Netflix’s The Witcher gets ending announcement following Henry Cavill exit

Netflix’s popular fantasy show The Witcher has been renewed for its fifth and final season, following the exit of Henry Cavill.

The news was shared by the streaming service on Thursday (18 April). It also revealed that season four is currently in production with season five set to film back to back.

Season four of the drama, adapted from Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series, will welcome Liam Hemsworth as Cavill’s replacement.

The Man of Steel star, 40, played the lead role of Geralt of Rivia in the first three seasons. He announced his departure from the show in October 2022, a year before season three was released in two parts last summer.

“My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season four,” Cavill said in a statement at the time.

“In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.”

Hemsworth responded to the news, saying he was “over the moon” at the chance to play Geralt.

“Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure,” the Hunger Games actor said in a statement.

“Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”

A release date for seasons four and five of The Witcher has not yet been announced. However, they will cover the last three novels in Sapkowski’s series: Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow and Lady of the Lake.

Earlier this week, Cavill announced he is expecting his first child with his girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso.

“I’m very excited about it. Natalie and I are both very excited about it. I’m sure you’ll see much more of that,” the Justice League actor told Access Hollywood at the recent New York premiere of Guy Ritchie’s new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

Cavill and Viscuso, who is a TV executive at Vertigo Entertainment, first went public with their relationship on Instagram in 2021. A year later, they made their red carpet debut at the New York premiere of Cavill’s Netflix film Enola Holmes 2.