’s possible some multiverse-esque explanation will be given for Geralt looking completely different in The Witcher Season 4, but we now have a good wait ahead of us before we find out whether or not that comes to pass. If anything, we can certainly say that Geralt, Yen, and Ciri will, once again, face some new challenges whenever the fourth season finally rolls around.

Fantasy fans with a Netflix subscription are now just a little less than a week away from the release of The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 2, which will see star Henry Cavill end his run on the sword-swinging series. Liam Hemsworth is taking over as Geralt of Rivia for Season 4, and while many audience members have remained angry about the switch, likely to the point of causing the show’s viewership drop in the current season, there are some questions from those who remain about whether or not the story will actually address the change. Now, it sounds like we’ve gotten a hint about it from an executive producer.

What Did The Witcher’s Executive Producer Say About Addressing The Switch From Henry Cavill To Liam Hemsworth?

As noted, many fans who were previously very committed to The Witcher have been up in arms since the October 2022 news that our current White Wolf was hitting the road and turning his monster fighting duties over to someone else. While we’ve heard that there will be a “heroic sendoff” for Cavill’s version of the character, and his departure is also “a big deal” for everyone on the show, with a few episodes yet to come, there’s still the question of whether or not the plot will put any focus on the change. 

When speaking with RadioTimes about the fourth season, EP Tomek Bagiński alluded to there potentially being a story-based reason for Geralt’s new appearance, and said:

Alright, guys. Here is where I tell you that I haven’t read all of the books that the drama is based on, but that from what I’ve read about the story which will likely be adapted next, Baptism of Fire, there’s nothing in the book, specifically, that even alludes to Geralt undergoing a massive physical transformation which would necessitate a new actor in the role. 

In fact, this is at least the second time that Bagiński has talked about the books offering an explanation for Cavill’s exit with him saying a little less than a month ago that it will be “very lore accurate” and “very, very close to the meta ideas” of all the books and the one mentioned above, in particular. I also noted at the time that there’s nothing I’ve heard about the books that directly points to whatever meta concepts he’s talking about, which does kinda make me worry that they’re going to go way too far trying to explain something that doesn’t really need an explanation.

With the new info that the EP has given us, though, there are two possibilities that I can think of which might give audiences such reasoning. First, if you know what happens in The Time of Contempt (the book that was adapted for Season 3) then you know where things are basically heading. The events at the end of the book appear to be on the way, based on what we’ve seen so far, meaning that something big is coming for our hero by the time the credits roll on Cavill’s final appearance. Though it’s not an event that automatically makes it easy to see why we’d have a new Geralt, in a world with magic it would be pretty easy to spin it that way.

Secondly, as Bagiński said, the whole reason the Continent is the way we see it now is because of the Conjunction of the Spheres, the ancient event when many worlds magically (and accidentally) collided. The Wild Hunt occupy one such other world that’s not currently as connected to the one that’s home to the Continent, so why couldn’t there be one where things are essentially the same, but where a different young boy was named Geralt and became the White Wolf?

Now, how he becomes our new Geralt in the world that we’ve been following for three seasons is still a mystery, but, again, The Witcher’s got all kinds of magic, so they could easily woo-woo these questions away. Speaking of which, the EP added:

OK. Look, while everyone will miss what Cavill has done as the lead, I’m still hopeful that Hemsworth will make a great Geralt, and prove totally undeserving of being thrown “under the bus” in those Witcher ads. Honestly, I can’t wait to see how this switch shakes out in Season 4.

I suppose it’s possible to have a fantasy show where the characters just kinda sit around, talk, and magic at each other all day, but in general, there’s gonna come a time when they have to fight an assortment of adversaries and evil-doers. Such is the case on The Witcher, which returned to those with a Netflix subscription for the first part of Season 3 near the end of June, and will wrap this installment on July 27. It will also mark the end of Henry Cavill’s time on the series, and a recent description of him doing stunts for the drama does make me get why he’d want to quit.

How Did Henry Cavill Prepare For The Witcher’s Shaerrawedd Battle In Season 3? 

Even if you don’t know much about the hit fantasy (which has seen its viewership lag in the third season with news of Cavill’s impending exit) you probably understand that action-packed battles are a large part of the equation on the Continent, especially when it comes to Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer’s adventures. Across the first two seasons, Cavill helped bring some of Geralt’s most intense fights to live action, and he did the same in Season 3. 

When speaking with Entertainment Weekly about the star’s preparation for Season 3, Vol. 1’s big Shaerrawedd battle, stunt coordinator/second unit director, Wolfgang Stegemann, revealed just how much hard work Cavill put into getting ready for that one-shot fight. First of all, he had to rehearse the whole fight, all the way through, over 90 times, Stegemann estimated, and added:

Well, I cannot tell a lie. He lost me at doing the same, clearly very hard thing, more than 90 times! In just a month! Now, I’m sure I've done plenty of things that much, and maybe even within a four week period, but even if, say, you exercise really hard daily, you’re still not gonna do a vigorous workout over 90 times in a month. A normal person might get to 60!

Cavill’s fight prep basically added two daily workouts to his regimen, or three, if you count the mental gymnastics involved in helping to plan the whole thing and remembering who’s where at specific times, how you kill them, and how you attack the next person. He also mentioned that “the camera is living in the fight,” so they eventually had to do everything they rehearsed with someone sorta in the middle of it so that it could be filmed as though “the audience feels involved [in the scene],” which obviously adds to the degree of difficulty. 

Hell, I’m ready to quit The Witcher just thinking about it and I’m nowhere near being on the damn show!

In all seriousness, one of the things that drew fans to the series is how passionate Cavill was about bringing the world of the books to life as a fan of those stories himself, and it has always seemed like he really loves doing his own stunts. He’s even confirmed in the past that “the character involves all of that” when it comes to Geralt's battles and, likely, any role that involves stunt work. Stegemann continued:

And, that’s why fans are going to miss watching his White Wolf mow down baddies, parent Ciri, and romance Yen. At least Cavill can say he gave Geralt his all and viewers enjoyed watching him do it.

The first batch of episodes from The Witcher Season 3 finally dropped on Netflix after a year and a half of waiting from fans of the series. The continuation of Geralt’s monster hunting escapades also marks the final season for Henry Cavill, as his journey as the character ends after Season 3 and the role is passed to Liam Hemsworth. Now that it’s been a week since the first five episodes came out, viewership numbers are here and it looks like some audiences are tapping out now that Cavill is set to make an exit. 

The Witcher Season 3 debuted at No. 1 of Netflix’s TV (English) charts with a reported 73 million hours viewed, per the streaming service’s Tudum stats. But per additional numbers from Samba TV (via Deadline) measuring U.S. households trends across the five episodes, fewer people are watching the show than last season and attention dwindles as the season goes on. Check them out: 

Now, 1.1 million U.S. households means a lot of people tuning into The Witcher, but compared to the source’s numbers from last season, it’s not as impressive. Samba TV reported a 15 percent decrease of the premiere episode, with the Season 2 debut episode earning 1.3 million for the same window of time. Additionally, when it came to Season 2, all eight of the episodes were drawing over 1 million U.S. households each during its first week on Netflix. In the table above, the numbers indicate a significant drop per episode as audiences get into the season. 

Of course, the data set is only counting audiences who live in the United States. It’s very much possible global audiences are completely hooked on the series better than ever before. Since the season came out, critics have shared some disappointment and fans were not pleased to see the series’ promo throwing Liam Hemsworth under the bus with a viral statement in ads across the world reading: “Yes, He’s still Geralt in Season 3.” 

Henry Cavill has been highly regarded as a practically perfect Geralt during his tenure on the series, so it’s absolutely possible audiences are giving up on the show early. Aside from the Henry Cavill of it all, The Witcher can be a rather dense series and over a year is a rather long time for fans to wait in between seasons. 

Perhaps they are going back over Season 2, or waiting for the full season to drop before committing to the watch? CinemaBlend has you covered on that front with what things to remember before watching Season 3. The first five episodes are available to stream now with a Netflix subscription and the second half of Season 3 is headed our way on July 27. 

Though The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 1 debuted on June 29 for those with a Netflix subscription and got critical love for Henry Cavill and the main cast (but disappointed reviews for nearly everything else), the fantasy series is still under quite a cloud. The star announced back in October 2022 that the third season of the action-packed drama would be his last, with Liam Hemsworth taking over for Season 4 and beyond. Fans were so pissed that they started a petition to get Cavill back, but now some are not pleased about promos for Season 3 that throw The Hunger Games star “under the bus.” 

What Are The Witcher Season 3 Promos That Have Fans Upset About Liam Hemsworth Being Thrown ‘Under The Bus’?

If you’ve been paying attention to fandom for this show, then you probably noticed that not only have the OG fans (who love the books the show is based on, and/or the video games which are based on the same source material) been incredibly disappointed (to put it mildly) with the series deviating from the original tales, but unbelievably angry that more wasn’t done to keep Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. Some viewers are now upset about the ads for The Witcher Season 3, which definitely appear to dismiss incoming star Hemsworth:

I mean…egad, right? I did actually see these photos online over The Witcher’s release weekend, and, much like the commenter here, assumed it was just a fan angry about it being Cavill’s final season messing around. That was, until I saw that the show’s official Twitter account posted them, and I was, you know, incredibly surprised that they’d go this far.

