The shock announcement that Henry Cavill will be leaving The Witcher after its third season has led to many reactions from fans of the series. One big fan who has now reacted to the news is actor Liam Hemsworth, who will be taking over the mantle when Cavill steps away from playing Geralt of Rivia. It seems that while many are still mourning the loss of Cavill, Hemsworth is delighted to be able to step into the part in a franchise that he loves. He wrote on his Instagram account:
“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 honoured 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.”
For fans of The Witcher, and in particular Henry Cavill’s iteration of Geralt, this will maybe not of much concern right now, but it certainly seems that Cavill is handing over the role to someone who is as much of a fan of the source material as he is. If nothing else, this should bode well for the torch passing.
Why is Henry Cavill Quitting The Witcher?
Henry Cavill made the announcement that he would be leaving his lead role in The Witcher after the third season, which he is currently filming. In his statement, Cavill wrote:
"My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4. In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find."
Obviously, there has been plenty of speculation as to the timing of the announcement, especially with Cavill now set to be a big part of the DCU following his return as Superman in the post-credits scene of Black Adam. While there have been rumors that Cavill has not quite seen eye to eye with The Witcher’s showrunners over the handling of some of the source material, of which he is a huge fan, many have taken the news to mean that the actor may possibly be about to become so involved in the DCU that he won’t have time to be part of both franchises.
Either way, Hemsworth will be taking over the role of Geralt in the newly announced season 4 of The Witcher. Although there will be plenty of fans pre-judging the appointment, it will be a while before Hemsworth’s interpretation of the character comes to Netflix to be judged on his merits.