The unveiling of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia in the upcoming fourth season of The Witcher has been officially released, and to my surprise, I find myself relieved following the recasting of Henry Cavill. Despite the series’ fluctuating quality over three seasons, Cavill’s rendition of the White Wolf was consistently a highlight for me. As an enthusiast of both the books and the games, Cavill brought a unique interpretation to Geralt while remaining true to the original works. Consequently, expectations are high for Hemsworth, who is set to portray Geralt in the fourth and fifth seasons of The Witcher.
The conclusion of The Witcher’s third season didn’t provide any specific narrative justification for Geralt’s altered appearance in the forthcoming season, which I consider a wise decision. Recasting can be a source of annoyance, yet The Witcher isn’t obligated to rationalize its choice of a new actor for Geralt within the story. Adapting to a new face for Geralt after Cavill’s memorable portrayal will be challenging, but Hemsworth seems to be a commendable successor. The initial glimpse of Hemsworth as the new Geralt is quite promising indeed.
Liam Hemsworth Looks Great As Geralt (& Even Closer To How I Picture Him)
Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt resembles how I picture “book Geralt”
Between the books, the games, and the live-action show, not every fan of The Witcher will describe Geralt the same way. As someone whose first introduction to the White Wolf was playing The Witcher 3 with no context whatsoever, it was surprising to see how different Geralt’s physique and behavior were in the short stories and novels compared to the game. When reading Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher books for the first time following my experience with Wild Hunt, I found myself picturing Geralt as slightly younger and slimmer than the one I knew from the games.
Curiously, Henry Cavill’s Geralt always looked and sounded closer to the White Wolf I knew from the games than the one I knew from the books. Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt, however, looks a bit closer to how I pictured The Witcher’s protagonist during his first adventures described in the short stories and the novels. In terms of makeup and hair, Hemsworth’s Geralt is not a departure from Cavill’s look, which is good. Still, The Witcher’s new Geralt looks like he could be a very strong adaptation of “book Geralt,” who had yet to become the more experienced, tested “game Geralt.”
It’s Good Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt Isn’t Too Different From Henry Cavill’s
Hemsworth’s Geralt can’t be a major departure from Cavill’s
Season 4 of The Witcher could mark a fresh start for the series, despite the challenges faced in seasons 2 and 3, without necessitating a series reboot. The experiences of Cavill’s Geralt in the initial seasons remain integral to the character, who will now be portrayed by a new actor. Season 3 concluded with Geralt recovering from his confrontation with Vilgefortz and preparing to search for Ciri at all costs. I anticipate that the show will continue Geralt’s narrative, rather than starting anew and disregarding Cavill’s portrayal.
The Witcher, set to end with season 5, still has the opportunity to finish strongly.
Hence, it’s beneficial that Liam Hemsworth’s portrayal of Geralt doesn’t drastically differ from Henry Cavill’s. Recasting is a common occurrence in television, but audiences typically need time to adjust to a new actor assuming a familiar role. As someone open to embracing Hemsworth as the new Geralt from the outset, I confess that the initial glimpse of Hemsworth’s portrayal was critical to my enthusiasm for season 4. That’s why the first image and clip from The Witcher season 4 were reassuring.
Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt Look Isn’t The Real Challenge Facing The Witcher Season 4
The Witcher season 4 has bigger challenges to overcome
Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt look is promising news, but this is not what I’m most worried about The Witcher season 4. Considering all the problems that the previous two seasons of The Witcher had, from spending too much time with the Continent’s worldbuilding instead of focusing on Geralt and Ciri to the changes made to Yennefer’s character, the show has a lot to improve upon. Even though I had fun watching The Witcher season 3, I didn’t feel like it captured what made the show’s first season so strong. The announcement that Cavill was exiting the series made it all even more concerning.
Cavill’s exit from The Witcher was surprising and disappointing for those who wanted to see more of his version of the character, but fortunately, it did not mean the end of the show. The Witcher, which will conclude with season 5, still has the chance of ending on a high note. I hope that Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt gets to be judged by its own merits and not just through comparisons to Cavill’s version, which will naturally happen. I also hope that The Witcher season 4 nails not just its new Geralt but all the other characters and storylines it will tackle.