Many in the comments on this post are talking about Cavill, but there are also several people who do not like the seemingly apparent Hemsworth diss in the promos at all:

• “Oh my god ha ha. This is them basically admitting ‘yeah, we know Liam being Gerald is gonna make the show less popular.’ Poor guy”
• “There is just no class when it comes to things.”
• “This is just a signal for a disaster that already happened.”
• “Just really in bad taste. Why throw Liam under the bus like that and unfair to Henry as well.”

As far as I can see, the only way these ads might be “unfair” to our outgoing lead is that they take the focus off of his performance in Season 3 (he literally made me tear up during one scene in the third episode of the season), but I can totally get where these fans are coming from with everything else they’ve said. 

The creatives behind the show have been doing a lot of work over the past several months to convince audiences to stick around, because as the first comment noted, they realize the loss of Cavill has made people far less likely to keep watching. Shortly after the news of his departure came out, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said that it was “big news” for everyone on the series, as well, and then asked that viewers “please come back for The Witcher Season 3 so that we can continue to do this,” which seems like a pretty obvious acknowledgment that “a disaster” had indeed “already happened.”

Everyone who watches this show is thinking about the day when it’ll return for Season 4 and Hemsworth will be our new White Wolf, and while a few (like me) are probably simply eager to see how the portrayal will be different, many have admitted to already being uninvested. Several fans commented that they stopped paying attention to news of the show when hearing Cavill wouldn’t be back, and literally didn’t even realize the third season was now available, which those at Netflix must have known was a possibility. 

So, why focus on the thing that has people pissed off and beg them to watch at least one more season? And why be so dismissive of Hemsworth? I’m guessing he’s really going to try his level best to carry the role under some truly less than positive circumstances. The guy is already fighting against the tide of extreme fan apathy/disappointment; emphasizing the fact that so few even want to bother with his Geralt really does appear unnecessary, at the very least.

The series has already been renewed for Season 4, with the casting director telling Deadline that Season 5 has also been given the go-ahead, but if the streamer has to do this kind of work to attempt keeping people around for Season 3 (Which totally still has Cavill starring!), one does wonder if that will hold.

Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD for The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 1. Go vanquish an aeschna, take a bath, and return once you’ve caught up!

Well, if you are anything like me, you spent the last days of June (and/or the first days of July) using your Netflix subscription for one thing and one thing only: binging The Witcher Season 3, Vol. 1. After a wait of about a year and a half, we’ve finally been able to pick back up with the tale of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer, as the trio try to outrun the many different dangerous factions revealed by the Season 2 ending who are looking to capture the young Lion Cub of Cintra and use her for her still unpredictable powers.

Obviously, our fearless White Wolf, the sorceress, and their eager-to-learn pupil have known for quite some time that they were being pursued, but the first five episodes of the third season drove home just how the political machinations of everyone looking to capture Ciri worked as the war between the kingdoms of the north and Nilfgaard continued to brew. A big question has been who sent the “fire fucker,” a.k.a. fire mage Rience, to steal Ciri away from her protectors, and Season 3, Episode 5 (the final installment of Vol. 1) finally revealed the answer. So, let’s get into who Rience is working for, what his boss wants, and why I mostly agree that the volume’s final episode wasn’t that great.

Who Sent Rience To Capture Ciri?

As could likely be expected from a show where nearly no one can be fully trusted and most characters have political allegiances that are unknown to many of their closest compatriots, this answer is easy (it’s just one person), but was hard to come by. Episode 5, “The Art of the Illusion,” sees Geralt and Yen head to Aretuza for the ball the mages agreed to hold the night before their usual conclave. 

The reunited couple had come to the conclusion previously that the mage Stregobor was the one controlling Rience (seeing as how he’s proven himself to be a nasty piece of work before), so they set about attending together to find the proof of his guilt they need to expose him at the conclave. Over the course of the night, Yen and Geralt talk to several of the mages, as well Redanian spymaster Dijkstra, and get what seems like important info from Triss and Istredd, who used magic to find out that Stregobor is in possession of the incredibly dangerous Book of Monoliths.

Geralt picks a very public fight with Istredd at the ball to create a distraction, which allows Yen to get into Stregobor’s office and safe. She located evidence to show that he was behind the kidnapping and experimentation on the part-elven students who’ve gone missing from Aretuza, but once everyone convenes in his office, Stregobor only admits to trying to get the girls out of the way (he hates elves), but not experimenting on them or going after Ciri. Plus, he was definitely confused by the Book of Monoliths being in his safe, but he’s held for questioning anyway.

It takes until the final moments of the episode, as Yen and Geralt are preparing for the conclave the next morning, for them to realize that while Stregobor is certainly a dick, he’s not the one who sent Rience after Ciri, but Vilgefortz is. There were many clues throughout the episode, including Tissaia’s boyfriend giving her a bracelet made from a stone only found in the same location where Geralt found the young elven women who’d been experimented on. Lydia (who’s the only one we’ve seen give Rience orders so far) wore jewelry of the same material to the ball, and Philippa told Yen that Lydia followed everything her lover told her to do. Plus, the one whole, living part-elven student Geralt found revealed that Rience worked for a woman with a “funny voice” that she recognized from Aretuza. 

Hence, Vilgefortz is our bad guy. But, it’s now too late to easily change course, because when Geralt leaves the room to reveal what they know, not only is it obvious that something is very wrong at Aretuza, but Dijkstra stops him with a knife to his throat.

What Does Vilgefortz Want With Ciri?

Well, this is the million dollar question, isn’t it? It’s pretty easy to guess that he wants her untold power, but why would he go through such lengths? We will have to see what his reasoning is when The Witcher returns for Vol. 2 on July 27, but considering that those behind the fantasy drama have said more than once that it’s the one season so far that’s as close to the book it’s based on as possible, it’s probable that the answer lies there. So, if you don’t want BOOK SPOILERS, step away now!

Ready?

OK, show fans know that Duny, Ciri’s long-thought-to-be-dead dad, is not only actually alive, but the mysterious White Flame, Emhyr var Emreis, the leader of Nilfgaard. He’s determined to have absolute power over the Continent, and believes that Ciri and her powers are the final piece of that puzzle. As such, he’s got spies all over the place, including in the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, and Vilgefortz is one such high-ranking mage. Emhyr employed Vilgefortz to both stage a coup in order to remove all mages who oppose Nilfgaard, and also put his best magical man in charge of locating Ciri. 

END SPOILERS!

Simply put, Vilgefortz wants Ciri because his boss does, and he tortured several innocent part-elven girls in service of his efforts.

Why I Agree That Episode 5 Isn't That Great 

A lot of fans have had trouble with everything on The Witcher from the somewhat confusing timelines of Season 1, to Yen betraying Geralt and Ciri in Season 2, but I don’t know if any one episode has divided viewers more than Episode 5 of Season 3. There are two main things that most people either love or hate: the way the episode was organized (the same event told three times, with more information being given in each telling), and the reveal of Vilgefortz as the one controlling Rience. While I don’t, by any means, think this is the worst episode of the series so far (that’s literally what many are saying, including some critics), it definitely isn’t the show’s best.

Like I said, lots of people are bothered by the way the episode is set up, with the events and conversations of the mages' ball being visited more than once, as Yen and Geralt take a break from their, um, bed sport, after the party to talk over what happened. There was absolutely too much repeating of what we’d seen earlier going on. On our second time through, I did wonder when new and important details were going to be revealed, and it took a while, meaning I totally agree that the episode doubles back on itself too much. 

Now, as for the reveal of Vilgefortz as Rience’s boss? Those who had a problem with it are mostly saying that it wasn’t news, because they pegged him as our guy early in the season. That’s not the case for me, but it also wasn’t the major shock I think it was supposed to be. This is The Witcher, y’all. There are roughly seven people we can completely trust, and even among those we haven’t been able to trust them all the way through every season! 

It made perfect sense for a grade-A++ ass like Stregobor to actually not be the one giving Rience orders, but someone who seemed trustworthy, especially since finding all the evidence needed to blame the whole thing on ol’ Streggy was way too damn easy. Also, I haven’t quite trusted Vilgefortz since Season 1, so I was not surprised to see he was behind it!

All in all, I think the episode was fine. We got some cutesy/sexy stuff from Yen and Geralt (A joint bath! Geralt smiling! Geralt finally telling Yen he loves her!), and found out who’s been sending Rience on his Ciri missions. Episode 5 didn’t thrill me the way some others have (or the way I think it was meant to), but I do feel perfectly primed for Vol. 2 and a long-awaited battle for book fans, so that’s good enough for me.

I imagine that heading out to celebrate the debut of a new season of the television series an actor spent months of hard work on is a pretty big occasion. While not every show gets a splashy red carpet premiere, ones as big as The Witcher certainly do. As everyone with a Netflix subscription knows, the fantasy drama has been a huge hit since its first season, with viewers eagerly awaiting each new entry, despite some complaints about how closely it does or doesn’t adhere to the books it’s based on. Now, star Anya Chalotra has shown us how incredible she looked at the Season 3 premiere, but it’s her message to fans that’s really the sweetest.

What Did The Witcher's Anya Chalotra Wear To The Season 3 Premiere And What Did She Say To Fans?

