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The third season of the fantasy series is the last we'll see with Henry Cavill as Geralt, sparking strong reactions from fans. The first part of the season, consisting of 5 episodes, was released on Netflix on June 29. Let’s delve into the details!
Season 1 of the popular "The Witcher" saga premiered on Netflix on December 20, 2019. The story of Geralt the Witcher is based on the book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, which includes five main volumes. Additionally, he wrote several supplementary short stories that precede or supplement the book series' plot. The video game series, especially "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" from 2015, which sold over 50 million copies, brought the story international fame.
From the start, the Netflix adaptation was subject to very high expectations. Many fans praised the series' initial impression and Geralt's actor Henry Cavill, who is himself a big fan of the books. He even applied for the role before the casting began. Critics praised the series' visual splendor, though there were frequent comments about confusing time jumps within the storyline that could perplex viewers. Nonetheless, the series was widely described as a masterpiece. Season 2 followed in December 2021, eagerly anticipated by fans. Although the series continued to be celebrated and received strong ratings, there was significant criticism that the series was diverging too much from the original material of the books. Opinions are divided, even affecting the series' casting!
Why is Henry Cavill leaving the series?
Even before the third season premiered on Netflix, many fans lamented Henry Cavill's departure as Geralt of Rivia. For many, he is the only true Witcher, portraying the main character of the series with great talent and depth. While he is part of Season 3, he will leave the series thereafter. How did this come about, especially since he was so personally committed to the role? It's suspected that, as a major supporter of the book series, he is no longer satisfied with the current direction of the series. In the past, he has spoken in interviews about the difficulty of reconciling his love for the books with the series creators' vision.
“All of my asks and requests were along the lines of just being faithful to the source material.”
Originally, Cavill was prepared to stay for the planned seven seasons, provided the source material from the book author was respected.
Despite Cavill's exit, a fourth season of the Witcher series has already been confirmed. After him, the role of Geralt of Rivia will be handed over to Liam Hemsworth. The Australian actor is known, among other roles, for his part in “The Hunger Games” series.
How does Season 3 fare?
The first five episodes of the third season have been available on Netflix for a week. The second half of the season will not be released until July 27, leaving viewers with a significant cliffhanger at the end of Episode 5. But how are the new episodes being received? Once again, there is high praise for the battle scenes and the actors' performances. Indeed, the series is now aligning more closely with the book's storyline! Many fans view this positively, yet there remains some criticism of the adaptation of the book scenes. There are still good reviews from TV critics. But as always: the best way to form an opinion is to watch the series yourself.
Here you can watch the trailer for Season 3:
Shop The Witcher Merch at Impericon
Whether you're a fan of the book series, the games, or the Netflix series, you’re in the right place with our The Witcher merch. We’re happy to equip you with collectible figures, posters, T-shirts, and much more! If this selection makes you crave even more, definitely check out our series merch or take a look at our games category. Enjoy watching the series and browsing!
