The Witcher will have some explaining to do when Liam Hemsworth replaces Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, given that drastic changes to the titular Witcher’s appearance aren’t really part of the lore. Henry Cavill’s performance as Geralt has been a major highlight of Netflix’s adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher novels and short stories. However, Cavill is going to be replaced by Liam Hemsworth after season 3 which raises the question of how The Witcher will address the obvious change in Geralt’s appearance.
There’s plenty of material to parse through for inspiration. Not only is there the original source material from Andrzej Sapkowski, but there’s an entire Witcher universe comprised of other adaptations from comic book series to video games featuring the white-haired Geralt of Rivia. Finding inspiration from the books to explain Netflix's casting change would perhaps be the best choice, but a more viable option is available in another massively popular The Witcher adaptation.
Do The Witcher Books Explain Geralt's Recasting?
Unfortunately, The Witcher books don’t really contain any moments where Geralt’s appearance dramatically changes – it’s simply not an event that has been explored, or even hinted at, in the original source material. Even though The Witcher is set in an incredible fantasy world filled with all sorts of magic, monsters, and mayhem, the books don’t offer a direct answer that can just be conveniently copied over onto the show. Luckily, the hunt for a usable explanation doesn’t end here.
How The Games Can Make Geralt's Recasting A Meta-Joke
A free DLC pack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the acclaimed video game developed by CD Projekt Red, might have the answer to Netflix’s looming in-universe recast explanation after The Witcher season 3. 2015’s Alternate Looks DLC pack lets the player change the appearances of several characters, including Geralt himself. Alternate Looks isn’t the most elegant solution, given that it’s basically a game menu, but Liam Hemsworth’s version of Geralt referencing an “alternate look” might be a slick meta-joke appreciated by viewers familiar with the video game franchise. If The Witcher wants to give a nod of appreciation to a different fantasy universe, it could draw inspiration from The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’s Riften face sculptor. That seems like a cool approach that would also make sense in the fantasy world established by The Witcher’s rich lore.
It will be interesting to see how Netflix addresses Henry Cavill’s The Witcher exit within the show itself. If Netflix acts like nothing has changed, that will be quite the bold move - though one with precedence in TV history. A series rooted in fantasy has no excuse to ignore a massive recast, however, and that is especially true for a huge fan-favorite performance like Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. There are options for The Witcher – and really the sky is the limit – so only time will tell how Liam Hemsworth’s introduction as the White Wolf is handled.