Netflix’s The Witcher made way for two spinoffs that will expand this one-of-a-kind universe, and here’s what you need to know about them. Created by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher is a series of fantasy books that made the jump to the world of streaming thanks to Netflix and with the TV series simply titled The Witcher, the first English-language adaptation of the books. The series was released on December 2019 and was renewed for a second season before the first one was out.
The Netflix series had a different approach to the source material, and instead of just focusing on the title character, it follows the stories of three characters in different places and points in time, but whose paths converge towards the end of the season. These characters are Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), an enhanced monster hunter known as a “witcher”; Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), a powerful sorceress; and Ciri (Freya Allan), the crown princess of Cintra who was in the process of discovering her powers. The first season of The Witcher was a big hit for Netflix, and at the time was its biggest first TV season, and its success and popularity made way for two spinoffs.
Fans of The Witcher will get to enjoy two spinoffs that will explore different eras and characters from Sapkowski’s universe, which will hopefully help fill in some blanks left by the main series. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming spinoffs of Netflix’s The Witcher.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
The first spinoff of The Witcher announced by Netflix was The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, a 2D animated movie. Done in anime style, the movie will focus on the origin story of Vesemir (who in the main series will be played by Kim Bodnia), a witcher and mentor to Geralt and other witchers and one of the few to survive the assault on Kaer Morhen (the old keep where the witchers of the School of the Wolf used to be trained), while also exploring a new and powerful threat facing the Continent. With Vesemir set to appear in The Witcher season 2, Nightmare of the Wolf will be a good primer that will help the audience get acquainted with this very important character.
The Witcher: Blood Origin
In July 2020, Netflix announced a second Witcher spinoff titled The Witcher: Blood Origin. Unlike Nightmare of the Wolf, Blood Origin will be a live-action prequel TV series set 1200 years before Geralt’s time and will explore the origin of the witchers, including the story of the very first witcher. In addition to that, Blood Origin will tell the events that lead to the Conjunction of the Spheres, when the worlds of monsters, elves, and men became one. The Witcher: Blood Origin will be a great companion to the main series, as it will offer a deeper look at the history of witchers, hopefully explaining why some things operate the way they do by the time Geralt of Rivia becomes the most famous witcher.