Henry Cavill Fans Are Cheering — The Witcher Showrunner Just Gave Gamers Another Reason To Skip Season 4
The Witcher is back on Netflix today with season four, but fanfare is muted—Henry Cavill’s exit still looms, skepticism is mounting, and showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich’s latest assurances aren’t easing the doubts.
Netflix dropped The Witcher season 4 today, and the vibe is more complicated than celebratory. Ever since Henry Cavill bailed, a lot of us have been side-eyeing the show. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has been out doing interviews, and while she insists the series is not steering into a Game of Thrones-style tailspin, her defense of all the changes to the story is not exactly soothing. If anything, season 4 looks like the clearest sign yet of how far this thing has drifted from what book readers and gamers fell for in the first place.
The showrunner says the show is many things to many people
Hissrich told Dexerto that The Witcher exists across books, games, and TV, and the Netflix version does not have to pin itself to just one lane.
"You have book fans, you have video game fans, and then you have fans that knew nothing about this world until the show existed. And the truth is, we can’t choose one audience."
The intent is clear: they are going to keep taking creative swings. She even said, in so many words, that the books still exist if you want that flavor, which, to some ears, sounds like: if you do not like the show, the books are over there.
To be fair, she also pushed back on the big worry: that the show will outpace the source and collapse like Thrones did when it ran out of roadmap. According to Hissrich, seasons 4 and 5 were shot back-to-back and are directly adapting the final three Andrzej Sapkowski novels: Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and Lady of the Lake. That is the plan, on paper.
How we got here: Cavill out, trust wobbly
When Cavill announced his exit in 2022, fans did not just lose a lead actor; they lost the guy who was constantly pushing for the show to honor the books and games. His reported creative differences set off alarms that Netflix would lean even further from the source. Since then, winning back goodwill has been a slog.
Liam Hemsworth steps in as Geralt
Recasting Geralt is a huge swing, and Liam Hemsworth has been at the center of the crossfire before a single episode aired. Hissrich has tried to frame it like James Bond: the character survives the actor. She told The Irish Times that Hemsworth 'owns' the role from his very first scene.
She also says Geralt will feel different this year: less stoic than Cavill’s take, a bit drier and funnier, and, yes, more openly emotional. Hemsworth reportedly threw himself into the work, got banged up doing it, and synced up fast with returning co-stars Freya Allan (Ciri) and Anya Chalotra (Yennefer).
There is at least some sweet camaraderie in all this. Joey Batey (Jaskier) said Cavill sent him a care package with wine and stress balls during season 4 filming.
"He’s been incredibly supportive throughout shooting Season 4."
Why fans are still side-eyeing
Even with the promise of sticking to the last three novels, Hissrich’s 'many audiences' stance reads to some fans like a green light for even looser adaptations. A viral post making the rounds summed up a lot of the mood: the issue is not just that Cavill is gone; it is that season 4 still seems unsure what kind of show it wants to be. That is the fear — and season 4 could be the test case.
What Hissrich says is set for seasons 4 and 5
- Season 4 is out now; seasons 4 and 5 were filmed back-to-back.
- The story will adapt Sapkowski’s Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, and Lady of the Lake.
- Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt is positioned as 'the character is bigger than the actor' and will be less stoic, drier, and more emotional.
- Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra return; Hemsworth reportedly took real knocks on set.
- Joey Batey says Cavill supported the cast during season 4, complete with a wine-and-stress-balls care package.
- The creative approach aims to serve book readers, gamers, and newcomers — which likely means continued deviations from the text.
Bottom line: if you were already uneasy about the post-Cavill era, nothing in the pre-release chatter will calm you down. If you are open to a remix, Hissrich is promising a plan and mapping it to the last three books. Now we see if the execution matches the pitch.