Henry Cavill is leaving The Witcher, but his time on the Continent isn’t over just yet. The show’s third season will mark his final time playing Geralt of Rivia. The show’s creator describes his exit as an “heroic sendoff” for him. What awaits him, Ciri, and Yennefer as they traverse a world of monsters, men, and mages? And who will bring their story to life on Netflix?

We’ll have to wait a while longer for the full picture, but for now, Netflix has revealed the episode titles for season three, volume one of The Witcher. The first volume, releasing on June 29, will consist of five episodes. The titles of these episodes are Shaerrawedd, Unbound, Reunion, The Invitation, and The Art of Illusion. We can’t wait to more fully learn what each of these episodes has in store for us and what their titles truly mean.

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— The Witcher (@witchernetflix) June 15, 2023

Here’s everything we know about The Witcher season three so far.

The Witcher Season 3 Plot

Netflix shared an official synopsis for The Witcher‘s third season when production began in early April 2022. Here’s how the streaming site describes what awaits its main characters:

As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line – or risk losing each other forever.

Recently, we also got our first good look at Henry Cavill’s final season of the show. We wonder how this farewell will go. For now, everything is looking very intense.

Entertainment Weekly also revealed season three would bring viewers to an important locale book readers have long waited to visit: Shaerrawedd. Showrunner Lauren Hissrich says the ruined elven castle is “one of the biggest” sets ever created for the show. She has also said this year is the closest one-to-one adaptation of a book the series has done yet. It will remain close to the events in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s Time of Contempt.

The prequel mini-series Blood Origin also revealed important information from the past that completely reframed The Witcher.

Behind the Scenes

Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich also serves as an executive producer alongside Tomek Baginski, Jason F. Brown, Sean Daniel, Mike Ostrowski, Steve Gaub, and Jarosław Sawko. 

Stephen Surjik, Gandja Monteiro, Loni Peristere, and Bola Ogun will handle directing duties. Episode writers include Mike Ostrowski, Tania Lotia, Haily Hall, Rae Benjamin, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Matthew D’Ambrosio, and Troy Dangerfield.

The Witcher Season 3 Cast

In addition to returning stars like Cavill, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey, season three will also introduce new faces to the Continent. That includes Robbie Amell as Gallatin, Meng’er Zhang as Milva, Hugh Skinner as Prince Radovid, and Christelle Elwin as Mistle. Netflix also shared information about each character:

• A born fighter, Gallatin leads an army of guerrilla Scoia’tael fighting on behalf of Nilfgaard. Unafraid to speak his truth, Gallatin’s loyalty to his people ultimately leads him on a collision course with Francesca over power.
• A human adopted by the dryads of Brokilon Forest, Milva is a fierce and talented huntress. Exact archery skills coupled with a stone-cold aptitude for survival make her a formidable adversary in the unforgiving Continent – those that cross her, do so at their peril.
• Royal playboy and younger brother to King Vizimir, Radovid finds himself suddenly a man on the inside of the Redanian Intelligence. With his good looks and drunken charm, Radovid amazes with how incisive he can be in political affairs, but it’s all games until someone gets hurt.
• Mistle is a member of The Rats, a gang of misfit teenagers who steal from the rich and give to themselves – and sometimes the poor. She is street hard, suspicious of everyone and out for revenge, until a chance meeting that will change everything.

The show will also mark the return of cast members MyAnna Buring, Tom Canton, Jeremy Crawford, Eamon Farren, Mahesh Jadu, Terence Maynard, Lars Mikkelsen, Mimî M Khayisa, Royce Pierreson, Wilson Mbomio, Anna Shaffer, Therica Wilson-Read, Cassie Clare, Mecia Simson, Graham McTavish, Bart Edwards, Simon Callow, Liz Carr, Ed Birch, and Kaine Zajaz.

The Witcher Season 3 Release Date

The show will return during the summer 2023. But it won’t return the same way as usual. Like Stranger Things 4, The Witcher season three will return in two parts. Volume 1 will include episodes 1-5 and will release on June 29. Meanwhile, Volume 2 will include episodes 6-8 and will arrive on July 27.

Originally published in 2022.

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Henry Cavill is leaving the Continent, but not before he has one more adventure with Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey. The Witcher‘s third season will be the final time the show’s stars perform together on the fantasy series. That will make for a bittersweet installment, but based on Netflix’s latest trailer their swan song might also be their best. Monsters and magic are just two of the many problems this complicated family will face. Everyone and everything is out to find Ciri, and neutrality is no longer an option for the man sworn to protect her.

That might be the best trailer in show history, which is really saying something because The Witcher promos always deliver. From Ciri’s father and his deadly army, to rogue mages and the Wild Hunt, this latest look at season three shows why the Continent has never been more dangerous. (Though there’s always still time for at least some fancy clothes and dancing.)

That’s why it will be important for Geralt and Yennefer to do more than just protect the most powerful person in the world. They need to teach young Ciri how to fight for herself. Here’s season three’s official synopsis from Netflix:

As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line — or risk losing each other forever. 

In addition to its returning stars, season three will also feature newcomers. Robbie Amell, Meng’er Zhang, Hugh Skinner, and Christelle Elwin are joining the show. You can learn more about who they’re playing here.)

After a trailer this good we’re glad we don’t have to wait long to watch the actual show. The Witcher‘s first five new episodes arrive at Netflix on June 29. The last three, and the end of Henry Cavill’s time in the Continent, will follow on July 27. It will be a bittersweet farewell, but it also should be an incredibly entertaining one, too.

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Are you starting to get the feeling people really love visiting the Continent? Yeah, us too! There aren’t many mediums left for Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy world of magic and monsters to conqueror. First it was a successful book series, then a wildly popular video game franchise, and now it’s a hit Netflix show. But just in case you needed anymore proof fans can’t get enough of Geralt of Rivia, CD Projekt RED has provided some irrefutable hard numbers. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt just crossed the 50 million copies sold threshold, making it one of the most successful games ever.

The third—and best—Witcher video game is now in some rarified air. First released in May of 2015 and rereleased in December of 2022, the studio behind the Wild Hunt announced during an earnings report call that the game has sold more than 50 million copies. That would place it in the top ten games of all-time. That’s more than Super Mario Bros. and roughly around the same number as Red Dead Redemption 2.

What makes the highly-rated The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt‘s sales number especially impressive is its staying power. Part of that longterm success is partly due to the ’22 rerelease and the Netflix series, but that’s just a small part of the reason. The biggest belongs to to the game itself, which provides a robust open world experience. (And sure, the playable hanky panky doesn’t hurt, either.) That’s why Wild Hunt‘s popularity transcends the rest of the franchise. According to CD Projekt RED’s own announcement, the first two installments have sold “only” 25 million copies combined. Clearly the third game stands on its own merits.

With success like that we’re tempted to wish good luck to the the fourth installment when it finally hits stores some day. But we doubt it will need any. People really can’t get enough of the Continent. And that’s before you factor in all those Wild Hunt replays they get to do for free.

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Netflix’s latest preview of the The Witcher‘s upcoming third season says the show’s next installment will focus on its newfound family. When viewers return to the Continent they’ll find Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri, and “Uncle” Jaskier are a unit—one that will face dangers they’ve never encountered before. But off-screen The Witcher family is splitting up. Season three will also be Henry Cavill’s last. It won’t be Geralt of Rivia’s, though. Liam Hemsworth will pick up the White Wolf’s mantle when the show comes back for future years.

With its wildly popular star leaving, why not simply end the show entirely rather than try and replace him? Or at least kill off Geralt and replace him with another witcher entirely? Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has provided a very good reason for fans wondering why they opted to recast the role: Geralt’s story is far from over.

GamesRadar shared Total Film‘s exclusive interview with The Witcher‘s Hissrich. In it she addressed the obvious questions raised by replacing Cavill with The Hunger Games’ Hemsworth. After saying everyone on the show has “been mourning” Cavill’s departure in their “own way,” she explained why they opted to not only keep going without him but why they’re keeping Geralt around. “There’s just too many stories left to tell,” she said.

But why not tell those stories with a different witcher entirely so your new star doesn’t have to live up to the old one? “If we replaced Geralt with another witcher, we would be going fully away from the books,” she said. “And I don’t think that’s what anyone wanted either.”

While she acknowledges Hemsworth has some pretty big monster-killing shoes to fill, she says he’s up for the challenge. As are the rest of the people who make the show. Hissrich says because they love The Witcher they’re “gonna keep going.”

We bet that’s what Geralt would want, too. Every Geralt.

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Henry Cavill’s departure from The Witcher will loom over the show’s third season. How could it not? He’s the witcher in the title and a huge star. More importantly, he’s been a tremendous Geralt of Rivia. But that’s exactly why we plan to enjoy his final year with the show rather than focus on his exit. If The Witcher season three’s first trailer is any indication, that will be easy to do. Because before Cavill departs the Continent forever he has a new family to keep safe. He’ll just have to do that while understanding real fear for the first time in his life.

For a short teaser that reveals so little this still pacts quite a punch. The dread and dangers that hangs over Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri is palpable. (The Wild Hunt has that effect.)

This The Witcher trailer is also our first look at Shaerrawedd. That’s a location book readers have been waiting for the show to visit and it looks like the wait will be more than worth it. But what else is going on? Here’s The Witcher‘s official season three synopsis from Netflix:

As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line — or risk losing each other forever. 

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In addition to Cavill, season three will also mark the return of Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey. Also joining them once again are: MyAnna Buring, Tom Canton, Jeremy Crawford, Eamon Farren, Mahesh Jadu, Terence Maynard, Lars Mikkelsen, Mimî M Khayisa, Royce Pierreson, Wilson Mbomio, Anna Shaffer, Therica Wilson-Read, Cassie Clare, Mecia Simson, Graham McTavish, Bart Edwards, Simon Callow, Liz Carr, Ed Birch, and Kaine Zajaz.

Robbie Amell, Meng’er Zhang, Hugh Skinner, and Christelle Elwin will also get in on the magic and monsters fun this season. Learn more about who they’re playing.

The Witcher season three will air in two parts. Volume 1 with episodes one-five premieres on June 29. Volume 2 with episodes six-eight premieres on July 27.

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The Witcher is here. Geralt of Rivia himself, famed monster slayer and hero of The Witcher universe, has arrived on Fortnite as part of the Chapter 4 Season 1 Gaming Legends Series. Players can now officially unlock the character. So if you feel restless because you’re out of The Witcher games to play and you’ve rewatched all of Netflix’s The Witcher series available so far, this is the perfect gift for you.

Alongside Geralt’s outfit, Fortnite is offering all kinds of The Witcher-themed goodies. These include the Igni Sign Emote, the Steel Sword Pickaxe, and “Weapons of the Witcher Back Bling.” (That just sounds like a lot of fun.) These can all be unlocked by completing in-game quests.

In addition, all players can attend Fortnite’s School of Llama. There they can train to become a witcher and earn in-game rewards. These challenges contain four paths that feature trails and community-created challenge maps. All of the above draw inspiration from “witcher signs and iconic Witcher-world locations.” The School of Llama challenges will also allow players to unlock more witchery rewards. Path 1 of the School of Llama training is available to play. Paths 2, 3, and 4 will unlock on February 14, 21, and 28, respectively.

So get ready. The time has come for you to become a witcher.

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The Witcher: Blood Origin took viewers back 1,200 years to the moment that changed the Continent forever. But the Conjunction of the Spheres wasn’t the only major event to take place during that era. The prequel mini-series introduced the first prototype witcher, the origins of the Wild Hunt, Chaos magic, and the start of a new bloodline. All of these Blood Origin reveals and more will have huge ramifications for the main Witcher series. With so much going on, though, you might have needed a time-traveling mage to explain everything to you. But we can do it, too. Here’s everything we learned from Blood Origin and what it means for The Witcher.

The Conjunction of the Spheres in The Witcher Universe Brings Men and Monsters to the Continent

In The Witcher: Blood Origin, we learn that the cataclysm which brought both humans and monsters to the Continent was not a natural event. But how did the Conjunction of the Spheres come to be? It happened when the mage Syndril connected both himself and the Chief Sage Balor—imbued with chaos magic—to the main dwarf monolith in Xin’trea. It was the only way Syndril could stop Balor and close the portals between worlds.

Syndril’s plan worked, but the resulting energy blast “shattered” space and time itself. That caused the “fragile veils” between those worlds to open for a moment. The violent cosmic event caused planes of existence, and even night and day, to attack each other. The Conjunction of the Spheres ended with a reseeding of The Witcher‘s Continent, as confused humans and terrifying creatures from other dimensions arrived.

The Witcher: Blood Origin Introduces the First Prototype Witcher

One monster already called the Continent home before the Conjunction of the Spheres. Balor controlled a giant flying leviathan from another world. The beast could instantly turn elves into bloody mists. With no one strong enough to stop it, Fjall Stoneheart underwent a painful transformation led by the mages Snydril and Zacaré. They used magic and the heart of another monster (which followed them from another world to the Continent) to combine Fjall with the creature’s energy and power. The transformation nearly killed him.

Fjall came out of the procedure fundamentally changed, becoming more monster than elf. His senses increased, as did his strength and rage. Ultimately his body grew pale and oversized, his eyes discolored. Through Fjall, Blood Origin introduced us to the first prototype witcher. Without the more refined process developed by later mages (almost certainly using Zacaré’s information) for humans like Geralt of Rivia, though, Fjall was a risk to everyone and everything. He couldn’t control himself and began attacking allies and friends. Éile’s song helped him regain control briefly, but she still had to kill him. Fjall’s strange new bloodline did not die with him, though.

The Connection Between Ithlinne’s Blood Origin Prophecy and Ciri’s Bloodline in The Witcher

According to her mother, all of young Ithlinne’s prophecies come true. That proved to be the case in The Witcher: Blood Origin. But Ithlinne’s most important prophecy is still 1,200 years in the making. Éile ended the show pregnant with Fjall’s child, a baby conceived after his transformation. When Ithlinne touched Éile’s belly, she foresaw the most important figure in the history of the Continent, a powerful descendant with magical monster blood. Here’s what Ithlinne said in her fugue state:

The time of the spheres is upon us. Aen Seidhe (elves of the Continent) lost across the skies. Cast adrift in time. Ever searching for love…lost. And left behind. The Lark’s seed shall carry forth the first note of a song that ends all times…

Minnie Driver’s Seanchaí finished that prophecy. She told Jaskier, “And one of her blood shall sing the last.”

Blood Origin reveals that The Witcher‘s Ciri is the descendant of Éile and Fjall. The prophecy about the end of all times speaks of her. She doesn’t just have Elder (elf) blood. Ciri also carries the magical blood of the first witcher. (That explains why it appears her blood could make it possible to create new witchers.) Blood Origin is about the origin of Ciri’s unique blood, and her story is the story of all witchers. Why she will end all times remains to be seen in The Witcher‘s main universe. Itlinne’s most important prophecy still has much to reveal. But we’re sure it will come true. They always do.

