Witcher Fandom Suggests a Plausible Reason for Cavill's Exit
Since the sudden news of Henry Cavill leaving his role as Geralt of Rivia in the much-loved Netflix show The Witcher, there has been much speculation among fans as to why he is departing the series after three seasons.
Cavill's love of the character and the books is no secret. As many fans would agree, he was practically born to play the role, which he once described as a 'dream come true'. Therefore, fans are considering whatever has driven his exit from one of his favorite on-screen characters must have been significant.
The leading theory from fans as to why Cavill has left the show is based on some well-documented disagreements concerning his own perception of the character, compared to some contrasting views of the showrunners.
Cavill is not only a big fan of The Witcher franchise but had apparently read most of the original novels written by Andrzej Sapkowski on which the series is based. He had also allegedly spent over 100 hours on the popular video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt before he took the part. Which is one of the reasons he actively campaigned to get the role of Geralt to begin with. Many praised Cavill's dedication to the character, reflecting closely the original source material he had already studied so well.
Cavill's noteworthy dedication is why fans suspect he is now exiting so suddenly from the show. With much chatter among the show's fans on Twitter, many are referencing the actor's previously discussed feelings towards the series as to why he may be leaving.
Cavill has formerly mentioned how enjoyable it is for him to be part of one of his own most loved franchises. Not only was he excited about the role from the very start, but had advocated for a more accurate portrayal of Geralt in Season 1.
Cavill has previously expressed the most difficult aspect for him on the show was balancing the showrunner's vision of the character with the character he knew so well.
He has stated he asked for Geralt to be given more lines, simply to present a closer depiction of what that character is like in the books. Could continued disagreements with producers have been the last straw for his attachment to the project?
Netflix or any other representatives of The Witcher series (including Cavill himself) have yet to officially state why Geralt will be replaced in the show's fourth season by Australian actor Liam Hemsworth. Cavill will still be portraying the monster hunter in the show's latest season, due for release in mid-2023.
But it may not be until the next season has aired that fans will finally learn for definite about Cavill's exit. Rumors continue to circle the Hollywood actor in the meantime. Including unknown details concerning his return as Superman in the DC Comics extended cinematic universe, as well as his chances as the next James Bond.
The Witcher may have lost one of its brightest stars, but Cavill will have no difficulty finding what to do next in his career.