The unexpected news that Henry Cavill is leaving The Witcher rattled the internet. In jovial statements from Netflix and the actor, we learned that he will be hanging up his sword after the upcoming third season. However, rather than this being the death of Geralt of Rivia, the hero will instead be played by Liam Hemsworth, best known for his roles in The Hunger Games series and Independence Day: Resurgence.
It’s the kind of announcement that makes you take a double take – especially considering Cavill always seemed the show’s biggest fan, rallying showrunner Lauren Hissrich for the role before it was even greenlit and committing to seven seasons as recently as last November. Understandably, the fanbase’s reaction has been mostly negative with threats to boycott the Netflix series. I can relate: The Witcher is one of my favorite TV shows and Cavill one of its central draws. It’s almost impossible to think of it continuing without him.
While The Witcher has won acclaim for taking the fantasy genre seriously – building a slow, nuanced, and thought-provoking world that doesn’t compromise on complexity – Cavill’s performance as Geralt elevated it to new heights. His gruff, emotionally restrained, and morally gray protagonist is fascinating. Geralt has lived for centuries as a bounty hunter for hire but everything changes when he’s given a child through the Law of Surprise, setting him on a journey to protect the young Ciri from the many people pursuing her.
Cavill nailed all aspects of the character. First off, as you might expect from someone who plays Superman, his physicality imbues Geralt with seriously badass fighting skills. Then there’s the emotional side. Geralt is a man of very few words – often finding a grunt is more than enough of a reply. Yet, Cavill still managed to bring so much depth beyond limited dialogue, captured in looks, his character’s stillness, and those chilling golden eyes.
Part of it comes from his depth of knowledge about the character. Cavill was a fan of Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and the video games way before the series was a twinkle in Netflix’s eye. When the show headed into season 2, he advocated for making the character more loquacious and philosophical based on his persona in the books. Both attributes brought extra depth and improved upon an already stellar first season.
Then there’s Cavill’s chemistry with his co-stars. From the angst-filled romance with Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) to his relentless banter with Jaskier (Joey Batey), it’s a joy to watch. When he was finally united with Ciri (Freya Allan), we got to see another side to Geralt as he stepped into the parental role. And while Cavill's not the only reason to watch – the other actors are fantastic – he's undoubtedly the lead. It’s hard to imagine how these relationships will play out when the central player’s taken away.
We don't know exactly why Cavill left the role and perhaps we never will, though his return as Superman in the DC movies may have played a part. The Netflix stance is clear though: the show is moving on without him. As Hemsworth steps into the armor, we can only hope that he can at least match Cavill's performance – and maybe even bring something new to it. After all, he’s a proven action star, having appeared in Killerman and Most Dangerous Game. And Geralt’s not an un-recastable role. There have been plenty of versions of the character, from Doug Cockle’s inimitable voiceover in The Witcher 3 and Michał Żebrowski in the Polish adaptations.
But there is little doubt that Hemworth and Netflix face an uphill battle. Sapkowski summed it up best when he said: "Just as Viggo Mortensen put his face to Aragorn, so Henry gave his to Geralt – and it shall be forever so." Right now, it's hard to be excited for the third season knowing it's a goodbye, and it's even harder to imagine the recasting working in season 4. But whatever happens, at least Cavill’s version will "be forever so" – even if it's only in Netflix rewatches.
The Witcher season 3 is released in summer 2023. For what else to stream, check out our guides to the best Netflix shows and the best Netflix movies.