The Witcher: Blood Origin Reveals the Origins of The Witcher‘s Wild Hunt

Ciri and witchers aren’t the only ones whose stories date back to the Conjunction of the Spheres. That’s also when the Wild Hunt, that dark group of seven riders from another world seeking Ciri and her powers, also began their journey. Blood Origin reveals that the leader of the Wild Hunt was the elf known as Captain Eredin. Balor banished him and six of his men to a desolate world. There Eredin found a skull mask and began his transformation into the Wild Hunt. Ciri has the power to move between worlds, and they have long been stuck far from theirs. No wonder they seek Ciri, who they called the “starry-eyed child of Chaos.” For 1,200 years, their lives have been nothing but chaos.

The Celestial Voice and the Power of Chaos

Chief Sage Balor sacrificed his apprentice to gain chaos magic. He was the first to bring that power to the Continent. Like The Witcher‘s Yennefer more than a millennium later, chaos magic gave Balor the power to wield fire on Blood Origin. But what exactly was that being who gave it to him? Blood Origin didn’t reveal exactly what that voice was, but it did appear as an ephemeral blue mist, which looked exactly like the chaos magic that entered Balor’s body.

The Celestial Voice, which fed off death and suffering, might have been Chaos itself. And we haven’t seen the last of it.

Avallac’h Unlocks the Secrets of Time Travel in The Witcher: Blood Origin

The apprentice mage Avallac’h (who appeared as Minnie Driver to Jaskier) unlocked the secrets of time travel from The Book of Monoliths. It allowed him to go to the future to look after Ciri, as seen in The Witcher: Blood Origin‘s mid-credits scene. Avallac’h has been “there” since the start of The Witcher, just out of our sight. But the mage may now properly step into The Witcher‘s main storyline. Time travel is also how he was able to tell Jaskier about the story of the Seven, which Avallac’h hopes will give elves hope during these dark days.

Of course, Blood Origin also showed how elves did to dwarves what humans did to them. On a Continent where new powers bring pain to the old ones—and where the crossing of worlds brings pain to every dimension—-maybe the only hope any race has is for Ciri to end the world as everyone knows it.

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There are many ways to channel your inner Geralt of Rivia. You could grunt, curse, or slay, just to name a few option. Now you can also show off your fandom with clothing and accessories inspired by the hit Netflix show. BlackMilk just dropped everything from dresses, leggings, robes, capes, and more to help you give White Wolf vibes wherever you go. The 32-piece collection also includes apperal and accessories inspired by Yennefer of Vengerberg, Ciri of Cintra, and Triss Merigold. So go ahead and toss a coin to this enchanting Witcher collection, which ranges from $45-120. Maybe you’ll even catch the attention of your very own demon-slaying dreamboat or silver-tongued bard.

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Whether you’re looking for something called a sorceress strapped up maxi dress, warrior harness, or basilisk overalls, BlackMilk’s Witcher collection has something for everyone. The “School of the Wolf” print shows off Geralt’s symbol and swords. The bomber jacket (pictured below, on the left) also includes the Medallion Tree at Kaer Morhen that honors fallen witchers. There’s also the beautiful “Continent Map” print with symbols from each episode of the first season (below, on the right). There’s even a few pieces left from last year’s clothes based on the video game. Every item is a limited edition and may sell out fast and destined never to return.

BlackMilk also has clothing and accessories collections for Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Matrix, and Stranger Things, among other geeky gear. We’ll have to check back to see if the company decides to update this collection with Liam Hemsworth’s face once season four substitutes him in as the White Wolf. Even though the prequel series isn’t even out yet, we’re confident that we would also love outfits inspired by Michelle Yeoh’s character in the upcoming show The Witcher: Blood Origin.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Henry Cavill is out as Geralt and Liam Hemsworth is in. What that fully means for The Witcher remains to be seen. But no matter how good the show’s new star might be that won’t change how much we’ll miss the series’ original White Wolf. We do know what will help us deal with Cavill’s surprise departure though: a spinoff starring Michelle Yeoh. She leads Netflix’s upcoming special prequel event The Witcher: Blood Origin. The show’s fantastic new trailer brings us to a time long ago, when the Continent saw the creation of the first witcher.

“Starring Michelle Yeoh” is really the only promotion this four-part special needs, but we’re not complaining about getting this trailer. We don’t care what era we visit the Continent during, we just want to spend more time there. For this series that will be when elves still wielded incredible power. Here’s Blood Origin‘s official synopsis from Netflix:

Set in an elven world 1200 years before the time of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, The Witcher: Blood Origin will tell a tale lost to history: the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that led to the pivotal Conjunction of the Spheres, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

The series will seemingly tell a tale not even Geralt knows about, even though it influenced his life immeasurably. The original series references the “conjunction of the spheres” all the time. And learning the true origin of witchers could reframe everything we know about the group.

The Witcher: Blood Origin also stars Minnie Driver, Lenny Henry, Laurence O’Fuarain, Sophia Brown, Mirren Mack, Lizzie Annis, Francesca Mills, Zach Wyatt, and Huw Novelli. The only bad news we have to wait until December 25 to see it. But a show starring Michelle Yeoh is a fantastic present. Especially since we just lost the gift of Henry Cavill as Geralt.

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In the words of Geralt of Rivia, “F***.” In a truly stunning development, Netflix has announced Henry Cavill is leaving The Witcher after season three. The show isn’t ending with his departure, though. The Hunger Games‘ Liam Hemsworth will replace Cavill as the White Wolf on The Witcher. Netflix also officially confirmed season four of the show with its announcement that Liam Hemsworth will take the helm.

Just a week after formally returning to the role of Superman in Black Adam, Henry Cavill is saying goodbye to another famous role. The avowed fan of The Witcher, Cavill, who once begged Netflix for the part, will not return as Geralt when The Witcher does in season four. The upcoming third season will be his last. This news of Cavill’s departure from The Witcher comes despite his previously stated commitment to doing seven seasons.

“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,” said Cavill in a statement about his departure from The Witcher. “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.”

While the news of Cavill’s Witcher recast is certainly surprising, all of the speculation on social media that has followed is not. Fans want to know why this happened. Without an official answer, The Witcher fans are trying to make sense of the recasting news. Some have said Cavill has simply decided to focus on making movies. (And his return to the character of Superman could mean he has no time for a TV series.) Others think it’s an issue of money. And some believe fundamental disagreements with the show’s direction and depiction of Geralt led to his departure. Whatever the cause, Cavill is out on The Witcher, and Liam Hemsworth is in, and he has a mighty white wig to fill. But while Hemsworth knows that, he sounds excited for the challenge of playing Geralt.

“As a Witcher fan, I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia,” said Hemsworth. “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.”

As huge fans of the The Witcher, Cavill, and his portrayal of Geralt, this is obviously disappointing news. But we’re still going to give Hemsworth a chance. The Witcher is a great show. We want it to succeed and continue entertaining us. And besides, the Continent still has plenty of monsters running around. Someone needs to fight them.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Season three of Netflix’s smash hit series The Witcher will not hit our screens until sometime in 2023; however, the streaming platform is diving even deeper into the fantastical world with a limited prequel series. The Witcher: Blood Origin’s announcement comes as the franchise dives deeper into witcher lore and the brotherhood. The upcoming spinoff is set more than a century before the flagship series, in the Elven world before human intrusion.

Here’s everything we know about The Witcher: Blood Origin.

Title

The title of this series is The Witcher: Blood Origin.

The Witcher: Blood Origin‘s Plot

Set 1200 years before Geralt of Rivia’s adventures throughout the continent, The Witcher: Blood Origin explores the long-forgotten tale of the first witchers. From the official Netflix logline:

“Set in an elven world 1,200 years before the world of The Witcher, Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – the origin of the very first Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.”

Blood Origin creator and writer Declan de Barra told Entertainment Weekly the story takes place in a pre-colonized world. It’s really about what that world would look like for elves before humans brought civilization to them. Executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich adds the world at that time was much more of a Golden Age than what we see in the The Witcher, set hundreds of years later.

We got the first teaser trailer for the series in December 2021 and it really amped up the action. With the show only a few months away, a proper trailer should be on the horizon.

Recently, also learned that Minnie Driver would come aboard this prequel series. Minnie Driver will play Seanchaí, a teller of stories, in The Witcher: Blood Origin. Fans speculate that Driver’s character could be key in connecting the world of Blood Origin with the main The Witcher series.

Behind the Scenes

Declan de Barra is the showrunner and executive producer alongside The Witcher‘s Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Sean Daniel. The writing team features a host of names, including Alex Meenehan, Aaron Stewart-Ahn, Tania Lotia, Kiersten Van Horne, Declan de Barra, and Tasha Huo. Andrzej Sapkowski, who wrote the The Witcher books, will consult on the series. The series will also boast two directors, Sarah O’Gorman and Vicky Jewson.

The Witcher: Blood Origin‘s Cast

Vikings actor Laurence O’Fuarain will lead the series. O’Fuarain, whose casting we learned about at Deadline, will play a warrior named Fjall. In a pair of tweets, The Witcher‘s official Twitter account described Fjall as a warrior carrying “a deep scar within.” Starring beside O’Fuarain will be the great Michelle Yeoh, whose casting was announced in July. Yeoh will play a character named Scían; details below:

“Scían is the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.”

On the heels of Yeoh’s casting, Variety reported that Sophia Brown would be joining the cast as Éile. (Queen & Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith was cast as Éile in January, but Deadline reported in April that she left the project due to scheduling issues.) Netflix describes Éile as “a fierce warrior with the voice of a goddess.”

The Witcher: Blood Origin also shared the rest of its cast. Per Deadline, UK comedy legend Sir Lenny Henry, Mirren Mack, Nathaniel Curtis and Dylan Moran are among the 10 casting additions. Henry, who is also starring in the upcoming The Rings of Power, will play a character called Balor. Mack will be voicing Merwyn, Curtis will be voicing Brían, and Moran will be voicing Uthrok One-Nut. Also joining the cast are Jacob Collins Levy, Amy Murray, Lizzie Annis, Huw Novelli, Francesca Mills, and Zach Wyatt. They will be playing Eredin, Fenrik, Zacaré, Brother Death, Meldof, and Syndril, respectively.

The Witcher: Blood Origin‘s Release Date

All four episodes of The Witcher: Blood Origin will hit Netflix on December 25.

Originally published on July 27, 2020.

The post Everything We Know About THE WITCHER: BLOOD ORIGIN appeared first on Nerdist.

But who is joining the cast of The Witcher? Well, for now, here are the newest members of the show: Robbie Amell as Gallatin, Meng’er Zhang as Milva, Hugh Skinner as Prince Radovid, and Christelle Elwin as Mistle.

Happily, Netflix also shared more about each character, revealing the following:

A born fighter, Gallatin leads an army of guerrilla Scoia’tael fighting on behalf of Nilfgaard. Unafraid to speak his truth, Gallatin’s loyalty to his people ultimately leads him on a collision course with Francesca over power.

A human adopted by the dryads of Brokilon Forest, Milva is a fierce and talented huntress. Exact archery skills coupled with a stone-cold aptitude for survival make her a formidable adversary in the unforgiving Continent – those that cross her, do so at their peril.

Royal playboy and younger brother to King Vizimir, Radovid finds himself suddenly a man on the inside of the Redanian Intelligence. With his good looks and drunken charm, Radovid amazes with how incisive he can be in political affairs, but it’s all games until someone gets hurt.

Mistle is a member of The Rats, a gang of misfit teenagers who steal from the rich and give to themselves – and sometimes the poor. She is street hard, suspicious of everyone and out for revenge, until a chance meeting that will change everything.

The post THE WITCHER Season 3 Announces Four New Cast Members appeared first on Nerdist.

What does kikimora taste like? Which part of a basilisk has the most flavor? And what’s the best way to prepare leshy? Don’t turn to any chef in this world for answers. Those terrifying creatures only exist on the Continent. But soon you’ll be able to enjoy whole meals inspired by that land of magic and monsters. The Witcher is getting an official cookbook. And it will let you take an authentic culinary trip through that fantasy world’s many lands.

The Witcher Cookbook (which we first heard about at IGN) features 80 recipes inspired by the video game series. The book come from bloggers Anita Sarna (Nerds’ Kitchen) and Karolina Krupecka (Witcher Kitchen). Penguin Random House says each recipe is based on “The Witcher’s expansive settings, characters, and lore.” And put together they reflect the types of foods a monster-hunter might encounter as he travels the Continent looking for coin. From the publisher:

These dishes celebrate local and seasonal ingredients while adding unique twists that form a culinary map of the Continent and beyond. Warm up over a bowl of fragrant stew or juicy baked fruit from the namesake trees of White Orchard; end a hard journey to Velen with a hearty, rustic meal at the local tavern; enjoy an aromatic snack as you stroll the markets of Oxenfurt; sample dishes from near and far in the diverse port city of Novigrad; dine onfreshly-caught fish and mulled drinks on the islands of Skellige; feast on rich dishes in the sun-drenched climates of Toussaint and Beauclair; or forage on the perilous road to Kaer Morhen to learn the edible secrets of the witcher’s keep.

The 240-page hardcover book also includes photos of the meals. You can pre-order your copy now ($35) from Penguin Random House, or from any major book seller. It arrives in stores and in your kitchen  on October 25, 2022.

And just in case it does tell you how best to prepare leshy, make sure you get your tree meat from a witcher and not a butcher.

The post THE WITCHER Cookbook Brings the Continent to Your Kitchen appeared first on Nerdist.

Destiny brought them together on the Continent. Now Netflix has reunited our favorite trio to begin production on a new season of The Witcher. The streaming service shared a behind-the-scenes image of Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, and Anya Chalotra sitting near a frozen lake on the very cold set of season three. This photo doesn’t reveal much about the plot, only that making this show is a lot harder than watching it. But Netflix did provide a synopsis of what to expect when it does. This is The Witcher season three’s first official plot summary.

As monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it. Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line – or risk losing each other forever.

It’s no surprise that everyone wants Ciri and her power. Her father has waged a holy war to get her. Kings with grand ambitions seek her out. And those monsters from another world are on a wild hunt to claim her. What is surprising is that Yennefer is willing to bring Ciri to Aretuza. The last time Yennefer returned to her own personal house of horrors she technically committed treason when she freed Cahir rather than execute him. She has powerful allies at the magical school and headquarters. But she has just as many enemies who believe her a traitor. And friend or foe, they’ll all want a piece of Ciri to further their own agenda.

But when that’s true of every person and place on the Continent—and beyond it too—all your options are bad. We can’t wait to learn more about The Witcher season three as filming unfolds.

The post THE WITCHER Season 3 Begins Filming, Gets Official Synopsis appeared first on Nerdist.

The ToyZone has made some of our favorite custom pop culture tributes. And the site’s latest endeavor is just as good. The ToyZone turned memorable Netflix scenes into LEGO pieces. Doing so wasn’t a matter of simply using a big bucket of plastic pieces, though. The team used computer software to get everything just right. The site explained what that entailed:

First, we re-created the chosen scenes using Studio 2.0 software, which includes a complete library of LEGO bricks and effects. Next, we debugged the designs in specialized 3D software and added details, including objects missing from Studio 2.0. With the models correctly shaped and in place, we used vector design software to add texture to the all-important costumes.

