Netflix Replaces Henry Cavill as The Witcher Following Superman Announcement

Netflix may have a seven-season plan for The Witcher, but Geralt of Rivia actor Henry Cavill won't be involved as his focus turns to DC's Superman.

Ever since starring in 2013's Man of Steel, Cavill has shot to stardom and become among the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. Part of that rise came as he took the lead on the high-budget adaptation of The Witcher book and game franchise, in which he stars as monster hunter Geralt of Rivia.

The fantasy drama has released two blockbuster seasons starring Cavill as Geralt, with the third batch of episodes having just recently wrapped up production and four more seasons planned. But filming Season 3 wasn't the only major thing on the cards for Cavill this year as he just recently made waves at DC.

After being absent from the DCEU for the last five years, since the failure of 2017's Justice League, Cavill shocked fans with his return as Superman in Black Adam. Even though that moment was only five seconds long, this marks a new beginning as the Man of Steel star prepares to reprise his role going into a new era of DC.

Netflix's Geralt actor has long expressed his enthusiasm to be starring in The Witcher, having famously helped amend the script numerous times as a self-proclaimed expert on the franchise. But despite the actor's love for the world of The Continent, all good things, unfortunately, come to an end.

The Witcher star Henry Cavill revealed in a post on Instagram that he will be departing the Netflix series after the recently-wrapped Season 3. The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth, brother of Thor star Chris Hemsworth, will replace him as Geralt of Rivia.

Cavill shared a heartfelt message to announce his exit after three years in The Continent as he noted his "enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men:"

"Some news to share from The Continent…

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 4. 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.

Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find."

Netflix Tudum released a statement from Hemsworth in which he added how he is "as a Witcher fan, [he's] over the moon" to be taking on the role:

“As a Witcher fan, I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honored 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. 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.”

The news of Cavill's exit follows his recent return to the DCU as Superman in the mid-credits scene of Black Adam, which came with the promise of more appearances on the way in the years to come.

Given how invested Henry Cavill has long proven to be in The Witcher along with the excitement he has always shown to occupy the role, his departure comes as a great shock. But given the timing of his exit, right as he prepares to return as Superman full-time, his priorities clearly lie at DC once more.

As the latest reports indicate that, as of just days ago, the Man of Steel actor was yet to sign a new DC contract, this exit likely came as part of those talks. Perhaps Cavill's commitments to future seasons of The Witcher would have been too much of an obstacle for Warner Bros. to work around, forcing him to part with Netflix.

But since this announcement came accompanied by the reveal of Liam Hemsworth as the next Geralt of Rivia, this switch may have been on the cards for some time. After all, Cavill was probably aware that staying on as the Geralt was going to leave his schedule with fewer gaps for filming than Warner Bros. will be looking for.

While this may be a tragic update for viewers of The Witcher, fans of Cavill's Superman have plenty to be celebrating right now. This offers the strongest indication yet that he will have a major part to play going forward as a starring member of the DCU with more frequent appearances than ever before.

The first two seasons of The Witcher are streaming now on Netflix; Season 3 will premiere in Summer 2023.