The Witcher Voice Actor Doesn't Envy Liam Hemsworth, and Neither Do Fans
Henry Cavill is done with his role as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The Witcher series, reportedly due to the changes the show made from the video games. Geralt's original voice actor feels the same way – and so do fans of the games.
Cavill starred in the first two seasons of the show with a third on the way. He'll be replaced by Liam Hemsworth for Season 4.
Doug Cockle, who voiced Geralt in the video games, said at MCM Comic Con Birmingham 2022 that he understood Cavill's departure. As for his replacement:
"Liam, more power to him. I do not envy him."
Cavill has been a fan-favorite since he took the role. He's a self-proclaimed "nerd" and a massive fan of both the video games and their source material books. Fans are livid at his departure, with most of the rage directed at Netflix.
When adapting a beloved franchise into a live-action series or movies, fans believe the studio should stay true to what made the games popular. Netflix, according to fans, didn't care.
One fan on Reddit called the show "the Witcher [ game] written by a corporate focus group."
Netflix took liberties wherever they wanted according to fans, leaving fans' beloved franchise for the same fate as Halo, Resident Evil, and every other disappointing video game adaptation.
One fan compiled a list of quotes from Netflix showrunners of video game adaptations, ranging from The Witcher to Resident Evil to Cowboy Bebop.
Each of the quotes pointed to the studio's desire to tell the story of "family" – putting characterization and emotions ahead of the "monsters and the zombies and all the crazy stuff" (Netflix's Resident Evil showrunner Andrew Dabb).
Fans pointed to the rumor that there were writers on the show who "bragged" about hating Andrzej Sapkowski's original Witcher books and DC Projekt Red's Witcher video games.
The rumor became so pervasive that showrunner Lauren Hissrich went on record denying it, telling fans that she loves her show's source material.
Fans didn't buy it.
They said that the issue is larger than just video game adaptations; it's an issue with all of Hollywood. Studios don't actually care about the source material at all – it's simply easier to grow an audience when there is an established fan base. They'll use the characters' names, stick them in the same world, then create whatever story they want with it.
The Witcher has still been incredibly popular, garnering high ratings, high viewership, and Emmy nominations. Its third season will hit Netflix this summer, with Hemsworth taking over after that. He'll be instantly assimilated into one of television's most popular roles, despite the recent hate of fans of the source material for the show.