The resulting 3D designs then meant they “could position the virtual camera to match the depth, angle, and even camera lens to those chosen by the shows’ cinematographers.” After exporting the photos they touched them up to get the filters, image temperature, contrast, and clarity of each just right.

That’s why these all have an appropriate cinematic feel to them.

The end results speak for themselves. As the ToyZone also accurately captured scenes from Tiger King, The Crown, Russian Doll, Bridgerton, and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

You can see how each LEGO tableau overlays with the real scene at the project’s official webpage. The ToyZone also included a full breakdown of each set—including how many types of unique pieces, the total number of bricks, and what they cost to acquire—if you want to make your own version.

Some rely on rare LEGO bricks though, so making your own version won’t be easy or cheap.

What is easy is rewatching our favorite Netflix shows. That doesn’t require us to build anything except a good array of snacks.

The post Famous Netflix TV Scenes Recreated as LEGO Tableaus appeared first on Nerdist.

One of my favorite things about The Witcher on Netflix is that the show never slows down to explain anything. There’s too much going on to hold viewers’ hands, so you just have to figure stuff out as it happens. (Or hope your favorite pop culture site does it for you.) That includes where places actually are. The location of kingdoms, towns, and keeps are only spoken of in general terms. Nilfgaard can be found in the south, while Aedirn is one of the northern realms. However, the actual distance between places is nearly impossible to discern. But if you’re like me and only know of the franchise through the show, you now can learn exactly where everything is, how many people live there, and what kind of land it rests on. Students at Warsaw University have created a highly-detailed scale map of The Witcher‘s Continent.

Ciri wasn’t just far from her home of Cintra in season two of The Witcher. She was as far away as possible. Kaer Morhen is on the complete opposite side of the Continent from her native kingdom. A harsh reality I did not fully appreciate before seeing this map made by Warsaw University students. (Which we first learned about at IGN.)

But this highly-detailed map does more than show you how far apart places are. In addition to borders and distances, the map also denotes population density and topography. Unless a mage lets you portal somewhere, traveling most place in this world requires a long and tiresome trek.

This accurate map also serves as an ominous reminder of what awaits Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri in The Witcher season three. This world might be massive, but there’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Not when every kingdom is looking for you.

Of course, considering what we saw of another world in the season two finale, the Continent might still be the safest place for Ciri. Well, at least until The Wild Hunt arrives.

The post Students Created a Detailed Map of THE WITCHER’s Continent appeared first on Nerdist.

Ciri, Yennefer, and Geralt rid the Continent of the Deathless Mother. But The Witcher‘s season two finale wasn’t a total win. When they returned that demon to her own world the three came face-to-face with an even more dangerous enemy. The Wild Hunt has finally arrived to Netflix’s hit series. And they’re so terrifying that the show’s official concept art even scares us. As these images serve as an ominous reminder of the nightmare that awaits our favorite found family.

The Witcher‘s Twitter account shared the show’s formal concept art for the Wild Hunt. Prior to season two’s last episode the show only mentioned them in worried tones prior to the outbreak of war. Why the group is a harbinger of death and destruction is clearly on display in these drawings. Each member (and their horse) is a vision of hell come to life. Nothing good can follow their arrival. Stare at these pictures too long and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself for the awful dreams you’ll have tonight.

The sinister group manifested from nothing when Ciri portaled herself, Yennefer, and Geralt to another world. Book readers and gamers know the Wild Hunt well. But even newcomers to the Continent got a taste of why they’re so frightening. As this concept art highlights, their appearance alone is enough to scare anyone. They have obvious Ringwraiths/Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse energy. However, what they said is even more chilling. Through a fit of laughter they said, “Child of the Elder Blood, starry-eyed Daughter of Chaos, join our Hunt. Your place is among us. You are ours.”

Don’t like that. Don’t like that one bit. Somehow, though, they’re even worse than they look. The Witcher‘s showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich previously told IGN the Wild Hunt is the series’ answer to Thanos. But like the Mad Titan, they’ll become more complex as viewers get to know them. They have their own origins and purpose. Hissrich says the show is “going to get a little bit deeper into them so they’re not just the evil skeletal bad guys.”

Okay. But they do make great/horrible evil skeletal bad guys.

The post THE WITCHER Concept Art Brings the Wild Hunt to Life appeared first on Nerdist.

Sorry Geralt, you’re cool and all, but Scían might be cooler? Michelle Yeoh plays the ferocious elf. Specifically, she belongs to a tribe of sword-elves. Yes. Sword-elves. And here, she’s on a mission to retrieve an important sword that once belonged to her people. Netflix says about Scían:

Scían is the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.

We see her primarily traveling with two other elves, all seemingly on this quest together. And you know what? She kicks ass. They all do. The elves with Scían are Fjall (Laurence O’Fuarain) and Éile (Sophia Brown). Netflix describes the latter as “”a fierce warrior with the voice of a goddess.” Fjall, meanwhile, is a man looking for vengeance. Something that always ends well.

The official synopsis for The Witcher: Blood Origin is as follows:

Set in an elven world 1,200 years before the world of The Witcher, Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – the origin of the very first Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

The Witcher: Blood Origin arrives sometime in 2022.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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When one sets out to fight evil, they should always look their best. I don’t make the rules. As The Witcher activity heats up in December, BlackMilk clothing is launching a new The Witcher collection designed to help you do precisely this. The collection comes in collaboration with CD PROJEKT RED. And let me tell you, neither monsters nor errant mages stand a chance against this powerful fashion.

BlackMilk shares that the line celebrates “this renowned video game franchise set in the universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski in his series of books.” And it features “more than 35 printed and designer pieces drawing on the world of The Witcher and its most famous characters, including Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, Triss Merigold, and the bard Dandelion.” The line is very clever. It subtly weaves in nods and allusions to characters and events that will please even the most die-hard The Witcher fans. But it also does so in such a way that for those not in the know, the fannish nature of the clothing may go unnoticed. We love an inside joke with our fandom.

The Witcher BlackMilk collection also features a variety of items, including bodysuits, overalls, dresses, robes, and more. (Yes, we said robes. We know we need fashion robes, stat.) Every fan can find their perfect quest attire and ideal Witcher fashion with so many options.

We can’t preview the whole collection, given it includes 35 pieces in total. But we can help you dip your toe in the bathtub. Here are some of our favorite The Witcher fashions.

Geralt Armour Velvet Long Sleeve Bodysuit

BlackMilk shares, “A witcher is always well protected. This chainmail armor print, complete with Geralt’s iconic School of the Wolf medallion, will keep you safe on all of your monster-hunting adventures.”

We don’t know how protected this will keep you, but it sure will keep you stylish.

Team Yen Shooter

“Who is your favorite sorceress?” BlackMilk asks, “Whether you’re Team Triss or Team Yen, you can rep your choice with this sporty Shooter.”

We love a subtle jersey, and the font on this one slays us.

Butterfly Spell Short Overalls

According to the brand, “This pretty artwork was inspired by the Triss: Butterfly Spell card in GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, depicting a powerful spell cast by sorceress Triss Merigold. It’s perfect for those who want a more subtle way to celebrate their love for The Witcher universe – or even those who just like to wear a cloud of fluttering butterflies all over their bod.”

You had us at overalls. And these ones are just beautiful. Again, low-key fandom fashion, and we are here for it.

Triss Merigold Slinky Playsuit

The brand shares, “This stunning print is based on the beautiful colors and filigree patterns of Triss Merigold’s alternative outfit from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.”

This playsuit really brings the magic of the franchise to life. It feels modern but fantastical, all at once. A sleek vision of The Witcher world.

School of the Wolf Robe

We said “fashion robe,” didn’t we? BlackMilk notes, “Kaer Morhen is home to the witchers of the School of the Wolf, known as prolific monster slayers – and amongst its most notable members is Geralt of Rivia. This robe celebrates the School’s iconic emblem alongside the magical signs used by the witchers who trained there.”

The Witcher x BlackMilk Collection

The Witcher x BlackMilk collection has many other pieces for you to explore. Including, yes, a celebration of our favorite bard. You can take a full look here starting right now. Make your wishlists now because the collection drops on December 13 at 4 pm ET/1 pm PT (the 14 at 7 am AEST).

The post Fight Your Demons in Style With BlackMilk’s New THE WITCHER Line appeared first on Nerdist.

(Note: We’re only using the events of the show as a guide. Not the books or the games, which might potentially provide answers to our questions about the Netflix series.)

Who is the main villain in The Witcher Universe?

The main antagonistic force in The Witcher season one is the empire of Nilfgaard. Much of The Witcher’s world once considered Nilfgaard a “shitty backwater.” But that changed after (the unseen) Emperor Emhyr claimed the throne of the empire. Also called the “White Flame,” Emhyr garnered fierce loyalty from his subjects, who view him as a messiah. 

This blind devotion extends so far a Nilfgaard soldier claimed he was “already saved” right before Geralt killed him. Emhyr is also seen as a religious figure. Fringilla the Mage mentioned in season one that “The White Flame made me who I am, gave me a higher power.”

Despite promising salvation, Nilfgaard is ruthless in its quest to control the entire Continent. It slaughters the innocent, young and old alike. It employs dark, forbidden magic and makes its new subjects’ lives so miserable they gratefully accept the meager tokens given by their cruel rulers.

In season one, we see Nilfgaard begin conquering other kingdoms of the South for Emhyr. The Emperor is also obsessed with locating Ciri. He believes she is the key to Nilfgaard’s true purpose, which could lead to the end of the world. With the help of Fringilla the Mage and the Knight Cahir, he moves to capture her. Ciri narrowly escapes Nilfgaard’s clutches several times in season one. But Cahir is still determined to find her.

Who is The Witcher’s Ciri, and What Are Her Powers? 

Ciri was an important character before she was born. Geralt inadvertently claimed her as his charge in a moment of destiny via the Law of Surprise. The ancient custom states that if you save someone’s life, they owe you a boon. But the nature of the boon is unknown. In Geralt’s case, it was a child whose destiny became entwined with his own. At the time, though, Geralt had no wish for a child. Nor did he believe in destiny. So he left Ciri and his responsibilities behind for years, in direct conflict with the wishes and demands of destiny. A dangerous proposition in this world.

Geralt knew about this destiny even longer, though. Years before he claimed his Law of Surprise, Princess Renfri told him “the girl in the woods” was his destiny. 

Ciri also inherited a powerful family “gift,” one referred to as a “primal power.” Her screams can destroy and kill; they can crack open the earth itself. Sometimes she also hears voices calling out to her. And without trying, she can enter into a trance when they call to her, or she’s in danger. It’s a gift her late mother shared, but one her grandmother, who raised her, does not possess. However, neither mother nor daughter showed an ability to control their deadly power. 

Ciri and The Witcher’s Prophecies

Cahir wants to use Ciri to spread his Emperor’s supremacy throughout the Continent. With Ciri’s powers, Nilfgaard might be unstoppable. That would make for a dangerous future. Cahir said, “The time of the sword and the ax is nigh.” And Ciri echoed those ominous words during a spell where she went into a trance. She spoke Elder and killed three attackers and a horse after saying the following:

“Verily, I say unto you, the era of the sword and the ax is nigh, the era of the Wolf’s Blizzard. The Time of the White Chill and the White Light is nigh….the Time of Madness and the Time of Contempt.”

But Ciri might be even more dangerous to the Continent than that. Season one introduced a major prophecy that foretells mankind’s demise. Stregobor the Mage told Geralt about it when explaining why Princess Renfri had to die.

Have you ever heard of the Curse of the Black Sun? First full eclipse in 1,200 years. It marked the imminent return of Lilit, demon goddess of the night sent to exterminate the human race. According to the wise mage Eltibald, Lilit’s path was to be prepared by 60 women wearing gold crowns who’d fill the river valleys with blood.

If Ciri, who can’t yet control her power, is the prophesied Lilit, she could destroy the entire human race. All hope is not lost, though. Destiny “is a double-edged sword.” Ciri might just as easily save mankind than destroy it. (Plus, Stregobor is wrong all the time. That guy is the worst.)

Yennefer’s Quest For a Child 

To become a powerful witch, Yennefer gave up her ability to have children. A choice she sought to correct throughout The Witcher season one. Her yearning led her to take huge risks. She attempted many cures over the years, including trying to become the vessel for a djinn and hunting for a dragon’s heart. But the golden dragon Borch (in human form) told Yennefer she “will never regain her womb.”

Though these quests were unsuccessful, they did lead to her becoming inextricably entangled with Geralt. During their encounter with the djinn, Geralt’s final wish was to never lose Yennefer. When she learned about the wish, though, it made her believe nothing about their relationship was real.

Yennefer will surely continue her quest for a child in season two of The Witcher. Perhaps exploring how Geralt’s mother, Visenna, also a sorceress, was able to have a child on her own will lead to answers. Geralt’s mother has appeared on the show twice, though neither stands as an entirely reliable appearance. The first was during Geralt’s fever dream in a vivid memory when she gave him up. The second also came during Geralt’s delirious fever dream, which may or may not have been real.

It remains to be seen whether an answer lies with Visenna and how she connects into Geralt and Yennefer’s story. It is also possible an answer lies with the elves, who were nearly wiped out previously. 

Where did The Witcher Season One leave our main characters? 

Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Princess Cirilla (“Ciri”) of Cintra, The Witcher’s main characters, each followed their own timeline for much of season one. With Ciri’s beginning long after the other two. All three stories came together in the present during the final two episodes. Season two of The Witcher will take place in just a single timeline.

Season one’s last major event was the Battle at Sodden, when Yennefer stopped another attack by the empire of Nilfgaard. She unleashed pure chaos—another word for magic—as her fire swept over Nilfgaard’s soldiers. However, she was not seen after her incredible display.

In The Witcher season one’s final moment, Geralt and Ciri finally find one another in the woods. Despite never meeting her, Ciri asked Geralt who Yennefer was as Ciri heard Geralt calling out for her while dreaming. In the season one finale, Geralt also said he needs to go “home,” a.k.a to Kaer Morhen, a place he grew up and trained to be a witcher, and he will in season two.

Netflix’s great anime prequel movie, Nightmare of the Wolf, introduced us to Kaer Morhen and showed the events that led to an eventual attack on it. It also focused on Geralt’s teacher and mentor, Vesemir. All while providing valuable insight into why humans fear witchers and often hate them. The movie also filled in gaps on the role of monsters, mages, and magic on the Continent. This all helps frame season two of the show, in which an older Vesemir will play a major role.

Other Characters and Their Fates

Tissaia

Though badly hurt by Frangilla during the Battle of Sodden, she remained standing after Yennefer burned the Nilfgaardian army. Tissaia ended season one calling out for Yennefer. The two had only recently shared their affection for one another after a long and difficult relationship.

