After nearly eight remarkable years, Netflix’s The Witcher is nearing its grand finale. While production on the fifth and final season wrapped recently, the journey is far from over. Fans are eagerly anticipating the premiere of The Witcher Season 4 on October 30, marking the beginning of a crucial transition for the beloved fantasy series. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, though ‘working on fumes’ after an intense production schedule, is ready to unveil a new chapter, addressing one of the most significant casting changes in recent entertainment history: Liam Hemsworth taking over the iconic role of Geralt of Rivia from Henry Cavill.
The New Geralt: Liam Hemsworth Embraces the Challenge
The news of Henry Cavill’s departure from the series in late 2022 sent shockwaves through the fanbase. Cavill had embodied the stoic monster hunter for three seasons, and finding a successor was no small feat. Liam Hemsworth, recognized for his role as Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games films, was chosen to don Geralt’s wig and leather. This decision came as a surprise not only to fans but to Hemsworth himself.
Hemsworth recounted the moment his agent approached him with the unexpected offer while he was filming ‘Land of Bad’ in late 2022. Though an avid player of The Witcher 3, which he regards as ‘one of the best games of all time,’ he admitted to being ‘shocked’ by the ‘odd situation.’ His preparation for the role involved revisiting the video games, diving into Andrzej Sapkowski’s books, and carefully analyzing the show, all culminating in a pivotal conversation with Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.
For Hissrich, Hemsworth was the clear choice from the outset. Cavill’s departure, attributed to mutually agreed-upon creative differences and other career opportunities (including his presumed return to Superman at the time), necessitated a strong replacement. Hissrich emphasized the essential physicality required for Geralt – someone capable of excelling in action scenes with an intimidating presence. However, she also highlighted Geralt’s profound emotional depth. ‘What I really loved about Liam’s work that I had seen is that he was able to organically blend those two things,’ Hissrich explained. ‘He didn’t have physical scenes and then emotional scenes. He was able to really carry this specific… soul. He has a soul that he brings into the role.’ She pointed to his work in The Hunger Games as an example of his ability to convey both strength and emotion. This unique blend, she felt, was crucial for capturing Geralt’s essence whether he was battling monsters or sharing intimate conversations with Ciri or Yennefer.
The character’s emotional journey was what truly captivated Hemsworth. Hissrich walked him through Geralt’s arc for the final two seasons, a narrative rich with doubt and struggle. Hemsworth saw it as ‘a really great opportunity to dig into this very complex character that, particularly in this part of the story, is dealing with so much.’ He was drawn to exploring a Geralt ‘not used to being in a place of doubt and struggle and fear.’ This vulnerability is particularly evident after the climax of Season 3, where Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer are separated and Geralt is gravely injured. Despite receiving magical healing, he remains weakened and carries deep psychic wounds from his defeat by the sorcerer Vilgefortz. This ongoing struggle provides Hemsworth with a canvas to imprint his unique interpretation on Geralt, a factor Hissrich remains ‘gobsmacked’ they secured him for.
Finding Geralt’s New Voice and Dry Wit
The transition from Henry Cavill to Liam Hemsworth inevitably brought changes to Geralt’s on-screen portrayal, particularly in his voice and mannerisms. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich admitted that Hemsworth’s casting ‘absolutely impacts things,’ requiring adjustments to the scripts to ensure lines felt natural coming from the Australian actor, especially given Cavill’s signature deep, gravelly voice.
During Cavill’s tenure, Geralt’s dialogue evolved. Initially, in Season One, he was portrayed as the ‘strong, silent type,’ with much of his more verbose, book-accurate lines trimmed down to emphasize his presence. In Seasons Two and Three, the character gradually became more intellectual and prone to debate. For Season 4, a ‘really happy medium’ has been struck. While grunts, sighs, hums, and the occasional expletive are still present, Geralt is allowed ‘lengthier conversations with his comrades’ during emotional moments.
These ‘comrades’ form Geralt’s ‘hansa’ – a D&D-like party that expands beyond Jaskier and Milva to include new faces like Laurence Fishburne’s enigmatic vampire, Regis. Hissrich noted that Regis brings ‘an entire moral and ethical center’ that challenges Geralt, leading to new types of conversations previously unseen in the show. This evolution aligns with Geralt’s more ’emotional, vulnerable place’ in Season Four, allowing the character to grow organically with the new actor.