Even though subscribers have watched The Witcher in droves since the first season, there have been more than a few issues that fans have had with the content of the series. This goes from the separate timeline confusion of Season 1, to fan blowback about Yennefer’s betrayal of Ciri and Geralt in Season 2, and what’s transpired since we found out in October 2022 that Season 3 would be the last for star Henry Cavill. So, while showing off her gorgeous look for the premiere of the newest season on Instagram, it makes sense that Chalotra would have some lovely words of thanks for everyone who’s stuck with the show. Take a look!

Ooooh! OK, let’s talk about this outfit a bit first. We’ve absolutely seen Yen in some slinky looks in the first two seasons, but I don’t think she ever went for a two-piece gown. In fact, that’s not something we see a lot of in general when it comes to red carpet attire. This means that Chalotra’s decision to go for a corset-like strapless top with large rosettes decorating each bra cup and a liquid-like long skirt with a train, both in black, was an amazingly intriguing choice.

As noted, we’ve seen her look lovely before, but the best part may be her using this opportunity to show how much she appreciates the crew, her fellow cast members, and, of course, the people who made a third season possible: the fans. Her shoutout “to everyone who’s supported us and watching right now” shows that she realizes how important it is to have the audience on their side, whether they sometimes dislike the direction of the series or not.

Obviously, the biggest news in the world of The Witcher will continue to be the loss of Cavill after the third season, with him electing to hand his role as Geralt over to Liam Hemsworth for Season 4 and whatever might come after. The departure made lots of fans angry to the point of signing a petition, which asked for him to be brought back and for the writers to be fired instead, because there are rumors that they actively disliked Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and that was the sticking point which led him to abandon the action-packed fantasy.

Though Cavill hasn’t gone into detail (and may never) about why he left, it’s clear that it’s a major event for those who work on the show as well. Chalotra herself recently told The Telegraph (via The Independent) that the “news was hard to take because he’s family,” and noted “we’re going to feel that loss” because of working together for five years, while pointing out the dedication she saw from his work.

The Witcher Season 3 still has a final round of episodes set to be released on July 27, which is said to include a “strong” exit for Cavill. Hopefully, Chalotra and the rest of the cast and crew will continue to enjoy working on the show going forward, just as much as viewers want to enjoy watching upcoming seasons.

Well, the day that fantasy fans have been waiting for since December 2021 has finally arrived, as The Witcher has returned for its third season to all with a Netflix subscription. As fans know, there’s a lot riding on these episodes, because not only are Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer trying desperately to keep the ever more skilled princess safe from the many different factions who want to use her for their own nefarious purposes, but it’s the final season for star Henry Cavill in the story’s main monster-hunting role. The good news is that it sounds like he makes great work of it in the first volume of his last outing as the White Wolf, but fans might not get to see enough of what makes him shine in the part.

With Liam Hemsworth set to take over as our live-action Geralt of Rivia after The Witcher Season 3, those who work behind the scenes have been going to great lengths to convince the, pissed to the point of starting a petition, fandom to stick around. They’ve noted that the third season will deliver a “heroic sendoff” for Cavill, is “very close to the book” it’s based on (The Time of Contempt), and offers a “strong” exit that easily takes us into the Hemsworth era. According to Jack Seale at The Guardian, that appears to be true, as he praised Cavill as being “the groove upon which the show maintains its course,” and added:

Seale also noted that there’s a tendency for the political machinations of these episodes to bog things down with characters who “explain or complain about what just happened without furthering the story,” but believes the ensemble (which is even larger this time around) does a great job of just “distracting us with pure fun.” Andrew Webster of The Verge largely agrees, and didn’t seem to have an issue with how much time we spend away from Geralt or with him away from Yen and Ciri for a time, or with all of the politicking, which he believes is “told concisely and entertainingly” and is mostly in the “background.” He added:

Webster also enjoyed trying to figure out who the Big Bad is, and was particularly fond of Episode 5, which “genuinely surprised” him with a major reveal. Though he was mostly thrilled with the season so far, the same cannot be said for Bradley Russell of GamesRadar. This reviewer thought that Season 3 began and ended strong, with the interactions of the main trio being part of the show’s positives, but felt watching all the political maneuvering “grinds a significant portion of the first volume to a halt.” He added:

While Russell noted that much of Episodes 2-4 “is ordinary at best and tedious at worst,” he also thought that fans will be so delighted by the high points that they’ll eagerly await the final volume of Season 3, which comes on July 27. Jen Lennon of the AV Club also praised the father/daughter relationship of Geralt and Ciri, thinking that the series “truly shines” when “showing the trust” between the two, and enjoyed when the main characters had to split up. But, was far from delighted by Episode 5, which rounds out this volume, calling it “the worst episode of the show so far,” saying:

Lennon noted that the big reveal in that episode was far from satisfying because they found it obvious, and also because we don’t yet “get to see the payoff” of it. Meanwhile, Ed Power of The Telegraph also called out the main stars as “an appealing power trio of heroes,” while also giving thanks for Joey Batey as Jaskier, but was no fan of the political backstories:

Jarrod Jones of IGN echoed those thoughts, noting that long-time viewers might even have difficulty tracking all of the plotting, planning, backstabbing, and more that goes on, as “its third season sure makes the series' monster-slaying fun feel like work,” but added additional praise for Cavill and his co-stars:

Though several critics had some strong (mostly negative) feelings about needing to get through a lot of intricate wheeling and dealing, it sounds like it might be worth it for those hoping to get their fill of Cavill’s Geralt while they still can.

Well, the time that many of us with a Netflix subscription have been looking forward to for nearly two years is almost here, as June 29 will see The Witcher return to the streamer. Though there are, of course, many reasons why fans are eager to pick back up with the tale of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer, a big one is that the upcoming The Witcher Season 3 will be Henry Cavill’s last leading the fantasy hit. We all want to know what his last act as Geralt will be, and while the executive producers talked about Cavill having a “strong” exit, I’m actually now a bit worried about it.

What Did The Witcher’s Exec Producers Say About Henry Cavill’s Last Season As Geralt?

Those who work behind the scenes on the series have had a lot to do over the past several months, especially when it comes to convincing viewers to stick around for The Witcher Season 4, which will see Liam Hemsworth take over as the White Wolf. In chatting with Yahoo UK recently, executive producers Steve Gaub and Tomek Bagiński opened up about the transition and how we’ll see Cavill leave the series, with Gaub saying:

Fans were start-a-petition angry about the Geralt change, and while the showrunner admitted that it’s also “a big deal” for everyone at the show, she also promised a “heroic sendoff” for the man who brought the character into live action. There have been rumors that his departure was precipitated by a general lack of writer respect for The Witcher books, so, hopefully, this season really will see him living out the version of Geralt he’s wanted to portray all along, and he left with a clear conscience, knowing he’d wrapped his time there in as “strong” a way as possible for himself, and the fans. Bagiński added:

And now I’m worried.

Why What The Witcher’s Exec Producer Said About Transitioning From Cavill To Hemsworth Has Me Worried

Alright, for full disclosure, I am not an O.G. Witcher fan. Meaning, before watching the show upon its debut in late 2019, I had never read the books or even played any of the video games. So, I have no attachment to the story as it’s been told before, though I completely understand the desire of long-time fans for what’s seen on the show to hew closely to the tales in the books. 

I’m also not one of the fans who’s only stuck with the show for Cavill, so whatever his reasons for moving on, I’m simply intrigued by the prospect of watching Hemsworth in the role after Season 3. On its face, I love the idea of the transition being “flawless,” but all this talk of the switch using “meta ideas” from the books and being “lore accurate” seems off. 

Obviously, this change in one of the three main actors wasn’t something that was planned previously, and there’s been no hint from anyone involved with the show before now that there were any big meta moments in the source material which would lead to actual major physical changes for Geralt that would necessitate a different actor.

In fact, after doing some searching to see what Bagiński could be referring to, I came upon an article which confirmed my suspicion that nothing in the books leads to a physical transformation for our favorite monster hunter. The EP could just mean that Geralt will fully give up the idea of political neutrality so that he can totally protect/train Ciri, but that’s not something that naturally leads to an explanation of why he’ll look different beyond Season 3.

Also, I don’t think any show fans who plan to stick with it really need such an explanation. We all know Cavill’s done, and we’re smart enough to just ride the wave of having Hemsworth as Geralt when the fourth season picks up, no special reasoning needed. What worries me is that, if there really isn’t anything in particular in the books that makes the actor switch understandable, why force such a thing, when we don’t need it at all? 

If they don’t trust the audience to accept the change (which isn’t impossible, as fans have definitely been threatening to stop watching or even cancel Netflix in anger after Season 3), making story alterations that take us even further away from the books for the fourth season could easily affect the series in a negative way. They’re already at risk of losing their audience, as many kept watching despite changes from the books because of Cavill, so having Hemsworth leading us through a tale that continues to take us away from those stories is likely to make any remaining book fans flee, meaning we might only get one more season.

Plus, honestly, these supposed “deeply embedded” book ideas sound like they could be rather convoluted, and we finally have two seasons where Geralt, Yen, and Ciri are all in the same timeline and together for the most part. No one wants to go back to confusing Witcher stories, OK?

