AI Replaced Cavill with Liam Hemsworth as Geralt, Proving It Might Work After All

TV productions rarely change their casts for a good reason. Viewers become accustomed to seeing certain actors in their roles, and it can be almost physically painful when a beloved character is suddenly portrayed by someone else. However, this doesn't mean such a drastic change cannot proceed smoothly.

When it was announced that Henry Cavill would be leaving The Witcher on Netflix after the currently-airing third season, it provoked an outpouring of anger from fans. After all, the actor has portrayed the character since the show's inception in 2019, and the audience largely adores his performance – Cavill's Geralt is charismatic, intelligent, and has a sense of humour.

Liam Hemsworth has been confirmed as Cavill's replacement starting from season 4. While the two actors bear no resemblance, AI-generated imagery suggests that this change may not be as drastic as it initially seemed.

In terms of the risks and rewards of artificial intelligence, it can accomplish incredible feats with photos, creating stunning images from scratch. On The Witcher's official Reddit thread, there are AI-generated pictures of Liam Hemsworth in the role of the titular character. Impressively, there are no glaring differences between his and Cavill's Geralt. In several images, the two actors show a striking resemblance as The Witcher.

Liam Hemsworth as Geralt variations [Created by Midjourney AI] idk guys, it might work.
by u/roundttwo in netflixwitcher

However, fans of The Witcher are hesitant to let the producers off the hook. No matter how similar Hemsworth's Witcher may look to Cavill's, it doesn't change the fact that they are replacing a leading actor mid-show.

'I don’t think the problem lies in Liam Hemsworth, but in recasting Geralt at all. No matter what they do, the show isn’t going to be the same without its original main actor,' a Redditor ranted.

But what's done is done. Hopefully, the transition will be as seamless as possible. After all, The Witcher's third season with Henry Cavill as Geralt still has three episodes left. These are set to premiere on 27 July, giving fans some extra time to savour the actor's performance. Besides, season 4 is likely to premiere in nearly two years at the earliest – perhaps by then, we'll be so desperate to see Geralt again that we'll accept anyone in the role, including Liam Hemsworth.

Source: Reddit.