Triss Merigold

Triss suffered a terrible burn during the Battle of Sodden but barely remained among the living at season one’s conclusion. She was also correct that King Foltest would answer her call to defend the North. He arrived with his forces after Yennefer stopped Nilfgaard. Foltest trusted Triss because years earlier, she hired Geralt to save Foltest’s daughter from her curse as a striga.

Vilgefortz

The only mage with military experience pushed for the members of Aretuza to defend Cintra. They voted him down. But Vilgefortz convinced a small group of mages to defend Sodden. He fought Cahir in single combat during the battle but ignored Yennefer’s warnings and used up his magic in the fight. Cahir bested him, but Vilgefortz lived. When he woke, he brutally slaughtered an ally for reasons that remain unclear.

…But What About Jaskier

Our favorite bard and chief hype man for the White Wolf gave us more than “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher,” one of pop culture’s best ditties ever. He gave us so many laughs in season one. Unfortunately, his season one story ended on a sad note, with some truly hurtful words from his friend. Geralt told Jaskier all he wanted from life was to be free of the bard. A dejected Jaskier (who accidentally never aged over more than two decades during the first season) went off never to be seen again.

But don’t worry! Trailers show he’ll be back in season two. And it seems Geralt will once again need his old friend’s help.

The post THE WITCHER Season 1: Everything You Need to Remember appeared first on Nerdist.

Even though Tom Holland and Zendaya already start in little movies called Spider-Man, we say these two need to have their own talk show, stat. They are too funny together. And they make us even more excited for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Recently, they appeared on The Graham Norton Show alongside The Witcher‘s Henry Cavill and Loki‘s Gugu Mbatha-Raw. And they had some stories to tell.

First up, a tale of a size difference.

In a stunt involving a bridge, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is supposed to gently rest Zendaya’s MJ on solid ground. The problem? Holland is shorter than Zendaya resulting in an awkward dance. And concluding in Zendaya actually carrying Spider-Man in her arms. Holland and Zendaya graciously demonstrated on the show. And Holland shared, “It was so nice to be caught for a change.”

Honestly, we think they should have left that version in. Not even Spider-Man can defeat every law of physics.

Next up, a story that resulted in a truly cursed image. Did you think you knew all about the villains in Spider-Man: No Way Home? Think again because it sounds like the Spidey suit is the true villain of the movie.

Holland shares the perils of his costume. And folks, it sounds like a lot. So much so that Zendaya thinks we need to start an awareness campaign. Someone help the superheroes. The long and the short of it, once the suit is on… it’s pretty hard for Tom Holland to do anything in a hurry. Zendaya even asks, what if he had to vomit? Well… I guess we can intuit the answer there.

Tom Holland also shared an image of what it’s like to drink something in the suit. And basically, it’s something out of a horror movie. Someone, please give Spider-Man a mouth that opens.

Our last favorite part from the show? Henry Cavill discussed his love of Warhammer. Which is not like World of Warcraft at all. He described the wargame which involves collecting miniatures. And made it sound totally cool.

The best part? It sounds like Tom Holland is also a bonafide nerd and wants to come over to play. That’s one game we’d like to attend, thank you very much. Short of that, we’ll tune in to see Tom Holland and Zendaya in Spider-Man: No Way Home on December 17. Funnily enough, we’ll also see Henry Cavill in The Witcher season 2 on that same day.

The post Tom Holland and Zendaya Talk SPIDER-MAN Stunts and Suit Concerns appeared first on Nerdist.

Henry Cavill turned grunting into an art form during season one of The Witcher on Netflix. With nothing more than an exasperated sigh he also captured the weariness that comes with hunting monsters. And he conveyed all the anger and aggravation a witcher feels with nothing more than a perfect F-bomb. But don’t expect the White Wolf to be as quiet in season two. Cavill says Geralt of Rivia will talk far more often when the fantasy series returns. And that will make him more like the character readers know and love.

GamesRadar has an excerpt from Total Film‘s interview with Cavill. The famous nerd spent the pandemic doing exactly what lots of others did. He re-played The Witcher games on their hardest settings. He said it was a lot more stressful than he remembered. But unless we’re getting The Witcher 4 anytime soon our focus is on the next season of Netflix’s live-action adaptation. And Cavill says when it arrives at the streaming site on December 17 it’s going to bring us a much more loquacious version of the character.

“This season, I really wanted to make sure that we represented the book’s Geralt more accurately, and that we saw him speak more,” said Cavill on getting Geralt to open up. “I pushed really, really hard for that.”

Don’t worry though. A talkative White Wolf won’t mean a happy one. Cavill says his character won’t be any cheerier. “He’s still Geralt of Rivia, but he’s definitely coming across as more of an intellectual,” he said. “It’s a hard life, monster hunting…I wouldn’t recommend it.”

No worries! We weren’t considering it as a profession anyway. Not even because we’re very, very afraid of monsters. We just don’t know if we can capture the difficulty of the job with a single grunt or a well-placed curse word. Killing creepy creatures is hard. But doing that is an art.

The post Henry Cavill Says Geralt Talks More in THE WITCHER Season 2 appeared first on Nerdist.

Netflix

The Witcher’s Season Two Plot

Season two of The Witcher is getting a little more family-focused… on Geralt’s family, that is. One of the season’s primary focuses is on Geralt keeping Ciri safe by bringing her to his childhood home. So yep, we’re meeting a bunch of new witchers. As for Yennefer, she’s alive, if not wholly safe at the moment.

Here’s the official season two logline from Netflix:

“Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.”

Netflix

 Behind the scenes

Season two consists of eight episodes, with Stephen Surjik, Sarah O’Gorman, Ed Bazalgette, and Geeta Patel each directing two episodes. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich returns as showrunner and executive producer. Season two debuts more or less two full years after the series premiered. After several COVID delays, the series finally wrapped production in April 2021.

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The Witcher Season Two Cast

You can’t have The Witcher without Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill is, of course, reprising his role as the titular witcher. Joining him are the rest of the principal quartet: Anya Chalotra as sorceress Yennefer, Freya Allan as Princess Ciri, and Joey Batey as the beloved bard Jaskier. Other returning members of the large ensemble cast include MyAnna Buring, Tom Canton, Lilly Cooper, Jeremy Crawford, Eamon Farren, Mahesh Jadu, Terence Maynard, Lars Mikkelson, Mimi Ndiweni, Royce Pierreson, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte, Anna Shaffer, and Therica Wilson Read.

Season two also boasts a lot of new characters, including several witchers. Killing Eve star Kim Bodnia is playing Vesemir, legendary witcher and father figure for Geralt. Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju joins as Nivellen, who features in the short story “A Grain of Truth,” which the series is adapting. In addition, actors Paul Bullion and Yasen Atour will play a pair of witchers named Lambert and Coën.

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 Other new additions include The Danish Girl’s Aisha Fabienne Ross as Lydia, Basil Eidenbenz (Victoria) as Eskel, Agnes Bjorn as Vereena, and newcomer Mecia Simson will play Francesca. Unlike many characters previously featured in Andrzej Sapkowski’s books or the video games, Dolittle’s Carmel Laniado’s Violet and Kevin Doyle’s Ba’lian are original characters. 

Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh will play Nenneke, a priestess from Melitele and longtime ally of Geralt’s, while Outlander and Preacher alum Graham McTavish is Redanian intelligence leader Dijkstra. The detective agency Codringher and Fenn is also making its debut during season two. Simon Callow, best known for Four Weddings and a Funeral and another Outlander alum, is the former, while Liz Carr, in a gender-swapped casting, is Fenn. Chris Fulton will play Rience, who, in the books, is a powerful mage on the hunt for Ciri, while Cassie Clare will play Redanian sorceress Phillippa Eilhart.

Release Date 

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The Witcher season two premieres on December 17, 2021.

Any News Beyond Season Two?

Going into the series, viewers knew they’d get at least two seasons of Henry Cavill battling monsters in a gorgeous silver-white wig. But fear not, we’re already promised more. (In addition to the Blood Origin spinoff.) During Netflix’s Tudum event, the streaming platform confirmed season three is on the way. This is perfect as Hissrich has apparently mapped out seven seasons’ worth of storylines.

Originally published on November 19, 2019. 

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I loved season one of The Witcher. I loved it so much I’ve wondered if the show’s sophomore season can possibly live up to my expectations. Well, I’m no longer worried about that. Because the newest trailer for The Witcher season two is so good, I’m ready to run outside and fight monsters myself. That seems reasonable after this intense look at what promises to be an even more action-packed, emotional story.

But don’t worry, our favorite bard is still around to lighten things up.

Yeah, I’m ready to go full Barney Gumble. Just hook this show to my veins after this perfect The Witcher season 2 trailer. It features a phenomenal song and impeccable pacing. Most importantly, though, it doesn’t give too much away while also feeling full and rich. There’s plenty of insight and intrigue into what we can expect from the series’ major characters following the battle that ended season one. Yet you’d be hard-pressed to predict exactly where the story is going. We just know a whole lot is going to be happening. With plenty of monsters to fight, both fierce magical creatures and humans alike.

The show’s official synopsis does provide more information for where Geralt is going and why. From Netflix:

Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.

Netflix

Kaer Morhen is the home of all witchers. It’s where Henry Cavill’s Geralt trained. If you haven’t watched Netflix’s anime prequel, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, do that right now. Not only does it show Kaer Morhen, but it also provides essential backstory to the Continent and why people are leery of witchers.

I’m going to rewatch it myself. I need to direct all this energy from the trailer somewhere, and I’m not really qualified to go outside and fight monsters. Unfortunately, Kaer Morhen didn’t accept me as a student. Fortunately, Jaskier didn’t get in either. This is probably why he’s a lot less grim than Geralt and will provide the necessary laughs we need during what should be an incredibly tense season.

I can’t wait. But I’ll have to. The Witcher season two debuts December 17 on Netflix.

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Tu…Dah! Netflix’s recent Tudum fan event had plenty of exciting news for fans of The Witcher. From new The Witcher season two first looks (and a trailer) to the announcement of The Witcher season three, the event was chock full of magical happenings for the fantasy show.

First, to highlight season two more broadly, Netflix offered an extensive “The Witcher: Road to Season 2″ trailer. This trailer teased many of the main characters and conflicts the season intends to explore. It also offered fans a look back at season one while introducing new footage into the mix.

From Ciri to Yennefer to, of course, Geralt, the trailer gave everyone a moment in the proverbial sun. (Although much of the trailer was shrouded in darkness.) Its main focus? The idea of monstrosity. As the official description shares, “You can’t escape the monster within.”

From the looks of this trailer, season two will spend a lot of time on this theme. The season will center questions like, what is evil? What does it mean to be a monster? And can one be forgiven for what’s inside of them or what they’ve done? We’ll have to tune in for the premiere of The Witcher season 2 on December 17 to find out.

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In the meanwhile, Netflix shared two The Witcher first looks to whet our appetite. These first looks both focus on two of Geralt’s relationships. First up, Geralt reconnecting with his old friend, Nivellen.

Fantasy fans may recognize Nivellen, played by Kristofer Hivju. Hivju famously portrayed Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones. Though Tormund was unlucky in his quest for Brienne of Tarth’s affections in Game of Thrones, he did acquire a bro in the form of Jon Snow. Now it looks like Hivju finds himself in another snarky bromance on The Witcher. 

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Nivellen seems to have no issue cutting right to the heart of Geralt, gently teasing him about issues he doesn’t want to confront. But, The Witcher official account warns he has a big secret. And, “There’s more to Nivellen than meets the eye.” This first look does end somewhat ominously, with Geralt accusing Nivellen of cheating him in a game. A bit of foreshadowing, perhaps?

In the second The Witcher season two first look, fans catch a glimpse of Geralt and Ciri’s relationship. Hint: It’s a work in progress.

In the first look, Geralt shakes Ciri awake and warns her of trouble abounding. He doesn’t really let her in on what’s going on but does get her out of harm’s way. So we give him points there. As Ciri waits nervously by Roach, Geralt readies himself for battle.

Though we don’t see what he’s fighting, we know it’s a bruxa. But what is a bruxa? Geralt never explains to Ciri, but fans know a bruxa “is a very powerful type of vampire that takes on the appearance of a dark-haired, young human.” These creatures can withstand sunlight and only a silver blade will kill them. Luckily, Geralt looks ready to us. (Too bad he’s still growling at Ciri and not yet fighting the bruxa…)

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Finally, this celebration tastes even sweeter with Netflix’s announcement of The Witcher season three.

Fear not, Witchers, bruxas, and bards, the Witcher-verse continues on. Why don’t we celebrate with a song?

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Netflix’s new prequel anime film The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf tries to do so much it shouldn’t work. It provides significant history about the Continent and its magical users, namely mages and witchers, filling in many of the holes the live-action show’s first season didn’t fully address. It also serves as an origin story for a character joining the series in season two, Vesemir, the witcher who trained Geralt. The witcher home of Kaer Morhen also gets to shine ahead of its introduction on the show. The movie is also full of so many terrifying monsters it doubles as a living encyclopedia of ghastly beasts. And it does all of this while telling a personal story that spans decades, as well as a much larger story with ramifications that will last even longer. It’s a lot. And it probably shouldn’t work, but it does.

Somehow the film does all of those things while still telling a coherent, well-paced, entertaining, and moving story. One that is certainly a must-watch for fans of the show. And a great introduction for those thinking about watching.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is not for the feint of heart. The Continent is a dangerous world of monsters. If not for witchers, it would be a world full of monsters, shredded limbs, and blood. A lot of blood. In some significant ways it does an even better job than the show of showing why witchers are so important—and so feared—in this world. It’s a crash course in this universe’s lore and every day life. Giving new context for who witchers are, where they come from, and what they do. The movie also explores the group’s less than stellar past. Not everyone who walked the path of a witcher had the same morals as Geralt. Not all of his older brothers were as grumpy as him, though. Vesemir most of all.

The film’s main character is nothing the like groaning, angry witcher who leads Netflix’s show. While just as handsome as Geralt, Vesemir is inherently charming and gregarious. He’s also far more selfish than his famous student. Viewers will often find themselves liking him in spite of him. Forget being a great and noble hero. He might not even be a very good person, though his skills as a witcher are more than formidable.

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But he’s not the only magical being with impressive talents. Tetra Gilcrest, a powerful sorceress who distrust witchers entirely, is a worthy adversary. Monsters roam all over the Continent. Often in unexpected forms. Tetra wants to protect the land from all of them. Like Vesemir, there’s more to her story that gets revealed throughout the film. And the more you learn about her the more interesting both she and everyone around her becomes.

The same is true of the movie’s other main characters, as numerous threads come together for a poignant and exciting end. One that is far more epic and important to the franchise than the kind of conclusion it seems like the film is initially building towards. From Lady Zerbst, an elderly noblewoman who defends witchers, to Deglan, the witcher who recruited and trained Vesemir, everyone has more going on than they initially let on. When they do show all their cards—either because they want to or because they’re forced too—the entire film goes from being a fun exploration of this world to a major installment. That’s why even though the first third of the film feels a little disjointed initially, it all comes together in a satisfying way.