I truly have no clue what’s to come in Season 3 or any potential future seasons, but I think we all want it to be a fun, thrilling, totally watchable viewing experience. So, here’s hoping that whatever they come up with, it hits that mark.

The Witcher has certainly had a crazy run on Netflix since its first season. 

Becoming a massive hit for the platform, despite some fan blowback, the Henry Cavill starring drama has become one of the most popular fantasy adaptations, with a story that has truly captured the hearts of millions. 

Now, The Witcher Season 3 is literally right around the corner, and because it’s been since December 2021 that we have last seen these characters, I think we all need a little bit of a refresher of what exactly went down during Season 2. Let’s get into it, below. 

The Wild Hunt Is Hunting Ciri Down

The Witcher Season 2 ending was, seriously, one of the craziest endings of any of its episodes. Featuring a stellar fight that truly knocked my socks off, Ciri was possessed by Voleth Meir and ended up killing a bunch of Witchers at Kaer Morhen, but Yennefer used this opportunity to offer herself as a host for Voleth Meir in order to free the princess from Meir’s control. 

When the transfer of power is complete, Ciri unwillingly ends up transporting herself, Geralt, and Yennefer to a different world that they're immediately threatened by. There, Voleth Meir leaves Yennefer’s body, but their worries are not over, as they see it join with one of the the Wild Hunt riders – all of whom are actively looking for Ciri. 

The Wild Hunt doesn’t have a major role in The Witcher books, however, they are still a very formidable group in the games – and one that is surely going to scare a lot of people on screen. 

In the games and books, The Wild Hunt is actually a group of Elves from a race that is unknown to any other Elven race. They are called Aen Elle and live in the world that that Ciri transported everyone to in the finale. The reason they're after Ciri, however, is far more intriguing as their main goal is to capture her for her Elder Blood and use that to their advantage. In the novels and books, her blood can be used to make teleporting to other worlds easier – and this, in turn, would save their lives as their own home is beginning to be destroyed. This would allow them to completely take over the Continent.

If Season 3 of the show decides to follow this reasoning for why they want the princess, I’d be down. 

And The Brotherhood, As Well As The Northern Kingdoms, Have Placed A Bounty On Ciri And The Others

I swear, man, Ciri is just getting hunted day after day for her powers and her blood. Not only is The Wild Hunt most likely going to come after her in Season 3 of the show, both the Northern Kingdom and the Brotherhood are looking to get their hands on her. 

Everyone sees her powers and blood as something to control. I mean, this isn’t a completely new surprise, as Ciri has been chased down since the very first episode of the series. It’s what led her to Geralt in the first place, but it’s still important to mention that pretty much every major antagonist of the series is after our girl. 

What does that mean for the main group? It most likely means they’re going to be moving around a lot. Even in the first look for Season 3, Ciri was shown running and fighting, so I’d suggest getting used to that. 

Yennefer Has Her Powers Back

Something else major that happened at the end of Season 2 was that Yennefer gained her powers back. In the Season 1 finale of The Witcher, Yennefer ended up using most of her chaos magic in order to take out an entire army with fire magic. 

For most of Season 3, we see her trying to regain her powers – the one thing she feels she has, because she gave up her ability to have children during her transformation, in order to hone her powers in Season 1. She was so desperate to get her powers back that she was willing to steal Ciri and bring her to Voleth Meir in order to regain them. 

That led to a huge falling out between Yennefer and Geralt – as you can imagine, but after she offers her body to Voleith Meir in the finale, and they escape The Wild Hunt, Yennefer has regained her magic. Talk about a crazy ride. 

Yennefer Is Training Ciri, But The Princess And Geralt Don't Fully Trust Her Yet

As mentioned before, Yennefer, Geralt, and Ciri aren’t really on the best terms right now, since the mage almost sacrificed Ciri to the deathless mother for her powers. But, every apology stars somewhere, right? 

We've been getting hints of Ciri’s powers all along, showing that with proper training, she could be formidable. And, since Geralt at least trusts Yennefer’s magical abilities, he allows her to train Ciri – but warns her that there is nothing between them anymore after what she did. 

Whether that will last throughout Season 3, I’m not sure, but as of right now, Yen is with them physically, but on the outs emotionally, which is understandable. 

Emperor Emhyr Is The Reason Francesca’s Newborn Was Killed

Something else that was expanded on in Season 2 of The Witcher was the population of Elves, and how their leader, Francesca, was actually pregnant and gave birth to the first Elven baby in years. When this happens, the Elven people decide to focus on rebuilding rather than fighting. 

However, this all changes when Francesca discovers her newborn baby was murdered in the middle of the night, and we come to find out later that Emperor Emhyr, otherwise known as The White Flame, was behind the murder. 

This was a huge moment for the series, as not only did it confirm who The White Flame really is, but that now, the Elves are not going to hold back. The White Flame killed that baby in order to somehow keep control of them, but we all saw what Francesca did at the very end – using her powers to kill several newborn human babies in her path, so it makes sense that several battles are on the way. 

And He Also Happens To Be Ciri’s True Father, Duny

Also, the last thing we found out was that Emperor Emhyr is Ciri’s father, Duny. For the last two seasons, fans of the show have been led to think that Duny was killed years ago with her mother. In the finale of Season 2, we were shown that Duny is most certainly not dead – no, he just “rebranded.”

Jokes aside, Duny as Emhyr was something that I’m sure many fans did not see coming, as, at least from the flashbacks, he seemed to be a kind soul, while Emhyr is most certainly not and has done some pretty unspeakable things. For viewers who have no idea where the story is going, just wait, as his tale is going to blow your mind. 

Something else that is worth mentioning is that this will be Henry Cavill’s last season as Geralt, as reported back in October 2022, and he will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth for Season 4. 

The Witcher Season 3 is right around the corner and I am counting down the days until I get to embrace my inner fantasy nerd again. Can June 29th get here quicker? I’m going to need more intense Geralt fights.

Fantasy fans who have a Netflix subscription are getting closer to the day that’s been nearly two years in the making, as June 29 will mark the debut of the first half of The Witcher’s third season. The lead up to this premiere has been filled with quite a bit of controversy, as we found out way back at the end of October 2022 that it will be star Henry Cavill’s last season playing Geralt of Rivia. As we prepare for The Witcher Season 3 premiere, however, the creative team has promised that it’ll be “very close to the book.”

What Did The Witcher Creative Team Say About Season 3 And The Books?

Cavill being replaced after the third season by Liam Hemsworth was a move that stunned and angered fans to the point where many signed a petition calling for the writers to be fired instead. The White Wolf himself simply said that he was “laying down my medallion and my swords,” but there has been loads of speculation that the show’s writers disliked/disrespected The Witcher books, which caused friction, many changes to the source material, and led to the premature departure. In the recently released clip shown above, however, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and executive producer Tomek Bagiński discussed the upcoming season, and said:

Schmidt Hissrich: Season 3 is mostly based on The Time of Contempt. Not only are the stories really fun and epic, I think it has some real fan-favorite moments.

Bagiński: And this time, I think the season is very, very close to the book.

Now, we’ve known since late 2021 (shortly after Season 2 hit the streamer) that the writers were largely using the second Witcher novel, The Time of Contempt, as the impetus for Season 3’s storytelling. But, as with any book-to-screen adaptation, the series had already made several changes throughout the first two seasons from the work of Andrzej Sapkowski, which it seemed that the star was less than enthused with, to the point of possibly considering exiting as Geralt right after the second season.

It seems that his final season as the character afforded him what his wish was all along, to show a version of Geralt that matched the one so beloved in the books, and with many of the “fan-favorite moments” from the novel, to boot. 

These will include the events of the first novel, Blood of Elves, which will likely come in the first episode, as the title of the premiere is “Shaerrawedd,” and a scene from that episode was likely shared over the weekend, where Ciri got to show off her badass new fighting moves. That will then lead us naturally to the events of the second novel, like the explanation of Ciri's bloodline heritage and what happens to her there. Even better, we might just be getting one of Geralt’s most memorable battles during the season.

All in all, it sounds like fans will be in for a great time, and that, as promised, Season 3 really will be a “heroic sendoff” for Cavill.

After another very long wait, everyone with a Netflix subscription who happens to be a fan of The Witcher can really start to get excited, because we are now just a couple of weeks away from the debut of the new season. Though there’s been plenty to talk about with the upcoming episodes, largely because the third season will be Henry Cavill’s last as Geralt (and lots of fans are plenty mad about Cavill’s departure), viewers are still intrigued by the prospect of what we’ll see in The Witcher Season 3. Well, we’ve just been given an awesome battle scene that shows off Ciri’s badass fighting skills, but now I’m wondering just how much time has passed between the Season 2 ending and the next season that will be debuting as part of everything new on Netflix through June and July.

What Does Ciri’s The Witcher Season 3 Fight Scene Show?

First off, yes, I can cop to the fact that the heading is a little misleading, as while Ciri does see a lot of action during this extensive fight scene, which was revealed during June 2023’s Tudum fan event, the remainder of our main trio, Yennefer and Geralt, are also seen using their skills to the best of their ability, as is our friendly traveling bard, Jaskier. The Princess finds herself momentarily alone with the fire mage, Rience, who’s been on her tail since the second season, and well, see for yourself what happens:

WOW. Alright, even though Geralt comes in with a big assist with Yen (and what looks to be the dwarves that we’ve seen him ally with since Season 1) pretty early into the fight, Ciri did an amazing job of at least temporarily neutralizing about five of the assailants brought by the “fire fucker.” She even managed to get away from the man himself before he had a chance to magically transport her to wherever it was that he ended up fighting Geralt.

