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Henry Cavill—who donned the white hair and brooding scowl as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s hit series,The Witcher—has chosen to hang up his sword and call it quits after Season 3. This news has shaken viewers, especially since many credit him as the series’ lifeblood. After all, critics and gamers alike had showered accolades upon the actor for his portrayal, praising his commitment to Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s original vision.
The crux of the drama? Cavill had a deep-seated loyalty to Sapkowski’s vision, and some fans feel the show’s writers and showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich have steered the story off its intended path.
Fans remain convinced that the writers have given the books and games the cold shoulder, despite Hissrich’s claims of sharing their deep affection for the source material.
The WitcherShowrunner’s Response to Criticism of the Writing Team
In 2022,Lauren S. Hissrich, the showrunner ofThe Witcher,took to Instagram, vehemently denying any bad blood in the writer’s room towards the beloved source material.
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According toEurogamer, this saga began after Beau DeMayo spilled the beans, claiming some writers were less than enchanted with Andrzej Sapkowski’s books and CD Projekt Red’s games. He even went as far as to say some of the crew were “actively mocking” the source material.
Hissrich, however, has been quick to clear the air, declaring on Instagram that she’s never mocked the books and that the writer’s room was a sanctuary of positivity and respect. “I’ve never mocked the books,”she asserted, adding:
The books are my entire livelihood. I have a great relationship with Mr. Sapkowski and writer’s rooms are sacred and safe and – more than anything – supportive spaces. Don’t believe everything you read.
She also gave a nod to DeMayo, despite their creative clash:
A post shared by Lauren S. Hissrich | Writer (@laurenhissrich)
But just when it seemed the drama was simmering down,Henry Cavill’s exit from the series stirred the pot once again. The actor, who had been a staunch champion of the source material, left fans guessing about the reasons behind his departure. Reports soon hinted that his decision to step away wastied to disagreementswith the show’s direction.
Fan Frustrations WithThe Witcher’s Story Choices
Earlier, the author behind Netflix’sThe Witcherfranchise shed light on his frosty relationship with the streaming giant. Andrzej Sapkowski, the Polish fantasy maestro who penned the novels and inspired the games, has made it clear that Netflix hasn’t exactly rolled out the red carpet for his ideas.
At last year’s Vienna Comic-Con, Sapkowski was asked if he’d given any feedback to Netflix on their adaptation. With a chuckle, he replied (viaTHR):
Maybe, I gave them some ideas, but they never listened to me. But it’s normal.
He then put on a mock Netflix executive voice and added:
Who’s this? It’s a writer, it’s nobody. Ouch!
Netflix has stayed tight-lipped about Sapkowski’s jabs, but theThe Witcherteam has been riding a bumpy road with fans lately. They are still convinced that the show’s writers have been taking a flamethrower to the books and games. Despite Lauren S. Hissrich’s insistence that all is well, some fans are still obstinate that she and her team have been anything but faithful.
Let’s check some of the comments:
I didn’t even watch season 3, knowing it was going to be the last season with Cavil. I couldn’t bare to see how they destroyed Garalt.
Lauren Hissrich loathed the material, the stories and setting, and also loathed the fans.She made the Nilfgardians into literal “dickheads” and otherwise trashed the characters. She also pushed for actors and actresses who did not match the characters in the books.Henry…pic.twitter.com/Ob08WT12lT
Perhaps studios need to stop hiring people who hate the material they’re supposed to work with.
You did yourself a favor. They made Geralt a secondary character, literally. I gave up halfway through the season, after a scene where Geralt tosses his sword to Ciri to finish off a monster that attacked them on a ship, because a piece of wood fell in front of him…So bad
It seems to be a paticular demographic that gets these jobs and then tries to rewrite the stories.
Henry Cavill, who had been the show’s shining knight, toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat he was in for seven seasons“as long as we can keep telling great stories,”which honor Sapkowski’s work.
“It’s not about him”: The Witcher 4 Will Feature Geralt, But Long Time Fans Could End Up Disappointed as Franchise Moves Away From What We Want
As the saga ofThe Witchermarches on, fans will soon see Liam Hemsworth stepping into Geralt’s boots for the fourth season. And just when you thought the story might be winding down, Netflix has already greenlit a fifth and final season, promising one last hurrah before the tale reaches its epic conclusion.
The Witcheris currently streaming on Netflix.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3309
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
