The Witcher Showrunner Teases Big Season 5 Moves, Then Plans to Step Back
The Witcher Season 4 is now streaming, with Liam Hemsworth taking center stage after Henry Cavill’s exit. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich is already eyeing what comes after Season 5, hinting her nine-year run may be nearing its finale.
Season 4 of The Witcher just dropped, which means we finally get to see Liam Hemsworth swing the sword as Geralt. And while everyone is busy deciding how they feel about the recast, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is already looking at the finish line — and it is closer than some of you might hope.
Yes, Season 5 is the end
In a new chat with Dexerto, Hissrich made it pretty clear that once Season 5 is done, that is the full run for this version of the show. She talked about how long she has been with the series, acknowledged there are plenty of stories left in the Witcher world, and then drew a line in the sand.
"This one has to end at this point, so I think it’s a nice time for all of us to step back a little bit."
She also noted that by the time Season 5 fully wraps, it will have been nine years of her life. Translation: there could be more Witcher out there someday in some form, but the main saga as we know it is closing up shop with Season 5.
How we got here (quick version)
- Henry Cavill announced his exit in October 2022, confirming Season 3 would be his last.
- Liam Hemsworth takes over as Geralt starting with Season 4, which is now streaming on Netflix.
- Netflix revealed in April 2024 that Seasons 4 and 5 would shoot back-to-back.
- Season 5 has been greenlit, finished filming, and is already in post-production.
- Netflix has confirmed Season 5 is the final season.
- Expect Season 5 sometime around 2026, but there is no official release date yet.
About the story focus: Geralt vs. Ciri vs. Yen
There is a running fan debate about where the show should put its energy, especially with a new lead. Some argue that if there were ever a Season 6, it should double down on Geralt rather than shift to Ciri. One Redditor, u/EUJourney, summed it up simply: "I just finished watching The Witcher, I wish Geralt got more focus," and also felt Yennefer’s storyline dragged.
Hissrich’s stance, though, is that the heart of the series is Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer together, and that is not something you just pivot away from mid-arc. She described their dynamic as three people who find each other, realize they need each other, and then get pulled apart — and said you cannot reroute that halfway through. In other words: the spine of the show stays the spine of the show.
So where does that leave Hemsworth?
Stepping into a beloved role this late is a tough assignment, but there is an upside: because Seasons 4 and 5 were filmed back-to-back, Hemsworth gets a two-season runway to put his stamp on Geralt without years of downtime between outings. If you are on the fence after Season 4, Season 5 will arrive as the second half of his take.
The bottom line
If you are binging Season 4 right now, enjoy it — this is the start of the Hemsworth era and also the beginning of the end. Season 5 will close out Netflix’s Witcher, and while there are plenty of tales left in that universe, this particular ride is pulling into the station in the next stop.