I’m not gonna lie, it was fully a delight to see that Ciri has continued learning some badass moves and gotten even tougher, but when the second season ended, she’d only just begun her warrior training. Sure, she 100% understood that she would need to know how to take care of herself with so many people after her, and went even harder on the training than Geralt probably would have liked. After seeing what she was able to accomplish with multiple bad guys coming for her, though, I can’t help but wonder if there’s some kind of time jump involved, or if she’s just naturally talented when it comes to kicking ass.

It’s not impossible that she could have gone from a scared princess who could only run and hide to a battle-ready warrior in just a couple of years. If we’re picking up only a few weeks/months after we last saw the trio (and if this scene is from the first episode, as I suspect it is), it definitely means that Ciri has fully embraced not only training, but her new life and all the challenges and dangers that come with it. 

TV viewers with a Netflix subscription know that the fantasy hit, The Witcher, has made news for lots of things since it debuted in late 2019. Something that has captured fan attention the most, likely because many who watch are also fans of the book series on which the show is based or the video game franchise, is how the story of Witcher Geralt, sorceress Yennefer, and the powerful Princess Ciri has played out on screen. While we’re all looking ahead toward Henry Cavill’s last go-round in the fast-approaching The Witcher Season 3, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has opened up about the blowback she got from fans after Season 2.

What Did The Witcher’s Showrunner Say About Fan Criticism After Season 2?

This series really knows how to wrap a set of episodes, and The Witcher Season 2 ending was no different. A lot of big reveals were made, but, possibly most importantly, we saw that Yen and Geralt were fully on the outs. He couldn’t forgive her for trying (for far too long) to hand Ciri over to the Deathless Mother, which led to the young woman’s possession by the ancient being, and the deaths of several other Witchers. It turns out that fans were not cool with this turn of events, and let Schmidt Hissrich know it. In relaying some of those comments to Entertainment Weekly recently, she said:

Of course, this is part of what we’ll be treated to in the upcoming season. Ciri still needs a lot of training when it comes to harnessing her mysterious powers, and Yen is the best person for that gig. So, Geralt has made it clear that he can tolerate her presence as long as she’s helping his child of surprise, and though they are all hiding from the many forces who seek Ciri for their own nefarious purposes, the trio will head to Aretuza so that the woman who ended the Battle of Sodden Hill can do just that.

Every season of this magic and creature-focused show has come with complaints about something with regards to the storyline. Many were less than enthused with the controversial multiple timelines of Season 1, and now the third outing will have to deal with Yen’s betrayal in the second season. Even if you didn’t enjoy watching her attempt to sell out Ciri (and Geralt by default), you can’t deny that it brings the story to an intriguing point, where our three main characters both need each other and can’t part ways, but Yen also has a lot of work to do when regaining the trust of her companion and student.

Anya Chalotra, who portrays Yen and also participated in the interview, noted that her character will put much “time and energy and effort” into making amends at the start of the new season, and that it will lead to “a real family dynamic” which will develop “quite quickly and quite organically.” In addition, Schmidt Hissrich said that it won’t be all strife, mistrust, and battles for our three heroes:

How can you not love the idea of that? The series will return for Season 3 Volume 1 (which is five episodes) on June 29, with Volume 2 (the remaining three) debuting on July 27.

The biggest news when it comes to the forthcoming The Witcher Season 3 and those with a Netflix subscription for the past several months has been the departure of star Henry Cavill, who announced it himself way back in October 2022. The third season is his last as Geralt, with the role having already been turned over to Liam Hemsworth going forward. The reveal caused a lot of anger among the fandom, but now we all have something more positive to think about, because the fantasy hit has just revealed the first footage from Cavill’s final season, along with its new release strategy.

What Happens In The First Footage From Henry Cavill’s Final Season Of The Witcher?

Look, I could easily spend a paragraph or two telling you all about the first glimpse we’ve gotten of The Witcher Season 3, but wouldn’t you prefer to see it all for yourself so that we can talk about it like informed adults? Yeah, I knew you would! Observe:

Well, well, well! The Wild Hunt looks to be gunning for Ciri, and hard. But, that’s not the only development revealed in the teaser (which was posted to the streamer's YouTube channel) worth noting. The spot opens with Geralt preparing to fight, as he gets his full Witcher powers going. But, he also notes that he now understands “real fear” for “the first time.” We don’t see what he’s about to battle, but my guess is that his words have nothing to do with whatever monster Geralt has geared up to fight in the clip.

He, Ciri, and Yennefer were all transported to the home of The Wild Hunt during the Season 2 ending, and they all know that they’re after the powerful young princess. Unfortunately, the ghostly riders appear to now be on the Continent and much more capable of snatching Ciri for their own nefarious purposes, and one quick scene of the teaser shows them getting very close to accomplishing their goal, as a rider manages to put his hand on her shoulder while she’s trying to escape. Oooh, boy!

The gruff Witcher spent a significant portion of Season 1 trying to find Ciri, then all of the second season training her and working very hard to protect the young woman, but battling The Wild Hunt could easily prove to be one of the most intense fights Geralt has had so far. The clip also shows a bit of what Yenn will get up to, though the fact that she seems to be wearing the same outfit as when she first met Geralt for some of her time in the teaser implies that she may spend some time trapped in a hallucination or something else that’s magically induced.

We also get another showdown between Geralt and nearly unstoppable fire mage Rience (Please save that cat!), someone threatening Jaskier, and a warning that “everything changes” when the new season debuts this summer. And, with what the teaser shows next, it’s clear that that’s true in at least one, non-casting/non-story, aspect.

The Witcher Is Changing How It Releases Season 3

We’ve known since the Tudum Fan Event in September 2022 that this summer would see the release of the new season, but we now know exactly when that will be, and that the season will actually be released in two parts. The Witcher Season 3, Volume 1 debuts on June 29, while we’ll be able to watch Volume 2 exactly four weeks later, on July 27. This is the first time the fantasy has ever split up a season.

Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich told Tudum that she and her writers “didn’t have batching in mind” as they planned or wrote Season 3, but the story of the novel that this will be based on made it an easy decision. She added:

Of course, there’s also the (not so) little matter of this being the lead’s last season as Ciri’s surrogate father, which pissed fans off so much that they started a petition to have Cavill rehired and the writers fired instead (though there's no evidence that abandoning ship wasn't fully the actor's decision). Much controversy and many rumors about him leaving have followed, but this season has been said to provide viewers with a “heroic sendoff” for the star, and now we know exactly when it will all unfold.

I think it’s probably fair to say that many of those with a Netflix subscription are still in a state over some information they received toward the end of October 2022. That was when the internet erupted over the news that Henry Cavill had opted to leave The Witcher after Season 3 (which had already completed filming by that point). Fans of the hit fantasy drama were so outraged that they started a petition to bring the Justice League actor back and fire all the writers. Now, with viewer outcry still on-going, the author of the books the series is based on has shared his thoughts on the streaming adaptation, and Cavill’s fans will likely agree with him.

What Did The Witcher’s Author Say About The Netflix Series?

Everyone who wants the fantasy-loving, tabletop game figurine-painting Geralt actor (who’s now working on an adaptation of the Warhammer games) to return to the show is still voicing their opinion online by way of that petition, which now has over 308,000 signatures. Fans have come up with a theory about why the former Superman star decided to abandon this particular monster-fighting ship, which is mainly focused on him not being on board with all of the changes being made to The Witcher’s story as it was put forth in several books. 

Andrzej Sapkowski, who wrote those books, spoke recently at the Taipei International Book Exhibition, and a Twitter user who was in attendance shared his thoughts on the hit show, after he was asked about it, and something tells me that many of Cavill’s supporters will dig where the writer is coming from:

Oh, boy. Now, there’s no way to know if Sapkowski (who has said he loved Cavill in the lead) went into any additional detail, but just this quote by itself definitely speaks volumes. If you're on the side of a TV show, you don’t admit that you’ve seen things that are better, and you also don’t say that there are worse things. His words firmly put his opinion of Netflix’s The Witcher in a not-so-great middle ground, and while it’s a more welcome view than hating it outright, it’s still not anything to write home about.

Despite the success of the sword-baring hit, reviews have been pretty mixed throughout. The first season brought a lot of confusion over the three timelines used within, and fans have been annoyed with how the story is progressing (and rumors point to the fantasy star feeling similarly way before he quit) on the series, with many agreeing that the main reason to keep watching is the star himself, who worked hard to nab the role of Geralt of Rivia and was incredibly eager to bring a property he already loved to life.

With him turning his Ciri-saving duties over to Liam Hemsworth for Season 4 (and potentially beyond), many have declared that they will stop watching after the upcoming The Witcher Season 3, and threatened to dump the streaming service altogether. A previous report by a former writer on the show that many of the other creatives were “actively mocking the source material,” combined with the apparent failure of the first live-action spinoff, The Witcher: Blood Origin, and what the original author has now said, will likely do nothing to change those feelings.

