Season four of the hit fantasy thriller opens to find its leading man magically transformed, as original star Henry Cavill exits and Liam Hemsworth takes up the swords of monster hunter Geralt
Ghouls, goblins and sorcerers are no match for Geralt of Rivia. For three seasons, the magically engineered monster hunter has faced off against all manner of evil, employing both his unparalleled combat skills and a little hocus-pocus — his “witcher signs” — to prevail against dark forces. But a new season of The Witcher premieres Thursday, with Geralt facing one of his biggest challenges so far: recasting. Liam Hemsworth (late of The Hunger Games) joins the show for this 10-episode season as the titular Witcher.
He takes over for Henry Cavill, who portrayed Geralt in the first three seasons of Netflix’s take on Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy novels and the subsequent video games, before announcing his departure in 2022 to pursue other entertainment industry adventures. And so, Hemsworth will slip on that silver wig for the last two legs of this journey: the upcoming fourth season, debuting this week, as well as a fifth and final one, coming at a later date.
Last year saw Geralt heal and retrain following a devastating battle with the sorcerer Vilgefortz de Roggeveen (Mahesh Jadu). After being put through his paces by archer Milva (Meng’er Zhang), Geralt proved he had rediscovered his strength by taking on a group of guards at the border of Nilfgaard. The two, accompanied by Jaskier the bard (Joey Batey), continued their journey in hopes of reuniting with Geralt’s destiny-bound protégé.
That would be Ciri (Freya Allan), the crown princess of Cintra, whose bloodline blessed her with the ability to manipulate space and time, powers honed with the help of her mentor. Last season was a literal and figurative trip for Ciri, who spent time alone, hallucinating in a seemingly endless desert after being thrown through a portal and landing in the dunes.
After relinquishing her powers for survival in the harsh elements, Ciri made it out alive but at a very high cost. Pulled from the desert by bounty hunters, she was held captive until the Rats busted in — a group of misfit teens that welcomed Ciri on their own journey of mischief and fun. Ciri and her new troupe escaped and set off on their own way. Unable to trust just anyone, especially in her weakened state, Ciri joined the Rats under a false identity, keeping her lineage to herself.
Also separated from Geralt and Ciri by the events of last season is Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), who, after the Brotherhood of Mages imploded, found herself the leader of Aretuza. Faced with rebuilding an essential institution, Yennefer paves the way for peace this season. “She has one focus, which is to get Vilgefortz off this Continent,” says Netflix. In a trailer for the upcoming season, Yennefer conjures spells and rallies the troops, warning, “Vilgefortz is gathering an army,” with Ciri and the power she has the potential to wield at the centre of his battlefield.
This season, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich told Tudum, “is the beginning of a two-season journey for our family to finally reunite and be together — hopefully forever.” Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri are all wandering their way back to each other, newfound families in tow.
Joining the cast this year is Laurence Fishburne. The Oscar nominee portrays Regis, who is, per Netflix, a “worldly barber-surgeon whose mysterious past makes him one of season four’s most anticipated arrivals.”
Also new this season are Sharlto Copley (District 9) as bounty hunter Leo Bonhart; James Purefoy (Outrageous) as spy and court adviser Skellen; and Danny Woodburn (Bookie) as Zoltan the dwarf.
The final two seasons of The Witcher will adapt the events of the last three books in Sapkowski’s five-part Witcher saga: Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and Lady of the Lake.
The season premiere of The Witcher begins streaming Thursday, October 30 on Netflix