The Witcher season 4 begins with Clive Russell’s Stribog recounting memorable moments from Geralt’s journey, including Ciri’s forest reunion and Geralt’s confrontation with Vilgefortz. Notably, Liam Hemsworth now plays the role of Geralt, replacing Henry Cavill, marking a significant shift for the series. This change reflects the ongoing narrative choices that challenge traditional storytelling within the show’s universe.
Creative Reasons Behind the Casting Change
The Witcher’s creator and showrunner, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, explained that the decision to recast was not simply to erase Henry Cavill’s portrayal but rather to deepen the series’ exploration of storytelling itself. She described how incorporating a storytime narrator, a device drawn from the books, allowed the show to emphasize how stories evolve through different perspectives.
“I had this idea really early on, and I thought there was a cool opportunity to do two things. One, we have this storytime narrator. This is something that’s in the books that we love. The Witcher always comments on how important stories are… but also how storytellers change stories. We thought that was a cool way to comment on that.”
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Showrunner
Bringing the Found Family Together
Hissrich also highlighted the series’ ongoing theme of the divided found family comprising Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri. Rather than separating them across the Continent, season 4 offered a chance to reunite these characters, providing viewers with a clearer vision of what Geralt’s ideal life looks like. This reunion serves as a crucial reminder of their shared struggles and purpose.
We needed the opportunity to see them together a little bit,
Hissrich shared.
We needed to remind the audience what this family looks like, what they’re fighting for.
Revisiting Iconic Scenes with a Fresh Perspective
The showrunner emphasized that season 4 allowed the creative team to revisit some of the most iconic scenes but with intentional changes. These alterations ensured the sequences appeared from a different point of view, reinforcing the narrative idea that stories shift depending on who is telling them.
We had this ability to go back, recreate some of the more iconic scenes, but also get details wrong [and] make sure it looks different. It feels like it’s from a slightly different POV.
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Showrunner
Current Availability and What Lies Ahead
The Witcher season 4 is now available on Netflix, alongside the surprise prequel film, Rats. The introduction of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt signifies not only a casting update but also a thematic choice that highlights the mutable nature of storytelling within the series. Fans can look forward to how this fresh approach shapes the narrative moving forward, with anticipation already building for season 5.