The showrunner has tried to keep fans excited about the epic tale by teasing Cavill’s “heroic sendoff” and nearly begging them to stick around for the third season, but only time will tell whether or not that works in the show’s favor.

When you think of the scariest monster, what's the first one you think of? King Kong? Godzilla? Bigfoot? Whatever kind of monster you think of, I guarantee there is most likely a movie that features it, and that’s what we’re going over today – monster movies and TV shows on Netflix

That’s right. There are a plethora of them on the platform for you to watch, from shows that went on for years and years to movies that are certified classics. No matter what you pick, it’s going to be a great time – whether they showcase the legendary King Kong, or something a little more creepy and crawly. 

King Kong (2005)

If you ever wondered what Peter Jackson’s version of King Kong would be like, this is your answer. Taking place in the 1930s, it follows a group of explorers who travel to the legendary Skull Island, and there they encounter the giant gorilla. When they capture it and take him back to New York City, that’s where everything goes wrong. 

You want to talk about a classic monster film, this is the one. While it did come out in 2005, many believe this to be one of the best adaptations of the famous monster tale, and it has a star-studded cast to boot, with people such as Naomi Watts starring. The visual effects are also great for 2005, and really capture the intenseness that is King Kong. It’s one of my (and my dad’s) re-watch movies, since it’s such a great one. 

Stream King Kong on Netflix.

Godzilla: The Planet Eater (2018)

Look, there are so many Godzilla movies, why not give one that’s animated a shot? Godzilla: The Planet Eater is a Japanese animated film that takes place in a world that is struggling and Godzilla works as an ally rather than an enemy to the humans. 

Ironically, this is actually the last film in an anime trilogy – all of which are available to stream on Netflix - but I personally love this one the most. I feel like it really tells the Godzilla story from another perspective that we've never seen before, and adds character. It’s also beautifully animated – and as an anime lover, that is something I can always appreciate.  

Stream Godzilla: The Planet Eater on Netflix.

The Witcher (2019 – Present)

The Witcher is a Netflix original series starring Henry Cavill that follows Geralt of Rivia, a legendary Witcher, who is that world’s version of a monster hunter. However, when he is tasked with taking care of a princess who has strange powers, his life is changed forever. 

While The Witcher is primarily a fantasy show with plenty of witches and magic, Geralt is a monster hunter, and he fights some wicked creatures throughout the two seasons that we've has so far. My personal favorite has been his fight against the Striga, which really shows just how skilled he is as a monster hunter. These things will haunt your nightmares – in a good way. 

Stream The Witcher on Netflix.

Troll (2022)

Another Netflix film on this list, Troll is a Norwegian monster film that came out in 2022, and has one of the simplest stories you could follow along to – when a monster is awakened from a mountain, a group must come together to try and stop it, despite having no idea what they are doing. If they don’t succeed, everything will end up falling apart around them and cause mayhem. 

Troll was actually a surprise for me, because I’m not the biggest fan of most original Netflix movies. But Troll had not only a fun story, but characters that were enjoyable and a monster that truly looked both fantastical and terrifying at the same time. The visual effects were on point – and the score was also astounding as well. A hard nine out of ten for this one. 

Stream Troll on Netflix.

Stranger Things (2016 – Present)

Okay, hear me out. Stranger Things, which premiered back in 2016 and just had its fourth season in 2022, mainly follows a group of kids in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, whose world is turned Upside Down (literally) when one of their friends goes missing, and they find a girl in the woods with telekinetic powers. 

Stranger Things has changed so much its four seasons – and broke plenty of records along the way – but there is no doubt in my mind that you can also call this a monster show, for sure. The Demogorgon itself is terrifying, the Mind Flayer gives me nightmares – just think of those Demon Dogs too, ugh, I’m already shaking thinking about it. No thanks. I love the show, but I needed a break after seeing Vecna. With Season 5 coming, now’s the time for the uninitiated to watch.

Stream Stranger Things on Netflix.

The Ritual (2018)

While this is certainly a little more horror than a monster movie, The Ritual offers some thrills with its monsters. Here, we follow a group of hikers who end up encountering one of the most evil things of their lives in the forest, and now, they must find a way to survive despite there looking like there is no way out. Sacrifices must be made. 

The creature in this – an excruciatingly dark and ancient evil monster – is actually terrifying once you get to see it. For most of the film, it’s just the idea of what this thing is, but oh man, when you see this thing head on, it’s nightmare-inducing. It’s something I never want to imagine again. 

Stream The Ritual on Netflix.

Monster House (2006)

Monster House is a CGI animated film that tells the story of three children who end up getting devoured by a literal monster house. And now, they have to find a way out and figure out why this house is even the way it is in the first place, without getting killed – or letting this house go on a rampage and kill other kids. 

Okay, here’s the thing – does this feature a physical monster? No, it does not, but Monster House is one of those monster movies that I think will not only effectively satiate that urge for a monster movie, because the house literally is terrifying and it’s backstory is lowkey tragic, and also introduce kids to monster movies. Monster House is underrated and I feel like no one ever really talks about it, so here’s my chance to. Check it out please. 

Stream Monster House on Netflix.

Dracula Untold (2014)

Ever wonder what the origin story for one of the most famous monsters of all time would be like? Dracula Untold is your answer. This reboot of Universal's Dracula film series stars Luke Evans as historical figure Vlad III “the Impaler” Draculea, and how he sacrifices everything to become Dracula in order to keep his family and kingdom safe. 

See, I’m so upset that this movie didn’t start off Universal’s dark universe thing, and The Mummy was actually the start, because I really like Dracula Untold. Luke Evans was a fantastic pick for the role, and the movie itself gives a fresh take on the legendary story of Dracula in ways we hadn’t seen before. I hope that Renfield is good, but at the same time, I can’t help but think about what we lost when this fun monster movie failed to set off a franchise.

Stream Dracula Untold on Netflix.

Supernatural (2005 – 2020)

You can’t get more of a monster-show than Supernatural. With fifteen seasons and plenty of fans, Supernatural was a very popular CW show that told the story of brothers Sam and Dean, two monster hunters who take on the family business, hunting down all kinds of creatures, from demons and vampires, and shapeshifters to ghosts. 

Supernatural was a great series for so many reasons. Not only is it a cool show that features so many monsters, but what really makes you keep watching is the Supernatural cast. They have so much chemistry and have such great storylines that you can’t help but love them. If I had the time, I would re-watch this show over and over. But, because it’s literally fifteen seasons, that’s kind of hard to do. 

Stream Supernatural on Netflix.

The Mist (2007)

If you’re looking for a great Stephen King adaptation that has some freaky monsters, The Mist is one of those. This movie, directed by Frank Darabont, follows what happens in a town when a storm passes through and brings creatures that will kill anything. Now, the townspeople need to find a way to somehow survive. 

The Mist is certainly a film I think every monster lover should watch once. Yes, it can be a bit dark at times, but it’s so good and seriously one of the best modern-day horror films. It’s also one of the best Stephen King adaptations, hands down, so you won’t be wasting time with the story. It’s so good. 

Stream The Mist on Netflix.

Sweet Home (2020 –)

Last but not least, we need to talk about one of my favorite South Korean dramas, Sweet Home. This series follows a young man who has just learned to live on his own. But problems soon begin to arise when demon-like creatures begin to descend upon his apartment building. Trapped inside, he needs to find a way to survive. 

I love this show. The monsters are terrifying, but the tension is even better. Every episode is more exciting than the last and it really keeps you on the edge of your seat. No matter what, you’ll be clicking to the next episode. It’s such a great time. 

Stream Sweet Home on Netflix.

Monster movies and TV shows are certainly some of my favorite things to watch, and hopefully now, you have an idea of new shows and movies you can enjoy, too. Happy binging!

Everyone with a Netflix subscription knows that the streaming giant is betting big on The Witcher franchise and has been since the first season debuted in December 2019 and quickly became the service’s biggest hit (for a time). Until recently, though, we’d only seen one animated spinoff, but now, after it was announced over two years ago, The Witcher: Blood Origin (the first live-action spinoff) has finally premiered.

We were promised that the prequel, which is set 1200 years before the events of the parent series, would be a “fun twist” on the story and show fans an unexplored bit of the Continent’s history, and these four episodes have done exactly that. So, let’s get into what happened in The Witcher: Blood Origin ending and how it furthers the lore for Geralt, Ciri, Yen, and their friends and enemies.

What Happened At The End Of The Witcher: Blood Origin

Alright, so after our group of five warriors and two mages (Éile, Fjall, Scían, Meldorf, Callan, Syndril and Zacaré) assembled they had to figure out how to take down both Empress Merwyn and the beast from another dimension who killed Éile and Fjall’s clans and now protects Xin’trea. Syndril and Zacaré come up with a plan to magically merge one of the warriors with the essence of the beast they killed after they all accidentally traveled to another dimension.

Éile agrees to it, but after she and Fjall share some adult time the night before, he takes that bullet and is turned into a rage-filled, yellow-eyed proto Witcher. Meanwhile, Scían rode off to the Empress and pretended to give up Éile and Fjall, in exchange for being able to use some of the royal guard.

