Witcher or Ditch-her? The Show's Future Uncertain After Blood Origin Flops
It's been a rough few days for Netflix's The Witcher franchise.
The highly anticipated spin-off Blood Origin was met with overwhelmingly negative reviews, earning the title of the worst-rated series in Netflix history on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fans have expressed their disappointment with the spin-off, with many calling it a "complete waste of time" and a "disappointing deviation from the source material." So, what does the future hold for The Witcher?
Let's start with the current state of the series. Lead actor Henry Cavill recently announced his departure after the third season, with Liam Hemsworth taking over for the fourth. This shake-up is a major blow for Netflix, which has invested heavily in The Witcher universe.
Fans have expressed their concerns about the change in lead actors, with many saying they are "dreading" the fourth season without Cavill. But it's not the only problem the show is facing. The series has faced backlash from fans for deviating from the source material, Andrzej Sapkowski's novels. And the numbers haven't been great either.
While the first season of The Witcher was a hit, racking up 541 million viewing hours in its first month and securing the eighth spot on Netflix's list of most-watched English-language series, the second season saw a 15% drop in viewership, with only 462 million viewing hours in its first month. These numbers don't bode well for a third season that is already facing uncertainty due to Cavill's departure and fan discontent.
Adding to the woes, Blood Origin has frankly disastrous 8% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans have called the spin-off "boring" and "uninspired," with many expressing their disappointment in the direction the series has taken.
With The Witcher universe teetering on the edge, the future of the series may depend on the reception of the third season and the introduction of Hemsworth as the new lead. And with rumors swirling about yet another The Witcher spin-off centered on the controversial (read: useless and decidedly not interesting) characters from Sapkowski's novels, it remains to be seen whether Netflix will continue to invest in this struggling franchise. Ultimately, it all comes down to the support of The Witcher fandom – and that support appears to be dwindling.