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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf boasts a great score. (No surprise for this franchise.) The animation is vibrant, especially during action sequences when it really excels. And its main characters are complex and interesting. Fans of Netflix’s series won’t want to miss it. And they’ll be able to recommend it to their Witcher-curious friends considering watching the show. At a tidy 81 minutes it’s not a timely investment, especially compared to the ten-episode first season.

But it really works because it does so many things well. It’s more than just a supplemental piece to the show. It has something to say about this world and the people who live in it—what they want from life and from themselves. And how we often create the monsters we fear the most. The question isn’t whether you should watch it. The question is when is Netflix going to make more The Witcher anime films.

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf comes to Netflix August 23.

4/5

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike, and also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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Pack your daggers, medallions, and lutes because we’re going to Witcher School!

As we first saw on Entertainment Weekly, an official Witcher School is now up and running, and it’s taking applications. This Polish LARP (live-action role-playing) game has actually been active for quite some time. But now it is officially licensed by CD Projekt Red, which develops the Witcher games. According to the official Witcher School website, the LARP finds inspiration in both the games and Andrzej Sapkowski’s saga. We’re sure the Netflix series has had some influence as well.

“This is not a movie,” a teaser for the school shares, “This is a game in real life.”

Here’s just a taste of what attendees can expect:

Learn fencing, archery, blacksmithing, alchemy and many other abilities, hunt down monsters alongside your companions, learn the secrets of grim castles, unravel the intrigues of kings and sorceresses, make difficult moral choices… and live with the consequences.

Sleep, eat and train in a real castle, turned into a true witcher’s lair. You’ll not only meet your companions and teachers, but also the characters well known from the game and books – flirting with Filippa Eilhart, a friendly spar with Vesemir, a tete-a-tete with Iorveth or a demonic pact with Gaunter O’Dim—all is possible!

Witcherschool.com/Piotr Müller

Basically, you’ll be stepping right into your own immersive adventure. Witcher School also makes it clear that “The Law of the Surprise discriminates against no one!” We toast to that!

So far, it looks like the school has three upcoming events planned for the fall, with more sure to come. With admission, future Witchers also get lodging and food, a costume, classes with professionals, and more. Happily, there is also a robust health and safety protocol in place to keep everyone safe. Tickets for the three-day experience range from around $600 to around $1,300. New event dates release approximately six months in advance, but beware, tickets go quick!

Witcherschool.com/Piotr Müller

Although traveling to Poland could be tricky for Witcher fans, it is fun to dream. For those who can’t make it all the way to Witcher School, there’s plenty to look forward to. First, a new Witcher anime film, Nightmare of the Wolf, releases on August 23. Next, season two of the Henry Cavill-led live-action series will arrive on December 17. And finally, a live-action prequel, Blood Origin, waits in the wings.

Feature Image: Witcherschool.com/Piotr Müller/Netflix

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This clip introduces us to Vesemir, a Witcher who later takes Geralt under his wing. We get to see Vesemir’s life story, from his rise to becoming a monster hunter to his quest to liberate a kingdom from impending harm. He’s given his power at a young age with a poison that brings him back to fight against beastly evils.

There are already some quotable lines in Nightmare of the Wolf‘s clip. For example, Vesemir tells someone that “favors and friends don’t pay bills,” and that is nothing but facts. And, a rallying cry at the end saying “Witchers! On me!” will surely get repeated a zillion times. (Also, I hate to be that person, but Vesemir will probably be the next addition to someone’s “hot animated characters” list.)

This character will appear in the live-action series, but it is really cool to explore his backstory in a different format. This will give fans some context on this upcoming character, specifically those not familiar with The Witcher’s source materials. And, bringing the Witcher world to an animated format is truly a cool concept.

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Netflix also released a film poster featuring Vesemir looking down at a slate of goblins. The “face your demons” tagline is rather on the nose, but we like it anyway. Nightmare of the Wolf is almost here, and it looks like an exciting addition to this franchise.

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Vitalina Batsarashkina had a truly memorable Tokyo 2020. She won two gold medals in air pistol. The sharpshooter bested the field in both the women’s 10-meter and 25-meter competitions. And she did it in style, with one hand on her gun and the other in her pocket. She was easily the Summer Games’ coolest competitor. But her stance and success wasn’t the only thing that endeared her to fans. She also wore a Witcher wolf medallion while shooting. And her love for the fantasy series led to an equally memorable return home from the Olympics. Her triumphant welcome included a live chorus singing “Toss a Coin To Your Witcher.”

Russian athletes still can’t compete under their country’s flag. But ace-shot Batsarashkina did compete under a banner of sorts for The Continent. Her Geralt of Rivia The Witcher medallion was hard to miss for fellow fans of the popular fantasy series. It was also hard to miss for her hometown fans, who knew exactly how to celebrate her dual gold medal Olympic performance. They gave her a live rendition of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” from the Netflix series.

NBC Sports

It was a perfect choice, and not just because she loves the world of monsters and magic. The song transcends borders and nationalities. It’s a banger in all languages. And hearing an entire chorus sing it just for you is like winning all over again.

Hundreds of athletes will leave Tokyo with a gold medal. For most, it will be the pinnacle of a lifetime. The culmination of long hours and hard work, all in pursuit of excellence. But few people, in any endeavor, will ever get a better welcome home than Batsarashkina did.

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The only thing that could have topped this would have been if the IOC played the song for her while she stood on the podium.

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Toss a coin to Dark Horse because the comics publisher just released a pair of stunning figures from The Witcher. Dark Horse is releasing the figures in partnership with CD PROJEKT RED, which makes The Witcher games, and Netflix, which is behind the series starring Henry Cavill. (Both of which are based on the Andrzej Sapkowski novels.) The figures are of the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, and the sorceress Yennefer. And we have to say; the figures look a lot like their Netflix counterparts Cavill and Anya Chalotra.

Dark Horse

As the witcher, it’s safe to say the Geralt figure is a pretty hot commodity. The figure stands a stoic 8.5″ tall and features the character’s stunning platinum locks. And while we hate to see separated from Roach, the figure is standing solo, without his loyal horse.

Dark Horse

Here’s the description of the figure from Dark Horse:

Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter known as a witcher, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. The new deluxe hand-painted plastic figure features Geralt wearing his Season 1 armor and equipped with his meteorite sword adorned with Renfri’s brooch. Fans will notice the beautifully intricate details that tie this figure to both the hit show and the original video game.

While Dark Horse lists the Geralt figure at $49.00, the pre-order link suggests a higher price point of $59.99. And the figure ships out in February 2022. Do with that what you will.

Dark Horse

The Yennefer figure, which we first saw at Comicbook.com, stands 8″ tall and stands atop a 1″ base.

Here’s the description of the figure from Dark Horse:

The breathtakingly beautiful and powerful sorceress, Yennefer of Vengerberg, wasn’t always as she appears. In season 1 Yennefer goes on a massive adventure of magic and intrigue as she searches for her true place in the world and tries to attain all that she desires. This figure showcases her indomitable will and deadly cunning she displays during her travels.

Unfortunately, dark Horse doesn’t have a pre-order link open for the Yennefer figure just yet. But it appears you can pre-order through Entertainment Earth. Additionally, the Yennefer figure, which clocks in at $59.99, ships out in February 2022.

At least we’ll have these glorious figures as we await season two.

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Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series has expanded far beyond his books. CD Projekt Red’s video game adaptations introduced many to Geralt of Rivia. Then Netflix’s The Witcher television series exposed even more people to the Continent and its stories and many monsters—and of course, Henry Cavill as Geralt. And then we learned Netflix would tell anime stories in same world, and we have the first trailer for the film coming in August. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf tells the story of Geralt’s mentor Vesemir.

“Witchers are rogues without virtue.”

If you’re at all familiar with the world of The Witcher, you know that the people of the Continent don’t think kindly of witchers. They look down at the mutations, even though those mutations keep them safe from myriad creatures. Monsters, demons, you name it. The Nightmare of the Wolf trailer leans into that dislike while depicting Vesemir embracing witchering regardless. He’s all about that monster hunter life.

We’ll see Vesemir in season two of The Witcher as well—an older version. Kim Bodnia’s set to play the character. At that point in time, he’s the oldest and most experienced witcher at Kaer Morhen. The timing is right to get to know Vesemir. He served as a father figure to Geralt, and Geralt’s about to do the same for Ciri.

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The Witcher showrunner and executive producer Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is co-producing the anime. Beau DeMayo wrote the script and served as producer as well. Studio Mir’s Kwang II Han produces and directs. And let’s not forget Nightmare of the Wolf‘s voice cast: Theo James (Vesemir), Lara Pulver (Tetra), Graham McTavish (Deglan), Mary McDonnell (Lady Zerbst).

The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf premieres on Netflix on August 23, 2021.

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of A Kid’s Guide to Fandom, available now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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Netflix gave fans their first full look at The Witcher‘s second season as part of the first ever WitcherCon virtual event. Henry Cavill and Freya Allan’s journey together looks to be just as perilous as their time apart in season one. That will lead Geralt to return to his childhood home and the witcher who trained him.

Things don’t look to be any easier for Anya Chalotra’s Yennefer either. The season’s official synopsis explains why she might not find Geralt as soon as any of us would like.

“Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.”

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The virtual event also gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show’s sophomore effort.

We’re confident things will work out though. Not because we’re convinced everyone will be safe. But because the new season will include Jaskier wearing an amazing coat.

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WitcherCon also gave us something else we’ve been waiting for: a release date. We’re all going to have a Merry Witchmas. The series returns to Netflix on December 17.

Netflix also gave us more clues about what to expect from season two. We just have to figure out what every episode title means.

It’s probably a good thing we didn’t get the title for the season finale. WHICH IS WHY WE MUST HAVE IT!

Okay, fine. We’ll wait. In the meantime though, make sure to check out our post with everything we know about season two. As well as our full breakdown of the Continent’s timeline up to the moment Geralt and Ciri found one another.

Hopefully it’s not too far into the future when they will also find Yennefer.

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The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf will arrive on August 23, 2021 and we have our first look at the move about Vesemir, Geralt’s father figure.

Original post:

The Witcher world is expanding on Netflix. The streaming service is capitalizing on the current pandemonium over the fantasy series by delivering a spin-off anime film based in the same universe. According to io9, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is currently being developed to explore a “powerful new threat facing the Continent.” It’s yet another reason for viewers to continue tossing coins at Netflix. And a film is the perfect way to keep fans’ attention during the long wait for The Witcher season two in 2021.

The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and writer Beau DeMayo will also be in charge of this movie, so fans can expect the same quality and overall vision to translate over. Hissrich revealed on Twitter that Nightmare of the Wolf has been in the works for over a year at this point. It’s a testament to Netflix’s confidence that The Witcher‘s already established fandom and curious newcomers would love the series.

It’s a big day here in #TheWitcher world — and I’ve been keeping this one secret for over a year! https://t.co/9Rp1ftDO0p

— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) January 22, 2020

Nightmare of the Wolf will be created by Studio Mir, the same animation company responsible for the excellent Voltron: Legendary Defender, The Legend of Korra, and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts. This takes care of the aesthetic appeal because all of those shows look awesome. Netflix certainly won’t cut corners or skim on dollars to make sure that their latest big hit continues to rake in viewers.

There’s no word on if any characters from The Witcher’s first season will appear in animated form nor if this film will pull in any additional characters from the books. This spin-off seems to be a unique, standalone adventure so familiar faces probably won’t appear. It’s a chance to perhaps explore this world through the eyes of another witcher or even another magical person hoping to defeat a dark enemy.

via GIPHY

It’s also not clear yet when this story takes place and how it lines up with the events over the course of The Witcher season one. Timelines can get pretty wonky but there will surely be details dropping as the film gets closer to completion and its release.

In the meantime, fans can keep the Witcher fun going by listening Jaskier’s inescapable tune “Toss a Coin” right now or blasting the full soundtrack when it drops on January 24. Netflix has also dedicated their current “Behind the Scenes” podcast season to The Witcher for all the informational podcast lovers. The premise of the podcast is similar to other official series-based podcasts—writers, producers, and crew sit down to talk about different elements of the show.

So far, The Witcher podcast has broken down its three main characters—Geralt, Yennefer, and Cirilla—in terms of their mindsets, personalities, backstories, and challenges with bringing them to life. It’s interesting, nerdy, and yet another way to stay in the Witcher world for now.

Between Nightmare of the Wolf, soundtracks, podcast breakdowns, and more Witcher, it looks like Netflix’s valley of plenty is resting in this franchise.

Featured Image: Netflix

Originally published on January 22, 2020.

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Just before binge-worthy television shows had advanced to the category of “medical necessity,” Netflix introduced the world of The Witcher. The world in question offered no shortage of intrigue for the fantasy lovers among us. But the centerpiece of the series was its main character: the oft-bathing Geralt of Rivia, portrayed by Henry Cavill. Now, fans are duly excited for The Witcher’s forthcoming second season; however, the absence of Geralt in the developing prequel series Blood Origin may feel like a dealbreaker for Witcher watchers. Luckily, we now have as exciting a headliner as we can imagine for the forthcoming spin-off: Michelle Yeoh.

Netflix

Netflix announced on Tuesday, via press release, that Yeoh would be joining The Witcher: Blood Origins in a lead role. She will play a character named Scían, whom Netflix describes as “the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves.”

Here is the streamer’s full description of the character, from the press release:

No one can come close to [Scían’s] artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.

She will star beside the already cast Laurence O’Fuarain, who plays Fjall, a warrior duty-bound to serve his king. Fjall, like Scían, is a tortured soul thanks to a personal history of heartbreak. Seems like these two will have a fair share of “dark past” material to bond over. (That kind of thing usually brings unlikely allies together in situations like this!)

Yeoh has starred in everything from Tomorrow Never Dies to Memoirs of a Geisha to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Star Trek: Discovery. And she has wowed in each, and everything in between.

No word yet on when the six-part miniseries The Witcher: Blood Origins will release. However, The Witcher season two will hit Netflix some time in 2021. So as long as we get some Witcher soon, we’ll be okay.

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We still don’t quite know when The Witcher will return to Netflix for a second season. We want to know; we’d toss many a coin to know! But we lie in waiting. In the meantime, we’ve got some other Witcher-related news to tide us over. July will give way to WitcherCon, a global virtual fan event dedicated to all things of Rivia. Netflix has revealed the details of the Con, which will broadcast on YouTube and Twitch on July 9. Check out the lineup below!

Netflix

And in case you can’t make heads or tails of that, here’s further detail:

The Witcher Season 2: Deck of Destiny

Panel Guests: Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Mimî M Khayisa, Paul Bullion

Destinies collide when the cast and showrunner of Netflix’s The Witcher draw cards from an enigmatic deck of fan questions that will determine the path of the panel and the immediate fate of the guests. But these are no ordinary cards – prepare for surprise reveals, backstage insights, and a dash of chaos as our panelists take us through their journey of filming Season 2.

