The Witcher Netflix series recasts Eskel for season 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Witcher season 2 has found its Eskel. The Favourite actor Basil Eidenbenz has stepped into the role following the departure of Thue Ersted Rasmussen, who had already begun filming scenes as the character earlier this year but has since pulled out due to coronavirus-related scheduling conflicts.

Eskel is a key character in Witcher lore, being a fellow Witcher to Geralt (Henry Cavill) and his longtime friend. Both trained under Master Vesemir, who will also appear in the series, played by Killing Eve's Kim Bodnia.

Rasmussen revealed last week Instagram that he would not be able to return for the second wave of filming, which began on August 17.

"Sadly, due to the rescheduling because of Covid-19, I will not be portraying Eskel in The Witcher," he wrote. "It's heartbreaking, of course, but I mostly feel happy and grateful for the days I got to spend on set earlier this year. Everyone was extremely engaged and passionate about the project and it was a truly inspiring experience."

😥🙏🐺⚔️ #witchernetflix #eskel #covid_19 Thue Rasmussen

A photo posted by @thuerasmussen on Sep 23, 2020 at 12:29am PDT

There's a lot to be excited about when it comes to The Witcher season 2. Alongside some familiar faces, expect a whole host of new characters making their way to the Continent. Among them is Lambert, who fans of the videogame series might recognise. Lambert is set to be played by Peaky Blinders’ Paul Bullion, and will be joining the series with Yasen Atour as Coen, Agnes Bjorn as Vereena, Kristofer Hivju as Nivellen, and many more.

The new series does not currently have a release date. If you're still craving more Witcher content, then check out the documentary of the making of season 1 on Netflix, or perhaps have a gander at the best Netflix shows available right now.

Jack Shepherd
Freelance Journalist

Jack Shepherd is the former Senior Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar. Jack used to work at The Independent as a general culture writer before specializing in TV and film for the likes of GR+, Total Film, SFX, and others. You can now find Jack working as a freelance journalist and editor.