Scían leads the soldiers to where her friends are, turns on them with a group of sellswords she acquired, and everyone is able to disguise themselves in armor, while Scían leads a supposedly captured Fjall, who’s barely holding on to his humanity, into the palace.

Fjall comes face to face with Merwyn, and gets so angry that he loses his cool, with the flying beast then coming to attack and the fight taking them out of a window onto a large balcony. As they battle, Éile finds Merwyn and stabs her, with Syndril and Zacaré fighting their own battle against the power hungry Chief Druid, Balor, at the royal monolith. 

They realize that if Zacaré can connect the powers of Balor and Syndril to the monolith that they can shatter it, and get to work on that as Fjall finally gets so fed up with the monster that he turns into a gray, veiny, black-eyed Witcher version of the Hulk, and finally manages to kill it. The triumph is brief, though, as he then murders the lead sellsword for no reason, leading Éile to sing him back to a more human form that allows her to get close enough to stab him. Fjall dies in her arms.

Syndril and Zacaré’s plan works, but does not have the positive consequences they imagined, as the monolith shatters (killing Syndril and Balor), causing the Conjunction of the Spheres. For a few seconds, everyone looks to the sky as several worlds are revealed and seen merging, right before everyone is knocked unconscious, only to wake to a new world now filled with humans and monsters. We see shots of the survivors left, and Éile is pregnant (likely) with Fjall’s child, who receives a prophecy from Ithlinne that’s not totally dissimilar from the one Ciri recited in The Witcher.

That Mid-Credits Scene

Speaking of Ciri, the mid-credits scene was a bit of a shocker. In it, we’re taken back to a moment from The Witcher Season 1, where Ciri is dressed as a boy and playing with other children outside the palace walls. She feels someone watching, looks over, and we're shown the young mage who Merwyn had chosen to protect her all those years ago, Avallac’h, watching in his blue cloak.

When talking to Digital Spy, co-showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich opened up about their reuse of that scene, and said:

Avallac’h did mention to Merwyn that he thought Syndril’s calculations could lead to both physical and time travel via the monoliths, and he’s figured out how to do it, meaning that we could now see him lurking around on future episodes of The Witcher.

Éile And Fjall Appear To Now Be Ciri’s Oldest Known Ancestors

Previously, we’d only heard about Ciri’s oldest relatives being the Aen Elle elves Auberon and Shiadhal, and their daughter, Lara Dorren. But, with Éile being pregnant, it appears we know now that Ciri’s elven blood goes back much further. As Schmidt Hissrich told Naekranie.pl in an interview: 

This isn’t complete proof that the child Éile has will lead to Ciri over a thousand years later, but seeing as how her unborn baby, again, got a pretty serious prophecy from Ithlinne, it’s a good bet.

Ithlinne Was Used To Give “Credence” To Ciri’s Coming Story

The ancient oracle Ithlinne and her prophecy have been a running theme on The Witcher since the first season, and we see a young version of the character in Blood Origin for a very good reason. As Schmidt Hissrich told ScreenRant:

By the time of The Witcher, much of what happened around the Conjunction is more of a legend than actual fact, so showing Ithlinne make a different prophecy that we then watch come true only helps to show how correct she was about the prophecy we’ve been hearing all along, as well as what she said about Éile’s baby and descendants.

The Witcher’s Version Of The Wild Hunt Is Less Mysterious Now

If you haven’t read the books on which the main series is based, you were probably terrified during The Witcher Season 2 ending when we got a good look at The Wild Hunt, who are definitely trying to capture Ciri so they can use her power for their own ends. Well, because of Blood Origin, we now know exactly who those folks are. When Balor went to the other dimension to make his final bid for ultimate power in the form of chaos magic, he got rid of Merwyn’s High Commander, Eredin, and the soldiers he brought along by opening yet another portal and forcing them through it.

That portal leads to the same dark orange world where Ciri, Geralt, and Yen saw The Wild Hunt, and when we see Eredin there later, it becomes clear that he will turn his men into that group. This changes things a lot from how they came about in the books and video games, but leaves the powerful elf as the leader of The Wild Hunt.

WOW. Alright, now all we have to do is wait until sometime in the summer of 2023 to see just how all of these new pieces fit into everything that’s to come on The Witcher Season 3, and beyond!

Fans of Netflix’s The Witcher were already looking forward to Season 3. Season 2 arrived on the streaming service just about a year ago, and the new season is still several months away, but it’s become even more anticipated duer to the fact that we now know that while the show will continue, the next season of The Witcher will be the final for star Henry Cavill. But the showrunner promises Cavill will get a “heroic sendoff.”

Fans of The Witcher got good news and bad news recently when it was revealed that while the show will get a fourth season, when that season arrives it will include Liam Hemsworth in the lead as Geralt of Rivia, as Henry Cavill would be leaving following the forthcoming Season 3. Showrunner Lauren Hissrich tells EW that, while the next season wasn’t specifically designed to give Cavill a sendoff, Geralt’s arc will ultimately do exactly that. She explained…

 In the very first episode of The Witcher, Henry Cavill’s Geralt tries to not get involved in a conflict between a wizard and a cursed princess. His attempt to remain neutral ultimately ends up in a lot of dead people, killed at Geralt’s own hand, and branded with the nickname “Butcher.” 

The entire show has been about Geralt learning that he needs to care, specifically about Ciri, but also to just generally taken an active role in kmaking his world better. It seems that, while Season 3 of The Witcher won’t be the end of Geralt’s story, it will see the conclusion of the specific character arc for the Witcher. If Henry Cavill is leaving the show, this does seem like a good place to do so.

Nobody has spoken directly about the reasons for Henry Cavill’s departure from The Witcher. It came as a surprise considering how much Cavill spoke about loving the source material, and how much he originally lobbied to play Geralt. There have been some reports that not everybody making the Netflix series loves the source material as much as Cavill, and, if true, that may have led to some conflict with Cavill, who reportedly just didn’t care for the direction the show was going. 

While Henry Cavill getting a proper sendoff from The Witcher may not be what fans were looking for, at least not yet, under the circumstances it’s the best fans could hope for. The Witcher Season 3 doesn’t have an official release date yet but is expected to drop on Netflix in the summer of 2023.  

The cast and crew of “The Witcher: Blood Origin” including Minnie Driver, Sophia Brown, Laurence O’Fuarain, Zach Wyatt, Lizzie Annis, Huw Novelli, Francesca Mills, Mirren Mack, Declan de Barra, and Lauren Hissrich discuss “The Witcher” Spinoff series in this interview with CinemaBlend's Law Sharma. They discuss working with Michelle Yeoh, pleasing fans of the book and games, what they took from set and much more!

Video Chapters: 

0:00 Intro

0:31 Minnie Driver on joining “The Witcher” franchise

0:55 Lauren Hissrich and Declan de Barra on adapting the expanded universe

2:15 The cast on working with Michelle Yeoh

3:09 The cast on the show’s writing and how it helped form their characters

5:06 On creating magic throughout the production process

6:33 (SPOILER) Sophia Brown on her passionate finale monologue

7:36 (SPOILER) Laurence O’Fuarain on the intense transformation sequences

8:53 What “The Witcher: Blood Origin” cast took from set

Henry Cavill seems to have a knack for playing iconic characters. He has portrayed Sherlock Holmes in the Netflix spin-off Enola Holmes, Superman in the DCEU films, and Geralt on Netflix's The Witcher. But it turns out that before he was a big movie star, actress Minnie Driver knew him when he was a young boy. She shared information about their connection ahead of her appearance in the spinoff of Cavill's streaming series, The Witcher: Blood Origin.

It's funny how Minnie Driver appears to meet actors and work with them before they emerge as superstars. She famously starred alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting before they truly emerged as household names. She was also in Ella Enchanted with Anne Hathaway before the actress became the widely lauded Oscar winner she is today. Apparently, this is also the case with Henry Cavill, as she revealed in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly. Apparently, Driver's brother used to go to school with the actor, as she explained:

This is so sweet and, honestly, it makes me wonder if the two stars could actually share the screen someday. Blood Origin is a prequel to its parent show, so the Man of Steel actor isn’t set to appear on the series. In addition, Cavill recently left The Witcher, and The Hunger Games’ Liam Hemsworth will take over as Geralt. However, the actor recently was removed from the role as Superman, a development that had some on social media wondering if he'll reverse his course. The chances of that seem unlikely though, as he has other productions on the docket.

Meanwhile, Minnie Driver’s turn on The Witcher: Blood Origin may seem as a surprise to some, as the actress has never done such an action-heavy project before. However, she does have past experience working within the fantasy-sphere, so it's not too much of a stretch. She dazzled in period pieces like The Phantom of the Opera and this year’s Rosaline, so maybe productions that dive deep into magic and mythology could become more commonplace for her moving forward. If so, I’m sure Henry Cavill wouldn't mind schooling her on the finer points of such fare, either.

Though Henry Cavill isn't joining old pal Minnie Driver in Blood Origin, you'll be able to see him in a number of projects soon enough. He's part of the cast of Apple TV+'s Argylle, a spy thriller from Kingsman: The Secret Service director Matthew Vaughn. The actor also recently announced that he’s developing a Warhammer 40,000 adaptation for Amazon. While Driver isn't attached to any of those, one would hope that she and Cavill do team up at some point. And if not, they'll always have the sweet personal connection that they share.

