Netflix Witcher promises a 'lore accurate' Geralt actor swap, and it may have to do with Ciri's dimension hopping

Image for Netflix Witcher promises a 'lore accurate' Geralt actor swap, and it may have to do with Ciri's dimension hopping
(Image credit: Henry Cavill)

The transition from Henry Cavill to Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia for season 4 of Netflix's The Witcher will be a tough landing to stick, but executive producers Steve Gaub and Tomek Baginski are full of confidence, with Baginski telling Yahoo News that he thinks they've incorporated the swap into the story in a way that will be "very, very close to the meta ideas which are deeply embedded in the books, especially in book five."

That reference may well be to Ciri's dimension-hopping powers, which could be used to account for why Geralt looks a bit different. The fifth book in the Witcher series is The Lady of the Lake, which includes a cross-dimensional journey to a world of Arthurian legend.

"[The switch is] very lore accurate," said Baginski. "It's very close to what was set out in the books and I think this change will be quite flawless. But at the same time it will be a new Geralt, it will be a new face for this character and I think it will also be very, very exciting to see."

We recently got our first look at season 3 of The Witcher, which will be Henry Cavill's last turn as Geralt. Gaub said that he felt Cavill had done very well with his performance in season 3, and that it was a "great final run for him as Geralt."

"Invariably those last moments are the ones you leave an audience with, and those last couple episodes are very strong episodes for him. I think he left with his head held high and passing the reins as many franchises end up doing, passing a title character from one actor to another, and we're going to be in great hands with Liam," said Gaub.

Cavill said goodbye to his costars and coworkers on the show earlier this month during a Netflix event. 

"You guys bring so much nuance and detail to these characters, which are often at risk of being oversimplified, and what you guys have done with the characters has involved work, care, and effort. And believe me, working with you guys was the biggest pleasure. So, [I] just want to say I'm gonna miss you. I'm gonna miss you very much," he said.

Here's everything we know about The Witcher season 3, if you're not caught up. It's being released in two batches, with the first episodes coming this week on June 29.

For my part, I don't think they should have done anything fancy or lore-accurate. I just think they should have had Henry go under in the tub and come up as Liam Hemsworth. Would have gone over a treat.

Contributor

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.

Read more
The Witcher - Liam Hemsworth first look as Geralt of Rivia wears a white wig with yellow eyes.
The Witcher season 4: Everything we know about Hemsworth's debut on The Continent
Roderick de Wett Gwent card art detail
The Witcher show finally adds a character exclusive to the games, too bad he's 'exceptionally loathsome and arrogant'
Still of Ciri from The Witcher 4 announcement trailer
'We are beholden to the lore': CD Projekt says there are 'valid worries' about Ciri as a witcher, but 'the answers we want to give in The Witcher 4 are in line with this attitude'
Ciri from The Witcher 4 approaches a crowd of fearful peasants menacingly.
Geralt voice actor Doug Cockle is 'really excited' to see Ciri star in The Witcher 4, but if you want to know why you'll have to read the books
A still from the cinematic reveal trailer of The Witcher 4, showing unt Witcher
CD Projekt had to nerf Ciri for The Witcher 4 after she fully unlocked her spacetime teleportation powers in the previous game: 'Something totally happened in-between'
Geralt mid fight
The real Geralt comes back for a new Netflix animated film to slay monsters and give brooding speeches about humanity's failings
Latest in Movies & TV
MrBeast posing in front of a stack of cashing, promoting Beast Games season 2
Beast Games opens casting for season 2: MrBeast lost a ton of money on season 1 but apparently not enough that he won't do it again
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers
Sony, which is making a Helldivers 2 movie, is also making a new Starship Troopers movie, but it's not based on the Starship Troopers movie we already have
Dante smiling
'No AI used': Netflix's Devil May Cry showrunner confirms that all of Kevin Conroy's lines were recorded before he passed
Devil May Cry Netflix screenshots
We've just got a first look at Vergil in Netflix's upcoming Devil May Cry series alongside another key character from Devil May Cry 3
Pedro Pascal as Joel in a coat in winter looking unhappy
'Don't you know what he did?': The truth comes out in The Last of Us Season 2 trailer
Latest in News
Three sheep with big guns in Palworld.
It was 'super popular to hate Palworld' after launch, says community manager: 'A lot of companies might crumble under the threats, under the pressure'
Palworld Ancient Civilization Parts - Grizzbolt with a minigun
'It was a very depressing day': Palworld community manager reveals studio's reaction to Nintendo lawsuit
CS 1.6 remade in CS: Legacy.
A gorgeous ground-up remake of Counter-Strike 1.6 is on its way to Steam, and one of the game's original creators says 'it really gives me old vibes'
Portal P3 pinball table
There's a new Portal game and it costs $12,500
MrBeast posing in front of a stack of cashing, promoting Beast Games season 2
Beast Games opens casting for season 2: MrBeast lost a ton of money on season 1 but apparently not enough that he won't do it again
Ark: Lost Colony teaser still.
Ark 2 is still on: The next Ark expansion 'leads into the events of Ark 2,' says Studio Wildcard