Hemsworth was conscious of Cavill’s previous performance but focused on making the role his own. Season 4 directly acknowledges the recasting in a way that helped Hemsworth embrace his portrayal. ‘I didn’t want to directly try to redo anything that he’d done,’ Hemsworth explained. After discussions with Hissrich and the writers, they found a method to pay homage to earlier elements while establishing Hemsworth’s unique take. Once on set, Hemsworth focused on Geralt’s emotional state and motivations, allowing him to be present in the role without dwelling on the past.
This Geralt Smiles
One notable departure from Cavill’s stoic portrayal is Hemsworth’s Geralt: he smiles. Hissrich recalled this being one of the first things they discussed during their initial Zoom call. Hemsworth wanted to highlight Geralt’s ‘dry wit,’ something he felt was not fully present in earlier seasons. He aimed to ‘show these moments of him opening up a little more,’ interpreting Geralt as a deeply empathetic person who, despite an isolated life, allows vulnerability with his chosen family – Ciri, Yennefer, and Jaskier. This season, Geralt is grappling with doubt and fear, unsure of his ability to save Ciri while injured. Leaning on his friends and this newfound ‘chosen family’ is what drives him forward.
Hissrich agreed that seeing Geralt find joy and humor, even amidst the world’s turmoil, was important. Producer Tomasz Baginski emphasized that people in such stories continue to live their daily lives, finding moments of lightness. This intentional reintroduction of humor and optimism marks a significant ‘flavor’ change for the show.
The Witcher’s Big Creative “Refresh”
Beyond Geralt’s evolving personality, the entire series undergoes a significant ‘refresh’ in its final seasons. The somber, grey aesthetic gives way to brighter lighting and a generally softer, often funnier approach to the source material. Each of the three main character arcs—Geralt with his hansa, Ciri with The Rats, and Yennefer pursuing Vilgefortz—now features clear stakes and defined missions, even if unexpected obstacles arise.
Hissrich revealed that this narrative divergence was a natural progression, aligning with the books where Ciri, Yennefer, and Geralt embark on separate journeys by the end of Season 3. Consequently, Geralt spends much of Season 4 building a new support system, or ‘hansa,’ around him. Freya Allan describes Ciri’s new persona as ‘a little more punk than rock and roll,’ embracing a rebellious teenage phase that brings an unexpected levity to her harrowing experiences. Hemsworth and his hansa, which expands beyond Milva and Jaskier, developed a strong bond on set, filled with ‘joking and laughing.’ This camaraderie on screen mirrors Geralt’s reluctant but growing acceptance of new companions.
Hissrich observed that fantasy often becomes ‘very earnest,’ carrying ‘the weight of the world.’ She consciously sought to reintroduce ‘moments of hope and optimism… moments of beauty’ into The Witcher’s world. Recalling her initial inspiration from the games’ beautiful landscapes, she aimed to ‘keep that alive in the show.’ This purposeful, brighter aesthetic contributes to the overall ‘refresh’ of the season.
“As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.” — Henry Cavill, Oct. 2022
Less Sex and Nudity in Seasons 4 and 5
Another notable shift in the series’ ‘refresh’ involves its approach to nudity and sexuality. While Season One featured frequent nude scenes and overt sexuality, this aspect has been largely scaled back by Season 4. Although a tasteful, non-nude sex scene and some brief nudity may still appear, this reduction was a deliberate decision by Hissrich and the writers.
Hissrich acknowledged the prevalence of sex in the books and games, and its inclusion in Season One. However, she grew uncomfortable with using sex merely as a scandalous backdrop. More importantly, she observed a ‘great disparity between female nudity and male nudity’ in Season One, finding the imbalance ‘really unfair.’ This led to a conscious decision to ‘pull everything back’ and course-correct. The showrunner believes that audiences now tune into The Witcher for its compelling stories, rather than for explicit content.
Geralt’s New Allies & Enemies
The creative refresh also brings a host of new characters into Geralt’s orbit. Laurence Fishburne joins as Regis, an enigmatic vampire. Hissrich noted Fishburne’s enthusiasm for the role, particularly his excitement for the prosthetics and the opportunity to play a genre character he hadn’t tackled before. Fishburne embraced Regis’s ‘flamboyance,’ contributing to a portrayal that challenges vampire tropes, often showcasing the character’s surprising humanity. Hemsworth, a ‘massive fan’ of Fishburne, relished working with him, despite being immediately thrown into ‘quite heavy two-hander’ scenes. He admired Fishburne’s enduring passion for acting, even joking about their shared lack of sleep during demanding shoots.
