The Witcher season 4 will see Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia, and one digital artist has already given fans a taste of what the Hunger Games star could look like in the role. The news that Henry Cavill would be stepping away from The Witcher after its third season on Netflix shocked fans of the series, who believed that Cavill was in it for the long haul. However, it seems that some unrest behind the scenes has led to Cavill’s early exit.
While fans have expressed their disappointment at the loss of Cavill, a new image of how his replacement Liam Hemsworth could look in the role may be enough to give them a little bit of hope that their new Witcher could be worth tossing a coin to. Instagram user 83pixelstudios shared a season4 poster featuring a mock-up of Hemsworth’s possible look when he takes on the role. Check out the image below.
Although the switching of a lead character is almost unheard of so far into a series without the actor having passed away, the introduction of Hemsworth as Geralt is something that fans could have already been used to. The actor had reportedly auditioned for the role before the casting of Cavill, meaning that when Cavill decided to leave, producers did not have to look too far to find his replacement.
Will Liam Hemsworth Be Accepted As The Witcher?
As with any recasting, whatever the reason, there is always going to be a certain amount of unrest among those who cannot envision anyone but the original actor in the role. Over the years, this has included every iteration of The Joker after Jack Nicholson played the role in 1989’s Batman, and Michael Gambon took on the part of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise following the death of Richard Harris. When it comes to The Witcher’s change of lead, the fact that it seems to have come about due to the show’s creative team making changes to the source material that Cavill didn’t agree with could make Hemsworth’s job of winning over fans a little more complicated. However, the actor is happy to be playing a role he has coveted since it went to Cavill. He said on his casting:
"As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honored that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure. Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”
Cavill will be seen next year in season 3 of The Witcher before handing over for the fourth season, which is expected to arrive in 2024. With fans having racked up over 100,000 signatures on a petition for Cavill to return to the role, it is going to be a long and interesting wait before we know if The Witcher’s audiences will stick with the show or not.