CD PROJEKT RED’s Memories from the Path: Stories Behind The Witcher Games 

For over 13 years, the Witcher series of games has captured the imagination of gamers worldwide. Now, the developers behind the games discuss how they brought their immersive stories to life — before revisiting old memories, uncovering forgotten artifacts, and reminiscing about their favorite moments from the franchise

Geralt of T-Rivia

Panel Guests: Błażej Augustynek, Philipp Weber, Declan De Barra, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

It’s a meeting of the Witcher masterminds as key creators of the Witcher games and The Witcher Netflix series team up to test their knowledge of the wider Witcher universe. In this pub quiz-style game, behind-the-scenes tidbits and spoilery sneak peeks are prized just as much as the correct answers.

CD PROJEKT RED’s The Witcher: Beyond Video Games 

Panel Guests: Rafał Jaki, Bartosz Sztybor, Łukasz Woźniak

From detective noir to dark horror — all the way to the Old World and beyond, prepare to experience The Witcher’s expanded universe with the latest details on the upcoming comic books and board game inspired by the franchise!

Tales from the White Wolf: A Spotlight Conversation with Henry Cavill, hosted by Josh Horowitz

To close out WitcherCon, fans will hear from Geralt of Rivia himself, Henry Cavill, who will sit down with moderator Josh Horowitz (MTV & Comedy Central host) for an in-depth conversation about fantasy, destiny, and the wider Witcher Universe. The White Wolf may even have a surprise or two in store…

The event will be hosted by Julia Hardy, and will broadcast on Netflix’s YouTube and Twitch channels on July 9 at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT. A second stream will broadcast at 9 PM ET/6 PM PT.

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You may call it strategic, or you may call it sadistic, but Netflix waited until the very end of its Geeked Week extravaganza to give us even a taste of what’s yet to come for The Witcher. On Friday, the streaming site dropped the quickest imaginable teaser for the next season of the fantasy series, which you can view below… if you’ve got the vision of a predatory bird, that is.

Alas, there is only so much to glean from a first glance of this clip… but we’re in the business of second, third, and fortieth glances, aren’t we? So we’ll be poring over this fast-as-heck look to figure out what clues are embedded within.

Netflix

In the meantime, we have yet another piece of news to deal with:

While at first we wondered if this might be The Witcher‘s season two release date, we now know the truth. Per Netflix, this will be the date of the first ever WitcherCon. Here are the details from the press release:

Taking place on Friday, July 9, 2021, WitcherCon is an epic event for Witcher fans old and new, bringing together the worlds of The Witcher video games and the TV series. It will feature:

• A variety of entertaining and interactive panels spotlighting the people who brought The Witcher to life in-game and on-screen.

• Breaking news, exclusive behind the scenes and never-before-seen reveals from across The Witcher franchise.

• Intimate looks into the creativity and production behind CD PROJEKT RED’s games, including the upcoming mobile game The Witcher: Monster Slayer, comic books and fan gear, AND Netflix’s live action series The Witcher plus merchandise, as well as the anime film Nightmare of the Wolf.

• Expert explorations into the lore, legends, monsters and origins of the Continent.

Available on both Twitch and YouTube, WitcherCon will first air on July 9th at 7:00 pm ET. Fans will be able to watch WitcherCon across two separate streams, with each one containing exclusive content. The second stream, which also airs on Twitch and YouTube, will begin at 03:00 am ET on July 10.

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CD Projekt Red, the studio behind The Witcher game franchise, is teaming up with Go On Board for “The Witcher: Old World.” It will bring the Continent to your tabletop and recreate the experience of being a monster hunter on the prowl. All set during a time period ripe for exploration. From the official press release announcing the game:

“‘The Witcher: Old World’ is an adventure board game for 2-5 people that thrusts players into a story set long before the times of Geralt of Rivia, as they take on the role of professional monster slayers. Having recently completed their brutal training in their witcher school, they must embark on a journey spanning the Continent. Along the way they will face difficult choices, take on contracts, battle monsters—and perhaps find themselves brawling with another witcher in order to defend their school’s honor! Portraying the world of The Witcher as it once was, Old World will let players live out their own epic story where they’ll meet witchers of the five different schools and discover mysteries and locations up until now unexplored.”

CD Projekt Red/Go On Board

Designed by Łukasz Woźniak (“Valhalla,” “Titans”), the game will involve building your own unique deck. Players will choose cards with a “wide range” of abilities. That includes: attacks, dodges, and witcher combat magic (known as Signs). “Through card synergy,” players will try to achieve powerful combos. They’ll do that by using their school’s “hallmark abilities” to reach their full potential. That will mean going on quests, fightings both monsters and witchers, and even giving dice poker a roll, all to earn money, obtain items, and sharpen their skills. In the ultimate quest to become the greatest witcher in the land.

“Our goal with ‘Old World’ is to provide a deeply engaging experience which evokes the same emotions and atmosphere found in The Witcher books and games—but do so in a board game format,” said Łukasz Woźniak, co-founder of Go On Board, in a statement. “For a while now, we’ve been testing the game with fans of The Witcher universe, as well as with board game experts, and we’re very happy with what we’ve managed to accomplish so far. CD Projekt Red’s input into the story, and insight into the mechanical aspects of the project, have been invaluable.”

CD Projekt Red/Go On Board

If you want to be a monster hunter, the game’s Kickstarter will launch in May 2021. Both base and deluxe versions will be available. And the companies promise there will also be “extra content” for supporters unlock.  If the campaign is successful, it will start shipping in April, 2022.

But we imagine this is more a matter of “when” its successful. The Continent has been an amazing place to explore in novels, video games, and on TV. Fighting magical monsters on our tabletop is an idea that would even make Geralt smile.

Featured Image: CD Projekt Red/Go On Board

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Somehow it feels like Netflix released season one of The Witcher both last week and also a decade ago. In reality, it has been a year since it premiered, but time no longer has any meaning. Oh, not because of COVID, though. It’s because we can’t remember a past—nor consider a future—when “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” wasn’t/isn’t playing on a loop in our head. Jaskier the Bard’s banging tribute to the White Wolf is one of the best fictional songs in pop culture history. And that’s true no matter what country you live in. We know thanks to this special version featuring of the song sung in multiple languages. It rocks, even if you can’t understand the lyrics.

Netflix, which already gave fans six days of Witchmas this month, served up another delightful holiday treat. The streaming giant released a rendition of the show’s instantly iconic “Toss a Coin to Your Witch” that weaves together multiple performances from around the world. Interspersed with the original English version, it features singing in Italian, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Spanish, Hindi, and Thai.

That lineup, which would also make for an amazing pot luck, highlights the infectious power of the song. It’s not easy to write a catchy track in one language. But this song is so good it’s immune to borders and barriers of any kind.

Netflix

We also love the idea of every nation having their own Jaskier. Honestly, every city and town on the planet should. Just maybe keep him away from your wives or any genies.

Now that we know how good this song sounds in any language, though, we must once again plead with the song’s composers, Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli, to release the rap version they told us about. Yes, somewhere there is a full, official rap version of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” and we must have it.

And now we don’t even care what language it’s in. Only that we get it soon. Because when it comes to this song time has some meaning.

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The Witcher gave fans of the show a little holiday treat this year, with a special “Witchmas” celebration. For six days Twitter users were able to vote for either a specific bonus extra or the “Law of Surprise.” While most days people couldn’t help but be intrigued by the mystery, they couldn’t pass up the chance to see a reel of bloopers from the first season. They chose wisely.

This short montage features clips of star Henry Cavill and his fellow cast members breaking up when a stunt went wrong or someone messed up a line. Or, in the case of a post-coital cool down, when Cavill said he was “like a greased pig.”

To which a crew member accurately replied, “a sexy greased pig.” How many people on the planet can have that said about them and everyone knows it was a compliment?

Netflix

But not every blunder was the fault of a performer. At least, not all the human performers. Geralt’s trusty steed Roach crapped all over one scene with his total lack of professionalism. Okay, okay, maybe only the first part of that statement is fair. Horses can’t be unprofessional because they don’t know they’re on set. Even the fun ones.

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“The Witcher‘s Bestiary” takes a look at all of the monsters from the first half of the show’s inaugural season. Some are directly based on famous mythological creatures found in different cultures. The first monster seen on the show, the giant spider-like beast known as a Kikimora, comes from a nightmarish figure of Slavic folklore. They are always female, rise from stillborn children or women who died in labor, and often have the face of the deceased. Traditionally they aren’t as big and horrifying as the one Geralt fought, but knowing their origins makes that many-legged creature even more terrifying.

Some of The Witcher‘s other monsters—like the Doppler, Sylvan, and Djinn—are already well-known mythological figures. But the series’ most terrifying creature, a Striga, also has connections to fictional (we hope) figures of folklore. That “vampire prototype” would scare Dracula himself.

Also, it’s probably best not to go looking for the Brosno dragon. Geralt can fight his way out of a Selkiemaw’s stomach, but we can’t. We’re definitely not willing (or able) to face a Roachhound or any other type of giant insect monster it’s based on either.

Given the enormous number of monsters within the Witcher universe, the first bestiary video series only covered the first half of season one. But luckily, “The Witcher’s Bestiary” is back for part two, digging into all the monsters Geralt and co. encounter during the latter half of the season, including a basilisk, dragon, and even the nearly-extinct Hirikka—a creature created by The Witcher writer Andrzej Sapkowski.

What these video really show is how much the humans of the Continent take Geralt and his ilk for granted. They have actual horrible beasts eating them, yet they never want a witcher around. We’d like to hire one just in case these monsters ever prove to be real.

Originally published on May 12, 2020.

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We’re not sure exactly when we’ll get to see season two of The Witcher. But Netflix has given us a tasty little treat showing what awaits us when we finally return to the Continent. A fun new promo titled “Geralt’s Monster Mash” is a Halloween-themed trip through the many creatures, beasts, and demons that the White Wolf met in the show’s first year. It also includes two quick sneak peeks at new monsters we’ll come across when the series returns. We will definitely want a witcher around to deal with both.

“The White Wolf takes Halloween as a personal challenge. But keep your eyes peeled for a few sweet treats… you won’t want to miss what’s hidden.”

This clever promo (which we first learned about at io9) is set to Bobby Pickett’s spooky season classic “Monster Mash”—the greatest novelty song ever. (Name a better one. Oh wait, you can’t, so don’t bother.) The video features the many strange beings seen during the show’s inaugural season. And there were so many. From kikimoras and sylvans to strigas and dopplers, The Witcher never disappoints in the creature department.

We’re very much looking forward to what comes next on the series. At the 15- and 31-second marks in the video, we get brief glimpses at season two footage. The first new monster is a terrifying reed-like crawler with a single human-like eye. It slithers in the darkness, where it can seamlessly blend into its environment.

Netflix

…..Nooooope.

The other, while unsettling, might not be a monster at all. But if it is we’ll gladly toss a coin to our witcher to protect us from it. No non-magical being should trifle with three-headed skeletons. That’s how they end up four-headed skeletons.

Netflix

Monster or warning, that thing is reason enough to always keep Geralt of Rivia around.

Featured Image: Netflix

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If you’ve fallen for The Witcher in any form, you can thank author Andrzej Sapkowski. He created Geralt of Rivia, the Continent, and everything else in that beloved fantasy series. The Witcher books have made the jump to video games and more recently to Netflix as a television show starring Henry Cavill. And now we get to enter the world of another Sapkowski-penned series, a historical fantasy trilogy that begins with The Tower of Fools. Released in Polish in 2002, David French’s English translation of the book is finally arriving in October of this year. Nerdist has an exclusive excerpt to take you into this rich world rooted in the past.

The Tower of Fools unfolds during the 15th century, specifically during the Hussite Wars. Some locations and characters come right from history, but many fantastical elements extend the story beyond the world we know. Reinmar of Bielawa, a doctor and a magician also sometimes known as Reynevan, flees his home after nobles catch him in an act of indiscretion. He leaves the city only to discover strange forces are at work. Shadows are darkening. A Holy Inquisition spurs those pursuing Reinmar. On the run, the doctor finds himself in Narrenturm, the Tower of Fools. In other words, an asylum. And then it comes down to the matter of escape.

Hachette Book Group

The below excerpt from chapter three of The Tower of Fools catches up with Reinmar/Reynevan when he is in a spot of trouble. I have a hunch this is just a taste of what Reinmar will have to reckon with in his travels.

‘Ciołek!’

Henryk Krompusz reined in his horse abruptly and turned, trying to determine which bush had just quietly called him by his nickname.

‘Ciołek!’

‘Who’s there? Show yourself!’ The bushes rustled.

‘By Saint Jadwiga . . .’ Krompusz’s mouth fell open in astonish- ment. ‘Reynevan? Is it you?’

‘No, it’s Saint Jadwiga.’ replied Reynevan in a voice as sour as   a gooseberry in May. ‘Ciołek, I need help . . . Whose retinue is it? Kantner’s?’

Before Krompusz worked out what was happening, two other Oleśnica knights had joined him.

‘Reynevan!’ groaned Jaksa of Wiszna. ‘Christ Almighty, what do you look like!’

I wonder how you’d look, thought Reynevan, if your horse had given up the ghost just outside Bystre. If you’d had to wander all night through the bogs and wildernesses by the River Świerzna, and just before dawn exchange your wet, muddy rags for a smock swiped from the fence of a peasant’s cottage. I wonder how you’d look after something like that, you foppish dandy.

Benno Ebersbach, the third Oleśnica knight to ride up, was probably thinking the same thing.

‘Instead of gawping,’ he said dryly, ‘give him some raiment. Off with those rags, Bielawa. Come on, gentlemen, take whatever you have from your saddlebags.’

‘Reynevan,’ said Krompusz, still unable to believe what he was seeing. ‘Is it truly you?’

Reynevan didn’t reply. He put on a shirt and jerkin one of them threw him. He was so angry, he was close to tears.

‘I’m in need of help,’ he repeated. ‘In great need.’

‘We see that,’ Ebersbach confirmed with a nod, ‘and also concur that your need is great. Great indeed. Come on. We must present you to Haugwitz. And the duke.’

‘Does he know?’

‘Everybody knows. Everybody’s talking about it.’

If Konrad Kantner, with his oval face made longer by a deeply re- ceding hairline, his black beard and the piercing eyes of a monk, did not overly resemble a typical member of the dynasty, his daughter Agnieszka was a veritable chip off the Silesian–Mazovian block. The princess had the flaxen hair, bright eyes and small, blithe retro- ussé nose of a Piast, immortalised by the now famous sculpture in Naumburg Cathedral. Agnieszka, Reynevan quickly calculated, was around fifteen, so must already be promised in marriage. Reynevan couldn’t recall the rumours as to whom.

‘Stand up.’ He stood up.