On the villainous side, Sharlto Copley steps in as Leo Bonhart, a character well-known to fans of the source material. Bonhart, a bounty hunter adorned with witcher medallions he claims to have taken from fallen witchers, is depicted as arguably the most reprehensible antagonist the show has produced. Copley, initially hesitant to play villains, ‘leaned into this’ role completely. Hissrich shared an anecdote where Copley, unscripted, requested fake spit to perform a particularly vile act on set, demonstrating his commitment to portraying Bonhart’s ‘perverseness’ and ‘pure evil.’ This stark lack of ‘shades of gray’ makes Bonhart a unique and terrifying addition to The Witcher’s rogues’ gallery.
A Cursing Parrot?!
Adding a touch of unexpected charm, or rather, nastiness, to Geralt’s hansa is Field Marshal Windbag, a foul-mouthed parrot who nearly steals the show. Despite his limited screen time, the production initially aimed to feature him more prominently. However, Hissrich revealed a logistical challenge: parrots cannot be exposed to heavy smoke or atmospheric effects, which are abundant in The Witcher‘s world of burning fires and eerie environments. This restriction meant isolating scenes with FMW or altering filming conditions, leading to the decision to use him ‘in small bursts.’ Field Marshal Windbag does take center stage in the season’s fifth episode, a favorite of Hissrich’s, where the hansa gathers around a campfire, sharing stories. This episode highlights Geralt’s gradual understanding that his companions are not merely there to support him but are on their own crucial journeys, needing him as much as he needs them.
Don’t Drink the Water
Liam Hemsworth shared a less glamorous, yet memorable, anecdote from filming the fifth episode. The campfire scenes were initially shot in the woods before moving to a studio. Hemsworth vividly recalled the studio developing a strong odor of rotten fish, likely from prop fish left over a weekend. To make matters worse, a scene required him to sip lukewarm, fishy water. ‘The director had asked me to sip out of it, and I put it to my [face] and I smelled it… It was fresh fish, [but] this stuff, it was mixed with the rotten fish smell. And then this lukewarm, fishy water that the director asked me to sip. I just put it to my lips, and I was like, ‘yeah, that’s a no.”
The End of The Witcher
Fans should prepare for an intense conclusion to Season 4, as it ventures into unexpected and challenging territory. Hemsworth assured that Geralt’s journey by the end of Season 4 remains ‘true to the books,’ depicting ‘an enormous journey of change and struggle and pain’ that ultimately leads him to ‘this group of people that he really cares about and really care about him.’
Significantly, Seasons 4 and 5 were written and filmed back-to-back, forming one continuous narrative split into two releases. Hissrich explained that unlike previous seasons ending on a high note with the family reunited, Season 4 concludes on a ‘downbeat,’ leaving characters in their darkest positions. This deliberate choice was made to naturally divide the larger 16-episode story, allowing Geralt’s renewed journey to begin in Season 5. Hemsworth teased a ‘really good payoff to the series,’ promising that ‘it feels complete.’
“I poured everything I had into this character.”
As they await the release of Season 4’s eight episodes and the subsequent Season 5 in 2026, Hissrich and Hemsworth reflect on the immense effort and emotional investment in the series. Hissrich, having dedicated eight years since selling the pilot, spoke of the ‘stunning experience’ and life-changing impact of the show, celebrating the cohesive crew and the honor of building such a long-running narrative. While bittersweet to conclude, it’s a testament to the dedication of everyone involved.
Hemsworth, two days after wrapping, felt a mix of relief and surreal exhaustion. He spent a day processing the ‘demanding job’ that felt like ‘a marathon, not a sprint.’ He cherished the experience of working with Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Joey Batey, and Laurence Fishburne, all of whom, he noted, ‘really cared about this world’ and welcomed him into it.
Despite the humorous suggestion of a freeze-frame high-five ending, Hissrich described the actual final moments on set as ‘fantastic’ and ‘really emotional,’ filled with tears of exhaustion and celebration. Hemsworth echoed this, admitting to anxiety about the ending but gratitude for the support from his co-stars. Reflecting on his decision to join, Hemsworth affirmed it was ‘absolutely’ the right choice. He acknowledged the passionate fanbase and the ‘responsibility to do it right,’ stating, ‘I poured everything I had into this character. I wanted it to feel grounded. I wanted it to feel authentic. I really hope the audience enjoys the character and my interpretation of it.’ He concluded by expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to play such a complex character with a vast following.
Ironically, this deep immersion has somewhat ‘ruined’ The Witcher video games for Hemsworth. Attempting to play them again while filming proved unhelpful, as he found it difficult to separate his on-set persona from the gaming experience. He laughed, admitting it ‘didn’t feel like it was going to be hugely helpful to my experience at that time.’