The Witcher prequel series casts Vikings actor in lead role

The Witcher: Blood Origin, the Netflix prequel to the Henry Cavill-led The Witcher, has cast its male lead, Deadline reports.

Laurence O’Fuarain will play Fjall, who was born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King. Haunted by the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him, Fjall finds himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil. The actor has previously had supporting roles in shows like Vikings and Game of Thrones.

He joins Jodie-Turner Smith, who will play Éile, an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, who has left her clan and position as Queen’s guardian to follow her heart as a nomadic musician.

Set 1,200 years before the events of the original The Witcher series, the six-part prequel will tell the story of the first prototype Witcher and the events that led to the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merging to become one. 

Declan de Barra will act as showrunner, while The Witcher helmer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is executive producing. Andrzej Sapkowski, the author of the book series on which the show (and a series of video games) is based, will serve as creative consultant. 

Meanwhile, The Witcher season 2 is coming soon, with filming currently underway and a release date planned for later this year. Henry Cavill returns as Geralt, a magically enhanced monster-hunter known as a Witcher.

While we wait for The Witcher: Blood Origin to arrive on the streamer, check out our list of the best Netflix shows to watch right now.