The Witcher: Blood Origin premieres on December 25 and will be available for Netflix subscribers. Before it drops, stream the first two seasons of the OG show now. For more information on other series headed to streaming in the near future, make sure to check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV premiere schedule.

It was just a little over a month ago that those with a Netflix subscription who adore watching Henry Cavill’s Geralt grunt his way through learning to be a father figure to Ciri got a huge shock. The actor, who had recently been reinstated as DC’s big screen Superman, released a statement noting that the upcoming The Witcher Season 3 would be his last time in the white wig, and officially handed his duties off to Liam Hemsworth, his replacement. Fans were angry enough to start a petition, and now the showrunner has finally responded.

What Did The Witcher’s Showrunner Say About Henry Cavill Leaving The Series?

With several weeks of rumors floating around about why he left, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich spoke to our sister site, TechRadar, at the UK junket for The Witcher: Blood Origin, the show’s first live action spinoff, which debuts later this month. When asked about the outpouring of fan negativity, she said:

Viewer outrage and confusion began immediately after the news of Hemsworth taking over as Geralt in Season 4 was announced. People openly wondered about the reasoning behind the seemingly sudden departure, noting how Cavill had lobbied so hard to play Geralt in the first place and always talked about how big of a fan he was of the books the show is based on (along with loving the video games). 

Some of the rumors pointed to how Cavill would speak openly about wanting to stick to the books as much as possible even as the fantasy series tried to find its own way forward with the material. By the time word came out about him saying goodbye to the drama after the third season (which finished filming by mid-September 2022), though, we’d already gotten word from a former producer on The Witcher, Beau DeMayo, who revealed his thoughts that many of the writers “actively disliked the books and games” to the point of “actively mocking the source material.” 

Cavill’s fandom and desire to stay true to the books, combined with DeMayo’s words, has led many to believe that the star simply saw the writing on the wall, realized that the show would never be what he’d hoped, and cut his losses by finally severing ties with the action-packed show. That fan petition, which still has people signing and is currently past 277,800 supporters, actually calls for the show to fire the writers and find a way to bring the Geralt we already know back on board.

Though we still have Season 3 of The Witcher to look forward to when it comes to more of Cavill’s work as lead, Schmidt Hissrich is trying to keep viewers on board as much as possible, even while understanding their anger. She told IGN that she was “really excited” about the fact that “we get new energy and chemistry that we haven’t discovered yet” with the recasting, and here’s hoping that fans (eventually) feel the same way.

The Witcher: Blood Origin is easily one of the most highly anticipated events on the 2022 TV schedule. The production, a prequel to the flagship show starring Henry Cavill (for now), is set to further expand the mythical world created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Fans have been chomping at the bit for details on the spinoff series and, weeks after the release of the teaser, the first official trailer has arrived. And not only does it show more of Michelle Yeoh’s Scian and her badass cohorts, but it also reveals that a character from the parent series is returning!

The trailer features its fair share of action, much of which is sure to delight fans, but what may excite them the most is the reveal that comes in the last few minutes. In the closing scene, Seanchai – played by the incomparable Minnie Driver, approaches none other than the lovable Jaskier, who is portrayed by the returning Joey Batey. Driver’s shapeshifting storyteller approaches the fan-favorite character with a proposition: she needs him to “sing a story back to life,” causing the bard to question whether he’s the right man for the job. It’s a quick exchange yet one that should generate plenty of buzz (and maybe even a few questions) amongst fans. 

That surprise aside, the trailer also does a strong job of establishing the main players here, such as the Star Trek alum's aforementioned Scian, Sophia Brown’s Éile and Laurence O'Fuarain’s Fjall. Just like its small-screen counterpart, Blood Origin sports some seriously impressive fight choreography as well as some breathtaking shots. What’ll be particularly exciting to see are the interactions between the warriors who have assembled to take down the tyrannical empire that they’re subject to.

The spinoff takes place 1200 years before the events before the adventures of Henry Cavill’s Geralt begin and predominantly focuses on an Elven civilization. Most notably, the show will depict the conjunction of the spheres – the massive event that caused the worlds of elves, men and monsters to merge. All the while, it’ll also shed light on the creation of the original prototype Witcher. Franchise producer Lauren Schmidt has referred to the series as a “fun twist” on the established lore, and the footage fans have seen so far is enough to make one optimistic that that’ll indeed be the case.

The Blood Origin prequel has a lot in its favor. Among those elements are a solid premise that focuses on a ragtag group of heroes, a strong cast and now, a major piece of connective tissue to the OG show. Expectations are high, but I’m hopeful that the Michelle Yeoh-led offshoot is going to deliver the goods and set a high bar for other potential live-action Witcher spinoff series.

The Witcher: Blood Origin, which will be a four-part event, is set to premiere on December 25, so be sure you have a Netflix subscription if you want to check it out when it drops.

It has been a trying few days for Netflix subscribers who are fans of The Witcher. Less than two weeks ago, lead Henry Cavill let viewers know that he was “laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4” (meaning that the upcoming third season of the fantasy hit would be his last portraying the monster-fighting Geralt of Rivia) and announced that Liam Hemsworth was already on board to take up the mantle. As you might imagine, many are not happy that he’s left the show, and now they’ve called out Netflix in a new petition that’s already racked up well over 100,000 signatures.

What Does The Witcher Petition Say About Henry Cavill And Netflix?

I’m sure many people, at first, assumed that the newly reinstated Superman actor was backing away from his role on the series because of his increased responsibilities for the Warner Bros. property, but it wasn’t long before fans started to assemble a story that might have some basis in reality. The general thought is that Cavill wanted to stick more closely to the books on which the show is based, while the writers/showrunner had a very different idea. And, the popular Change.org petition, which was started on Halloween and is titled “NETFLIX: You MUST keep Henry Cavill as The Witcher and replace the writers instead,” calls this out, noting:

If you think it sounds somewhat far-fetched that those who were crafting the storylines for the drama literally “hated” the source material, know that this idea hasn’t come from out of left field. Just a few days before this big news was announced, a former producer was answering fan questions about his new show when he directly called out the writers on The Witcher, saying they “were not [fans of] or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material.)”

On top of that, we got another potential update when a report came out suggesting that Cavill was so put off by the direction of the series that he considered leaving after the second season, with him wanting a new version of Geralt that hewed more closely with that in the books being at least one reason. When you combine these things with how openly the actor talked about his love for the books and video games, and those behind the scenes saying how hard he campaigned for the job and worked to fully embody his character, the position taken by the petition does make some sense.

As of this writing, that petition has 139,251 signatures, but after sitting and watching the counter for a little over a minute, I can tell you that that number is sure to go up, and fast, as there was about one new signature per second. Part of the pledge that fans are making when they sign it is to stop watching the show when Cavill’s work is done at the end of Season 3, and to potentially cancel their Netflix subscriptions, as well, which has been part of fan campaigns to save cancelled shows before. The petition concluded with this nod to another hated fantasy show decision:

I doubt that anything fans do will lead to the lead actor’s return and the entire writing staff being replaced, but at least they’ve made their displeasure known.

Fans of Netflix’s The Witcher were likely all very happy to learn over this past weekend that before Season 3 of the show was even ready to air, Season 4 had been given the green light. That enthusiasm may have been dampened, however, by the news that Henry Cavill will not return to the role of Geralt of Rivia for that fourth season. This fact surprised many fans, but it’s starting to sound like perhaps Cavill has been unhappy with the show for some time.

It’s a pretty well known fact that Henry Cavill is a bit of a nerd, and as such he was a fan of The Witcher before the show. He reportedly fought hard for the role of Geralt, but according to fan site Randian Intelligence, Cavill was already becoming disillusioned during Season 2 of the show. The rumor claims that Cavill wanted to see a version of Geralt that was faithful to the original novels, while the showrunners were taking things in a different direction, leading to conflict.

The site claims that it heard rumors of Cavill considering leaving after Season 2, but when the actor re-upped for Season 3, it assumed there was nothing to those rumors, or at the very least that issues had been resolved. It also points out comments that Cavill made in interviews as part of the Witcher Season 2 media campaign, where the actor talked about trying to bring the showrunners vision of the character and the book’s vision together in some way. 

Many wondered if Cavill’s decision to leave The Witcher was in some way connected to the fact that Cavill has confirmed he will be returning as Superman for WB at some point down the line. While that possibility can’t be discounted, Cavill wouldn’t be the first actor to need to juggle multiple franchises at once. Most are able to do it without issue and all indications are that the next Superman project is in the earliest stages, so it’s too early to really worry about that.

“Creative differences” has become something of a catch all term when people leave films and television but if this rumor is to be believed, then that appears to be exactly what happened here. Cavill had a particular creative vision for how he saw the show going, and when it ended up not going that way, he became less enthusiastic about the role. Cavill clearly loves the original Witcher novels. For what it's worth, Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski was also a fan of Cavill in the role.

In the end, creating a version of The Witcher that is less faithful to the source material isn’t a problem on its own. It can still lead to a show that is good in its own right. How fans react to Season 3 may end up being the big question. As long as viewers like The Witcher as it is, they’ll likely tune in for Season 4. Once that happens there will be a lot of pressure on Liam Hemsworth to keep the story going.