‘Know,’ said the duke, fixing him with forbidding eyes, ‘that I do not approve of your deed. In fact, I consider it ignoble, repre- hensible and opprobrious, and frankly advise remorse and penance, Reinmar of Bielawa. My chaplain assures me that there is a special enclave for adulterers in Hell. The devils sorely vex the miscreants’ instruments of sin. I shall forego the details owing to the presence of the maid.’

Seneschal Rudiger Haugwitz snorted angrily. Reynevan said nothing.

‘How you will make amends to Gelfrad of Stercza is a matter for you and him,’ continued Kantner. ‘It is not for me to interfere in this issue, particularly since you are both vassals of Duke Jan of Ziębice. I ought to simply wash my hands of the matter and send you to Ziębice.’

Reynevan swallowed.

‘But,’ continued the duke after a moment of dramatic silence, ‘out of respect for your father, who laid down his life at Tannenberg at my brother’s side, I shall not allow you to be murdered as part of a foolish family feud. It is high time we put an end to such feuds and live as befits Europeans. You may journey with my entourage all the way to Wrocław. But stay out of my gaze, for the sight of you does not please me.’

‘Your Ducal—’ ‘I said begone.’

The hunt was definitely over. The falcons were hooded, the mal- lards and herons they had caught already hanging from the bars of the wagon. The duke was content, his entourage, too, because the potentially interminable hunt had been brief. Reynevan noticed several clearly grateful glances – the rumour had already spread through the retinue that the duke had curtailed the hunt and re- sumed the journey because of him. That probably wasn’t the only rumour doing the rounds, and his ears burned as though all eyes were on him.

‘Everyone,’ grunted Benno Ebersbach, who was riding alongside him, ‘knows everything . . .’

‘Everyone, yes,’ confirmed Henryk Krompusz, quite sadly. ‘But, fortunately for you, not everything.’

‘Eh?’

‘Are you playing the fool, Bielawa?’ asked  Ebersbach,  with- out raising his voice. ‘Kantner would certainly drive you away, and perhaps also send you in chains to the castellan, if he knew somebody had dropped dead in Oleśnica. Yes, yes, don’t  goggle  at me. Young Nicolaus of Stercza is dead. Cuckolding Gelfrad is one thing, but the Sterczas won’t ever forgive you for killing their brother.’

‘I never . . .’ Reynevan said after a series of deep breaths, ‘I never laid a finger on Nicolaus, I swear.’

Ebersbach was clearly unimpressed by Reynevan’s oath. ‘And to complete the set, the lovely Adèle has accused you of witchcraft, saying you bewitched and took advantage of her.’

‘Even if she did,’ replied Reynevan after a  short  pause, ‘she was compelled to. On pain of death. She is in their grasp, after all—’

‘No, she isn’t,’ countered Ebersbach. ‘The lovely Adèle fled from the Augustinian priory, where she publicly accused you of devilish practices, to Ligota and the safety of the Cistercian nuns’ convent.’ Reynevan sighed with relief. ‘I don’t believe those accusations,’

he repeated. ‘She loves me. And I love her.’ ‘Beautiful.’

‘If you only knew how beautiful.’

‘That’s as may be,’ said Ebersbach, looking him in the eyes, ‘but it got quite ugly when they searched your workshop.’

‘Ah. I was afraid of that.’

‘You ought to be. In my humble opinion, the only reason the Inquisition isn’t on your back already is because they still haven’t finished cataloguing the devilry they found there. Kantner may be able to protect you from the Sterczas, but not, I fear, from the In- quisition. When news of that sorcery gets out, he’ll hand you over to them himself. Don’t come to Wrocław with us, Reynevan. Take my advice – split off before we get there and flee, hide somewhere.’

The Tower of Fools will arrive on October 27. If you’re in the United States, pre-order here, and if you’re in the United Kingdom, pre-order here.

Featured Image: Hachette Book Group

Amy Ratcliffe is the Managing Editor for Nerdist and the author of The Jedi Mind, available for pre-order now. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

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While the teaser doesn’t reveal too much about the upcoming game, it’s certainly not your friendly, neighborhood Pokémon Go. According to the official The Witcher: Monster Slayer website, the game takes place long before Geralt of Rivia roamed the Continent. Perhaps it’s during the era depicted in the upcoming Netflix series Blood Origins. The location-based roleplaying game includes story-driven quests and adventures inspired by the Witcher series. It also allows players to keep a record of fallen enemies in their bestiary and fully embrace the life of a witcher.

From the official The Witcher: Monster Slayer announcement:

“Featuring console-grade visuals, Monster Slayer lets players explore the world around them while tracking, studying, and fighting monsters both new and familiar, using time of day and real-life weather conditions to gain the upper hand. Preparation is key in order to defeat tougher enemies, as players will need to brew powerful potions and oils, craft bombs and monster bait, and upgrade their character before putting these beasts to the sword and signs in first-person AR combat. In addition to battling monsters lurking close-by, the game also contains rich, story-driven quests inspired by other games from the series, taking players on full-fledged adventures that thrust them into the heart of what it means to be a professional monster slayer.”

Spokko/CD Projekt

The Witcher: Monster Slayer will be available on iOS and Android devices later this year. Now we can train to be witchers ourselves as we await season two of the Henry Cavill-led TV adaptation on Netflix.

Featured Image: Spokko/CD Projekt

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Fans of white-haired monster hunters and alluring mages will get a chance to learn even more about the show with the new doc Making The Witcher. It includes interviews with its titular star and huge dork Henry Cavill, as well as cast members Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey. Viewers will also get to hear from the amazing crew behind the camera, including from showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.

The documentary will also show the fight training that went into bringing its memorable showdowns to the screen. And viewers will also get to see the work that went into making the series’ terrifying monsters. The show combined VFX with practical effects from its incredible makeup artists. We’ll also learn how some costume parts were built specifically to withstand physical contact, so Geralt of Rivia could really do his thing.

Netflix

But the documentary will go beyond the physical tasks the show had to overcome. We’ll also get to learn more about how the writers juggled three main characters all on their own adventures through different timelines.

And all of that will help us deal with our own timeline issues. We still aren’t exactly sure when we’ll see season two of The Witcher. But Making The Witcher is available on Netflix now.

Featured Image: Netflix

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We don’t have to worry about literal monsters when we leave our house. But in 2020 there’s still plenty to be fearful of when we go outside. Not that we go out often. It’s not easy to even take a leisurely walk in our own neighborhood these days. But one gamer has figured out a way to get in a whole lot of exercise without leaving his home. He walked around the Continent by connecting his treadmill to The Witcher 3.

My treadmill allows me to walk through Toussaint, with matching incline and speed. from r/witcher

Reddit user pird_berson22 shared this short video (which we first came across at PC Gamer) of him physically walking through The Witcher 3. He traveled through Toussaint, “with matching incline and speed” as the character on screen. His Woodway 4Front treadmill comes with a feature that makes it possible to record synced inclines from certain games, including GTA V, Elder Scrolls Online, Skyrim, and Fallout 3.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds, but maybe not as easy—or as cheap—as you’d hope. It’s not a matter of just connecting the treadmill to the game. He made a first person recording of his trek through Toussaint. The treadmill program pulls “from an XML file where different inclines are stamped at the corresponding distances.” The camera speed is connected to the speed the treadmill is set to.

CD Projekt Red

This is a fun way, especially in 2020, to exercise from the safety of your own home. But it’s an expensive walk. This treadmill costs $10,000. This Witcher 3 player only owns one because he’s an employee of the company. He works on the machine’s software, and says they are used “by every major sports team in America, and the very wealthy mostly.”

That’s a whole lot of coins to toss to your Witcher-treadmill, but at least you’ll safe from the dangers of our continent.

Featured Image: CD Projekt Red

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Despite many claims to the contrary, Henry Cavill’s Geralt proved in The Witcher‘s first season that he cares about Jaskier. The monster hunter did everything he could to save the humble bard’s life after the musician had an unfortunate run-in with a Djinn. But even the best of companions sometimes fight. And as much as the pair’s unlikely friendship was one of our favorite parts of the show, we also loved all the times Geralt swore at Jaskier. The White Wolf is just as good with an f-bomb as he is with a sword. And that’s true even if we don’t actually understand what he’s saying. We know because we can’t stop watching this video of Geralt screaming at Jaskier in other languages.

The Twitter account filmoment created a montage of Geralt saying, “I can’t f***ing sleep!” in English, Italian, German, French, Polish, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian. The very angry, very intense line comes from the show’s fifth episode, “Bottled Appetites.” This moment happens shortly before Geralt digs the genie’s bottle out of the lake in hopes it will grant his wish to get some rest. Unfortunately for Jaskier that nearly resulted in him choking to death.

But the magical run-in wasn’t all bad. Well, not for Geralt that is. His friend’s near-death experience led the witcher to Yennefer. So, you know, you win some/lose some.

Netflix

As for Geralt’s yelling in other languages, the Japanese version is our favorite international take. It’s just a great language for yelling. We were a little surprised by how underwhelming the German version was, but there seems to be a good reason for that. Apparently, as one German-speaking fan postulated, in an effort to closely synch the words with Henry Cavill’s lips it omitted the f-bomb entirely. Boo! Boooooo!

Taking away a master vulgarian’s greatest weapon is like taking away a witcher’s best friend and personal bard. No one wants to f***ing see—or hear—-that.

Featured Image: Netflix

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“My whole life, I’ve dreamed about being dead. I leave my body and I see myself from above, a normal girl. Just normal. I stare at her perfect normality until I wake up and realize I am still the freak I’ve been my whole life.”

With these provocative words, Netflix’s Warrior Nun begins. They are spoken by Ava Silver, the heroine of the new prestige YA series. What is it that Ava wanted to escape from? The reason she dreamed of being dead and, more importantly, normal? It’s her own disability.

As we learn in the first episode of the show, Ava was quadriplegic, a wheelchair user raised by sadistic nuns in a strange and secretive sect. Granted, at first, the tropey setup does appear to offer up the chance to explore the abuse of disabled people at the hands of those who care for them. But instead, we get a story about a hero who couldn’t save the world until she became able-bodied, steeped in the ever-present Hollywood message that a life as a disabled person isn’t one worth living. It was a dangerous trope that the disability community on Twitter–including academic and activist Kim Sauder and author Lillie Lainoff–noticed immediately, inspiring me to check out the show myself.

I was diagnosed with epilepsy in my teens and have since developed mobility issues and a whole lot of chronic pain. Seeing as my disability is for the most part hidden, I’ve been lucky to have largely avoided this very brutal ableism on a personal level. One thing I’ve had to deal with on more than a few encounters: the kind souls who’ve seen me have a seizure and have gushed about how brave I am for trying to live a normal life.

For those who use wheelchairs or have a disability that’s more obvious, these kinds of comments are far more frequent, and often more extreme. I’ve witnessed friends get stopped in the street to be “prayed for” as well as being told, “You’re so amazing, if I was you I’d have killed myself.” These interactions have happened when we’re out at a club, drinking at a bar, or just in a corner store buying eggs and bread.

Netflix

“She was already broken.”

From the outset of Warrior Nun, the show establishes disability as some kind of curse that can be broken and, most dangerously, that being disabled somehow makes you a lesser person and less worthy of a life than being non-disabled.

“She was in Hell already.”

All of the language around Ava as a disabled person is centered around how her life was both disposable and pitiful.

“Maybe I’m dead and this is Hell… at least here my legs work.”

It’s long been common in fiction for disability to serve as some kind horror story for able-bodied people to fear. Within that framework, the concept of the “Magical Disability Cure” that suddenly “fixes” a disabled person and makes them “normal” is a particularly insidious trope, and it has become ever more prevalent in contemporary entertainment.

Barbara Gordon’s paralysis at the hands of the Joker in The Killing Joke was a controversial moment steeped in misogyny; even its writer Alan Moore wishes he could take back. But from that shocking moment came something nigh unseen in the pages of Big Two comics: a superhero who was also a wheelchair user.

The reinvention of Barbara Gordon as the “woman behind the screen,” Oracle, is still one of DC Comics’ most radical choices. She was a hero who wasn’t defined by a disability; she was often given the chance at romance and soon became one of DC’s most influential heroes. Though there is no such thing as a perfect portrayal of disability by an entirely able-bodied creative team, it was a huge step forward for mainstream comics.

DC Comics

When the character was rebranded during the New 52, she was turned back into a non-disabled character, erasing one of Big Two comics’ most iconic disabled heroes as well as leaning into the outdated trope that heroes have to be able-bodied—specifically, to be able to walk—to save the day. She was then rebranded as a cool and hip hero for younger audiences, which seemed to be the reason that the character had been “fixed” in the first place.

The term “Magical Disability Cure” is not hyperbolic. These “fixes” are often completely ridiculous, regularly involving literal magic. In Batgirl, it’s revealed that Babs was “cured” of the need to use a wheelchair by undergoing some high-tech and experimental surgery. In Warrior Nun, Ava is randomly chosen to have a magical metal plate inserted into her back; this brought her back to life and for some reason gave her the ability to walk and run.

The strangest thing about Warrior Nun is that they only introduce Ava’s disability as a “tragic” footnote so it can seem like she’s overcome something. (Her mother died in a car crash and she was raised by abusive nuns; isn’t that a “tragic” enough back story?) In fact, her disability is really only centered briefly so that when she’s “cured” the creators can show her running joyously over the beach, the camera lingering on her now “working” legs and dancing wildly in a small bar… as if people in wheelchairs can experience neither the joy of dancing nor beautiful scenery.

Warner Bros.

It’s not just new stories that employ these narratives. Many of our formative interactions with disabled characters fit into this trope. The Secret Garden is a beloved children’s novel read by kids around the world. As much as the story is about the titular paradise, it’s also about a young boy, Colin, who uses a wheelchair and is apparently a prisoner in his own home. The book’s triumphant ending sees him basically shrug off his disability and reveal that in fact he can walk and live outside of the “confines” of his chair.

On the one hand, this can be read as him just being “sickly” and not really ever “needing” his chair, which plays into harmful ideas about ambulatory wheelchair users faking it. On the other, it’s yet another example of the only happy ending being one where disabled characters are suddenly no longer disabled, rather than the world becoming accessible for them. This sort of ending is proof of these stories being for able-bodied audiences, with the ultimate happiness presented is their status quo.

One of the biggest issues is that these are rarely stories created by disabled people—more specifically, by wheelchair users. That is not to say disabled people never tell stories that use these tropes. Take the 2017 Venom story “Blessing in Disguise,” in which a disabled young girl ended up with the ability to walk after connecting with a symbiote—this being the titular so-called blessing. Rather than the threat and fear in the story deriving from the grotesque alien creature, here it was all directed at a young disabled girl’s body.

A thoughtful piece by Jaz Joyner at Women Write About Comics encouraged “Blessing in Disguise” author Nnedi Okorafor to speak openly about her own experiences as a wheelchair user, which inspired the Venom story. Just like the central character Ngozi, Okorafor had been an athlete who lost the use of her legs. Framing around an acquired disability is common to stories about disabled people; rarely are they from the viewpoint of people who have been disabled their entire lives, and are often about the able-bodied dealing with their new status quo.

