“the witcherhas been renewed for a fourth season by Netflix, though the hit fantasy series is missing a familiar face. Henry Cavill will exit production following the debut of the upcoming third season, with Liam Hemsworth set to reprise the lead role of Geralt de Riv.
The streamer announced the renewal and casting news on Saturday afternoon, with Hemsworth and Cavill also releasing statements. Reading the tone of both statements, the decision appears to be an amicable passing of the torch.
“My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventure, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and swords for Season 4,” Cavill said in a statement on Instagram. “In my place, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will take on the role of the white wolf. As with literary greats, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent playing Geralt and with excitement to see Liam’s perspective on this most fascinating and nuanced man. Liam, good sir, this character has such wonderful depth to him, take the opportunity to dive in and see what you can find.
“As a Witcher fan, I’m thrilled at the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill was an amazing Geralt, and I’m honored to have him hand over the reins to me and allow me to take the blades of the white wolf. for the next chapter in his adventure,” read Hemsworth’s statement. “Henry, I have been a fan of yours for years and have been inspired by what you have brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m really excited to step into the world of The Witcher.
Cavill has starred as monster hunter Geralt in “The Witcher” since the Netflix series debuted in December 2019. The show’s upcoming third season, which has set a summer 2023 release window, will be now the actor’s last with the series.
“The Witcher” has become something of a flagship franchise for Netflix over the years. A four-part prequel series starring Michelle Yeoh, “The Witcher: Blood Origin,” is set to premiere on Christmas Day. The redesign of the franchise’s main series lead following Cavill’s departure further underscores just how invested the streamer is in ownership.
Hemsworth is best known for his role as Gale Hawthorne in “The Hunger Games” series, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson. Most recently, he starred with Christoph Waltz in Roku Channel’s “Most Dangerous Game” series, which was renewed for a second season in August 2021. He also stars in Russell Crowe’s upcoming thriller “Poker Face.”
Cavill remains a hot commodity in the entertainment industry. The actor stars alongside Millie Bobby Brown in ‘Enola Holmes 2,’ which hits Netflix next week, and recently signed on to reunite with director Guy Ritchie on ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.’ Additionally, Cavill confirmed that he would be reprising his role as Superman in an upcoming Warner Bros. film, though no writer or director is currently attached to the project.
News of Cavill’s return as Superman comes nearly five years after 2017’s “Justice League,” which marked the actor’s last extended appearance as a DC Comics superhero. However, Cavill made an appearance in the new “Black Adam,” appearing in a sequence that teases a battle between Superman and Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero. Cavill was allowed to take a break from ‘The Witcher’ season 3 to film his appearance in ‘Black Adam’. Now he is leaving the show completely.