The Witcher season 4 first teaser gets a divisive reaction from fans as Liam Hemsworth replaces Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia: "It's hard to imagine anyone else with those swords"

Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher season 4
(Image credit: Netflix)

With The Witcher season 4 heading to our screens next month, fans can't agree on the show's new Geralt of Rivia actor – is Liam Hemsworth up to the task, or are Henry Cavill's shoes too big to fill?

Netflix unveiled a first teaser of the upcoming season last weekend, and the fandom is divided between those faithful to Cavill and those willing to give the new star a chance. In the brief clip, which you can see below, Hemsworth's Geralt fights a creepy wraith and officially debuts as the White Wolf.

"He lacks the gritty look," said one fan on Twitter, while others chose meaner words, saying the new version of the hero "looks like a parody" and Hemsworth is "a high school student playing dress up".

"Big shoes to fill. Cavill embodied Geralt so perfectly it's hard to imagine anyone else with those swords," wrote another fan.

After Cavill departed the role in 2022, the Hunger Games actor was chosen as his replacement, which didn't sit well with some fans. Others, however, have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and have even praised his 'videogame accurate' look in this new clip.

"Honestly, looks great. I get that Cavill killed the role. But they did a great job on the replacement and am personally going into this open minded. Liam is a good actor and I think he has the chops to play Geralt well," said one fan.

You can choose your side by watching the teaser below:

The Witcher: Season 4 | Official Teaser | Netflix - YouTube The Witcher: Season 4 | Official Teaser | Netflix - YouTube
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Despite losing its leading man, The Witcher's original cast remains mostly intact, with Freya Allan returning as Ciri, and Anya Chalotra reprising her role as Yennefer.

Per Netflix, The Witcher season 4's official synopsis reads: "After the shocking, Continent-altering events that close out season three, the new season follows Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri who are faced with traversing the war-ravaged Continent and its many demons apart from each other. If they can embrace and lead the groups of misfits they find themselves in, they have a chance of surviving the baptism of fire – and finding one another again."

The Witcher season 4 premieres on Netflix on October 30. For more, check out the best Netflix shows currently on the streamer then take a look ahead to 2025's big releases with our guide to new TV shows.

Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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