After 2022, it is unavoidable to consider the repercussions of a potential fallout like that of The Witcher and what it could mean for a project and a platform. Moreover, being tied to one of the most popular name-brand actors has not helped Netflix’s case at all. The backlash that the streamer armed itself against with nothing but silence and patience as weapons of defense has done rarely anything to protect or preserve The Witcher’s image or soften the blow for the audience.
Now that enough time has passed after the unholy incidents of the past year, it is safe to speak about the possibilities that could perpetuate the downfall of Netflix’s one of the most popular shows.
The Witcher’s Future Looks Bleak at Netflix After Season 5
Netflix’s handling of The Witcher conundrum is a masterclass on how to get one’s affairs in order before shit hits the fan, plainly speaking. The announcement of Henry Cavill’s exit was made via the actor’s personal account before the series made it official via theirs. But the news did not give the audience time to ponder, react, or reconsider what might happen to the series in the aftermath of Cavill’s resignation, since the news was accompanied by Liam Hemsworth’s casting confirmation.
Simply put, The Witcher would still be moving forward, Cavill or no Cavill. Granted Season 3 was already done filming at the time of the news, but the show confirming another A-lister casting signifies that the series plans on moving ahead with more than just one season with Hemsworth in the lead.
On the surface, it seems Geralt’s story is far from over. The showrunners and writers will take ample advantage of their new-found love for marking the narrative with their own stamps, and digressing from the video game source that will, in turn, give them enough resources to extend the series well beyond Seasons 4 and 5. But these factors also happen to be the reasons that go against the principles of everything the viewers believe in or want to see on-screen, and as such, it might as well spell The Witcher’s rightful doom.
The Witcher Dooms Itself With Removal of Henry Cavill
Since Henry Cavill’s resignation from the series has been confirmed, the fandom has lost faith in Netflix’s ability to deliver. The majority of the crowd, whether familiar with the video game adaptations or not, have come to accept the fact that the actor’s attachment to Andrzej Sapkowski’s canon was the only thing keeping the series honest. With him gone, the mistakes of Seasons 1 and 2 which seemed so drastic may in fact be minor compared to what’s coming.
Adaptations are not always honest to a fault. But the projects that have been directly taken from or inspired by other works need to do the basic courtesy of respecting the original mythology in order to succeed. HBO’s The Last of Us exemplifies how a series can still be authentic in its source narrative and yet combine new arcs without harming the overarching plot. The Witcher failed to do that the moment the writers decided to play god and introduce Voleith Mir as Season 2’s primary antagonist. And if the trend continues, it is safe to assume the worst for Netflix.
The Witcher is available for streaming on Netflix with Season 3 arriving in the Summer of 2023.
Source: Redanian Intelligence
