Given that we have had several beautiful adaptations of video game properties over the last several years, including the epicness that is The Last of Us, you’d think that people would better understand the point of going to the source material and using that to make the best show possible. But with Netflix’s The Witcher franchise, they seem to have a tenuous relationship with the source material. So, to be straight with you, yes, the games aren’t the source material. The books are the source material. However, the games followed the books in many ways, making fans nervous about the upcoming third season.
The first season of The Witcher on Netflix followed the books to such a degree that it confused fans because they took smaller stories and prologues and wove them together in a way that made a confusing timeline. With Season 2, they made their way forward with one timeline but disregarded many parts of the lore to make up their own story. Fast forward to now, and with Season 3 coming later this year, people are hearing things about the new season, and it’s not making them happy.
As noted on Twitter by one of the VFX producers for the third season:
“We’re in the throes of delivering the final couple of episodes on [Season 3], and it’s super cool. I don’t think it’s anything that anyone’s read or seen before in Witcher lore, so I think it’s gonna be exciting.”
While it may be exciting for them, the show’s fans aren’t quite as giddy. They know that the lore from the books is solid and how the games interpreted them was great, so why aren’t they trying to replicate that in the show?
Going back to that example from before, the VFX producer in question noted that they “can’t do what they did” because it’s a different kind of thing. They noted that they’re trying to “stay true to certain parts” while going forward in their creative direction.
Sadly for them and the rest of the people on the show, that “creative direction” has already cost them greatly. Henry Cavill, who has played Geralt of Rivia for the show’s first two seasons, will be leaving after Season 3. While there was no definitive reason given, many suspect that it’s because of creative differences between him and the team. Cavill is a fan of the books and likely fought for them to be true to who Geralt was and what the story was.
With him gone, he’ll be replaced by Liam Hemsworth in Season 4.
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