The Witcher showrunner ‘fully understands’ fan concerns over Henry Cavill’s departure
Exclusive: ‘It’s a big deal for us, too’
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
The Witchershowrunner Lauren Hissrich says she “fully understands” why fans are furious over Henry Cavill’s forthcoming departure.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar atThe Witcher: Blood Origin’s UK junket, Hissrich said she sympathised with viewers over Cavill leaving the hitNetflixshow. However, Hissrich simultaneously appealed to fans to stick with the TV series, even if Cavill won’t be part of its cast for much longer.
Hissrich’s response comes five weeks after it was revealed the show’s lead actor won’t return as Geralt of Rivia afterThe Witcher season 3. The fantasy series,which returns in Q2 2023, will bring the curtain down on Cavill’s reign, with Liam Hemsworth – brother ofMarvelmovie star Chris Hemsworth –replacing Cavill from season 4 onwards.
In the days that followed, The Witcher’s fanbase expressed their shock and dismay that Cavill was walking away from one of his dream roles. AChange.org petition– currently standing at over 275,000 signatures – was even set up, calling on Netflix to try and persuade Cavill to stay and sack the show’s writing team instead.
For her part, Hissrich says she completely understands the fan anger leveled at her and the rest of the show’s creators. However, she also called on The Witcher’s fanbase to continue supporting its cast and crew, adding that failure to do so would be to the detriment of upcoming spin-off Blood Origin and future seasons of The Witcher’s main series.
“It’s a big deal for us, too,” Hissrich admitted when TechRadar mentioned how fans had negatively responded to Cavill’s impending depature. “And that’s the thing – there’s a lot of talk and rumors about and we fully understand why fans are going there.
“What I will say is please come back for The Witcher season three so that we can continue to do this. Obviously, that [Cavill’s departure] is huge news. But what I don’t want to do is – this has to stay about Blood Origin, Declan [de Barra, Blood Origin’s showrunner], the cast, and the crew. This is their time in the spotlight.”
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
A post shared by The Witcher (@witchernetflix)
A photo posted by on
Cavill is a self-appointed Witcher superfan and his portrayal of Geralt has been a major highlight of one of thebest Netflix showsduring its first two seasons. Without him, fans fear the mainline series will diverge further from author Andrzej Sapkowski’s source material, with large sections of the fanbase previously criticising the plot-based deviations taken by the show’s creative team inThe Witcher season 2.
As a big Witcher fan, Cavill has been as vocal as its fanbase about his wish for the show to stick more closely to Sapkowski’s fantasy novels. In December 2021, he told Netflix’sThe Witcher season 2 unlocked aftershow: “I’m a huge fan of the books and staying loyal to them, and it’s about making sure that story happens without too much in the way of diversions or side things going on to muddy the waters.”
Multiple rumors have circulated online since news of Cavill’s depature broke, with many fans suggesting he’d fallen out with the show’s writers and producers over the direction of the show’s story. Ever the gentleman, Cavill didn’t express animosity towards the series' creative team in his ownInstagram postabout leaving the Witcher TV show. Instead, he chose to ask Liam Hemsworth to carry on Geralt’s legacy in the live-action adaptation.
Clearly, there are only a few individuals who know the truth behind Cavill leaving the show and it’s highly unlikely we’ll ever find out. Hissrich’s comments, though, will do little to quell fan speculation about why he’s called time on playing Geralt – or convince them to carry on watching the show’s main series and/or turn into its spin-offs.
TechRadar will be bringing you more Blood Origin coverage in the lead-up to its December 25 release. So check back in with us over the next two weeks for more exclusives and our full thoughts on The Witcher’s second spin-off project.
For more Netflix and The Witcher content, check out thebest Netflix moviesandbest Netflix documentaries. Alternatively, find outhow to read the Witcher books in orderor watch one of thesefive bloody fantasies while we wait for season 3’s arrival.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained: who is [SPOILER], when is episode 4 coming out, and your biggest questions answered
Arcane season 2 confirms the hit series isn’t just one of the best Netflix shows ever made – it’s an animated legend that’ll stand the test of time
Anker Nebula Mars 3 review: A powerful and truly portable projector