Marvel Comics

Though the story still plays into the trope of the magical cure, it is inherently valid as it was closely tied to Okorafor’s own experience of disability and recovering the use of her legs. Just as non-disabled people get to tell warts-and-all stories about themselves, there should be a space for disabled people to do that too. I know there are many disabled people who have thought about the idea of a cure or a quick fix—which comes from the nature of an ableist society that only truly caters to one kind of body—it would be incredible to see more disabled creators get to explore those complex feelings through the lens of exploitation storytelling. But instead, the stories that we do get are often nothing more than able-bodied creators projecting onto the characters their own fears of what they think it’s like to be disabled. And when creators like Okorafor are allowed to tell these stories they are relegated to the back of single comic issues.

When we talk about representation, it is never just about who appears onscreen, but about who gets to tell their own stories. I would love to see angry, complex, flawed art made by disabled creators. The reality is that space is rarely made for disabled stories, and when it is, it is given to able-bodied storytellers (and usually able-bodied actors).

Something else to be noted is that if this trope in particular had been established or more widely explored by disabled creatives, you can be assured that the series that feature them would center the disabled part of these characters lives far more. Whereas what we always see in these narratives is an able-bodied actor who becomes an able-bodied character often mere minutes into the story, leaving no exploration of being disabled outside of assumptions that their new life is better, at all.

There’s an ignorance to stories that center the idea of curing disabilities, one that speaks to a lack of communication with disabled communities, organizers, and activists. See, the problem is not with disabled people or our lives, it’s with a society that’s loath to make even the smallest of adjustments to accommodate disabled people and make spaces more accessible for us.

Netflix

Stories shape the world around us and Warrior Nun, Batgirl, Venom, and The Witcher (which features a magical disability cure which also makes a lady sexy, as if disabled people aren’t and don’t have fulfilling sex lives) play into harmful narratives. All of these tales enforce dangerous tropes: that disabled people don’t have any quality of life, that we don’t have sex, that all we want is to become able-bodied, and, most horrifyingly of all, that we’d rather be dead than to live as our authentic disabled selves. As the world is forever changed by a global pandemic, these tropes are brought to life. Disabled people have long been oppressed, tortured, and traumatized by the medical industry. Often we’re ignored and infantilized. This treatment is, of course, far more prevalent and dangerous for disabled people of color and specifically Black disabled people.

In the wider world, the idea of disabled people having little to no quality of life is normalized. The danger of these ideas can be seen in the reporting on of murders of disabled children at the hands of their parents as mercy killings, as well as a heartbreaking case in 2020. Michael Hickson was diagnosed with COVID-19 at a hospital in Texas. After suffering pneumonia in both lungs and multiple complications, it came time to put him on a ventilator. But, against the wishes of his wife Melissa, the doctors decided that they would no longer treat him as he would never recover what they defined as “quality of life.” Melissa recorded herself questioning the doctor, “What do you mean?” she asked. “Because he’s paralyzed with a brain injury, he doesn’t have quality of life?” The doctor’s response was simply, “Correct.” Michael Hickson died on June 11.

How able-bodied people view the quality of life of disabled people can quite literally shape our lives and, in some cases, deaths. No one is blaming Warrior Nun or any of the examples I’ve given for the death of Hickson or the inherently ableist and racist society that we live in. In fact, one of the saddest things about this plot point is how progressive the rest of the show is. It’s an action-packed adventure with a female lead that has a relatively inclusive cast and is generally quite fun. But they still felt the need to include this harmful trope that at best immediately isolates disabled viewers and at worst pushes a dangerous idea on an unsuspecting audience.

Netflix

Maybe if we had more stories about the broad, messy, brilliant, full, flawed, fantastic lives that disabled people lead, maybe less people would question whether or not we’d rather be dead. Maybe if there were more shows about disabled heroes or folks who have no interest in “fixing” their disability, there would be less fear around our existence or even the idea of being disabled.

As the world reckons with how to make systemic changes both off and on the screen, disability needs to be at the forefront of the conversation. We need more disabled creators of color given space to tell their stories. We need more documentaries like Crip Camp that offer a real view on being disabled. James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham created something truly special with their no-holds-barred celebration of Camp Jened, and the lives of disabled kids who attended the “loose free spirited” summer camp. Shining a light on the exploits of the campers, their lives, loves, adventures, and ultimately the fight for disabled rights in America, Crip Camp is a rare example of showcasing disabled people as whole, happy, and human.

And in the case of contemporary fictional stories like Warrior Nun, The Witcher, and Dr. Strange, we need fantasy creators to see us as heroes, and romantic leads rather than victims and monsters.

Featured Image: Netflix

Rosie Knight is a writer who adores waxing lyrical about the things that she loves. Follow her on Twitter!

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Season one of Netflix’s The Witcher only hinted at the deadly training witchers undergo to became a monster hunter. It’s a life that takes them away from their families and leaves them ostracized from society. (Well, at least those who don’t have their very own Jaskier to sing their praises to the people.) But the series’ showrunner says the second season will focus on family, and that will include meeting Geralt of Rivia‘s brothers in arms. The Witcher will introduce more of the magical men who keep the Continent safe from terrible creatures.

And that could mean seeing them fight together against the monsters of Nilfgaard.

Netflix

In an interview with The Wrap, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said The Witcher‘s second season will include more witchers. Season one only featured one other monster hunter besides Henry Cavill’s Geralt. The striga killed the witcher Remus at the start of episode three, “Betrayer Moon.”

Hissirch also says season two will focus on family. It will explore the unlikely one made up by Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer, but family will also mean “getting Geralt back to his roots and sort of learning where he came from and what his story is and what his sense of family is.”

Netflix

That will send him back to Kaer Morhen where witchers are trained. There, they take part in brutal training and strange rituals that make them magical, monster-fighting beings. But the same process that makes a witcher an outcast on the Continent also bonds him to his fellow trainees. That’s something viewers will get to see firsthand in season two as it explores Geralt’s found family.

“For Geralt, it’s his brothers, it’s the brotherhood of the witchers,” Hissirich says. “So I’m really excited to get back in and meet Vesemir, his father figure, for the first time and all of these men that he was raised with since he was seven years old.”

Vesemir will be played by Danish actor Kim Bodnia. While the show will abandon season one’s multiple timeline approach, we still might get to see a young Geralt at the start of his training. Following one timeline should be easier for some viewers to follow. But Hissirich says that will also allow the series to do flashbacks and flashforwards.

Netflix

What could a flashforward entail? With multiple witchers around, we can definitely dream. Nilfgaard is still after Ciri, who has no family left outside of Geralt. Now that he is protecting her as his own, his brothers are her de facto uncles. And if one witcher will go to war to protect her, the rest might too…

Season one of The Witcher gave us an army of sorcerers and sorceresses in battle. The only way to top that in season two might be an army of witchers.

And there’s no group better to fight the monsters of Nilfgaard.

Featured Image: Netflix

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There was a lot to love about season one of Netflix’s The Witcher. Namely everything. The show, from its cast and characters, to its fight sequences and story, was insane in all the best ways. But one element of the fantasy series has stayed with us from the first moment we saw it and always will. Because “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” lives in our head now, where it will forever play on a continuous loop. That might sound like a bad thing, but only if you haven’t actually heard it. Jaskier the Bard’s lyrical tribute to the Continent’s White Wolf was an instant all-time classic. However, it’s not the only version that exists, because the show’s composers wrote multiple renditions. And now they’ve shared one of those alternate takes.

The “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” solo piano version is exactly what we need played the next time the Law of Surprise leads to an impromptu wedding.

The show’s composers, Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli, have released one of the many other versions of Jaskier’s memorable tune that they wrote for the show. This piano take (which we first heard about at Winter is Coming) perfectly highlights what we love about the song. It starts off melancholy, as though it’s going to be a dirge. But then it picks up, as a rush of energy elevates it into a triumphant celebration of the white-haired hero it’s praising.

We’re not sure if the Continent has any piano players, but this would be a popular arrangement if they did.

Netflix

And while we’re thrilled to have another version of a track we’re genuinely obsessed with, it makes us even more desperate to hear another version we know exists. We got a chance to speak to Belousova and Ostinelli earlier this year. They told us that one of the many alternate takes that exists is a rap version.

Yes. A rap version. A rap version of “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” exists.

Maybe the Continent doesn’t have any pianos. But hopefully it has some rappers.

Featured Image: Netflix

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For years we’ve been wishing Hollywood would slow down so we could catch up on the TV shows. However, it was definitely a mistake to make that wish on a Monkey’s Paw. But since COVID-19 has closed studios around the world and forced us all inside, now is the time for us to actually make a dent in our backlog of series. Don’t worry if you’re not sure where to start though, because we have plenty of great suggestions for what you should watch so you’ll be up-to-date when they return. Here are 12 shows you should catch up on while social-distancing.

Notes: Runtimes are listed as either 30 or 60 minutes, but those are only approximations. Also, exact return dates for many shows are now in question. We do know all of these shows have been renewed and will return eventually.

Carnival Row

Amazon

If you missed out on season one last fall, this is the perfect time to catch up on “the Row.” The arrival of fantasy as a mainstream genre in the last few years has led to shows like this, which can take elements like fairies and magic, and shift them out of the pseudo-medieval time frame and into totally different eras. The first season does you a real solid by containing a self-contained mystery story. It manages to bring a satisfying conclusion to its introductory arc while also still feeling like a cliffhanger via intriguing world-building and dramatic hints at what comes next. (Riley Silverman)

Catch Up On: One season, eight hour-long episodes.

Glow

Netflix

Glow is basically the Stefon of TV shows. It has everything: Betty Gilpin, Marc Maron, laugh out loud comedy, genuine heartbreak and drama, robots serving drugs at parties, women wrestling as absurd racist stereotypes. But the best way to describe the half-hour show is that it’s fitting it stars Alison Brie, because it’s a lot like Mad Men. It’s a beautifully written workplace series anchored by a large, amazing cast that can just as easily make you laugh as they can make you cry. (Mikey Walsh)

Catch Up On: Three seasons, 30 half-hour episodes before the show’s fourth and final season.

Barry

HBO

Barry is one of the best shows of the last decade. I can say that without hyperbole as I watch a lot of TV and even at its lowest Barry rests high above most of the offerings we get. Bill Hader stars as an assassin who finds a new lease of life when he stumbles on an acting class. And though it sounds like a set up ripe for comedy—which it is—it’s actually a devastatingly dark meditation on grief, loss, guilt, and morals. The series also smartly uses male violence as a lens to explore PTSD, domestic abuse, and love. (Rosie Knight)

Catch Up On: Two seasons, 16 half-hour episodes.

Euphoria

HBO

It’s hard to recommend Euphoria in total good conscience, since it’s not the easiest show to sit through. It follows a group of suburban teens experiencing all of the terrifying woes that plague today’s youth. At the center is Rue, played by Zendaya, a drug addicted and mentally ill young woman trapped in a cycle of self-harm. She yearns for her best friend, Jules, a trans girl who sleeps with older men in a desperate attempt to validate her femininity. The show gets into heavy topics—sexual assault, suicidal ideation, domestic abuse, hazing—but it’s a story so beautifully told, it’s worth gritting your teeth and letting it put a spell on you. There are tributes to the work of Paul Thomas Anderson and David Lynch, some of the more incredible young acting you’re likely to see, and a fantastic soundtrack. It’s like an artsier Degrassi on ecstasy. (Lindsey Romain)

Catch Up On: One season, eight one-hour episodes.

Los Espookys

HBO

HBO’s Spanish-language comedy Los Espookys is unlike anything else on TV. It follows a group of strange friends who love all things macabre. They turn their passion for the paranormal into an actual business, which brings them in contact with an even weirder cast of characters—some human, some not of this world. The show is both over-the-top and understated, as it blends silly premises with pitch-perfect deadpan humor. How good is it? Fred Armisen, who produces the show alongside Lorne Michaels, is amazing on the series, and he’s still only the fifth funniest character. (Mikey Walsh)

Catch Up On: One season, six half-hour episodes.

The Boys

Amazon

Imagine the Justice League, but as a bunch of corporately owned, violent sociopaths. Ok, so maybe that doesn’t sound so appealing actually. But Amazon Prime’s adaptation of Garth Ennis’ comic book series The Boys very much is. It takes what could have been another gimmick “edge lord” concept that should only work for 13 year old boys, and makes a truly emotionally compelling and narratively satisfying series out of it. This one will leave your jaw on the floor at least once an episode. (Eric Diaz)

Catch Up On: One season, ten hour long episodes (before season two originally expected “mid” 2020).

Atlanta

FX

Surreal, sincere, and silly all at the same time, Atlanta is one of the most interesting series that FX has created. Centering on Earn (writer, director, and exec-producer Donald Glover) as he deals with life in his hometown after dropping out of Princeton. Glover stars alongside an incredible cast including Bryan Tyree Henry as his cousin who’s on the edge of viral rap stardom, and Zazie Beats as his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child. Though it may sound simple Atlanta is anything but, and is at its best when it leans into the weird and experimental. (Rosie Knight)

Catch Up On: Two seasons, 21 half-hour episodes (before seasons three and four both originally set for 2021).

Lost in Space

Netflix

Need to escape? Then join the family Robinson as they head off on a treacherous adventure into the outer regions of space. Based on the classic novel that inspired the iconic TV show, this reboot throws the family straight into the future as they contend with maniacal threats, hostile planets, and being stuck with each other whilst they’re lost in space. Epic visuals, a stellar cast, and a central mystery that will keep you guessing, Lost in Space is a great binge watch. (Rosie Knight)

Catch Up On: Two seasons, 20 hour-long episodes (before the third and final season coming in the fall of 2021).

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Rumored to be based on the early life of Joan Rivers, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel explores the life of one Midge Maisel, a ‘50s housewife whose husband is a wannabe comedian. Only, she’s the one who’s actually funny in the family. Rachel Brosnaham deserves every award won for this show, but the true standout is Alex Borstein as her potty mouthed manager. This show is the right combo of funny and occasionally heartbreaking, and you’ll finish all three seasons in record time. (Eric Diaz)

Catch Up On: Three seasons, 26 hour-long episodes.

Fargo

FX

There’s a rare ludicrous amount of magic at work with a show like Fargo. On paper, it feels like it should never have worked. But Noah Hawley pulls off a genius-level marriage of visuals and writing. Each season is a standalone, yet slightly connected anthology story that weaves a tale of midwestern criminal enterprises. It balances story, pitch-perfect performances from its cast, while also managing to nail the exact Coen Brothers tone of its inspiration. If you haven’t given this little show a chance yet, get in before the fourth season starts! (Riley Silverman)

Catch Up On: One movie, three seasons, and 30 hour-long episodes (before the nearly-finished season four, hopefully sometime in 2020).

Succession

HBO

Succession is the perfect quarantine binge show. It’s utterly ridiculous and highly addictive, the sort of series you’ll breeze through in a few days with ravenous disregard for little else. It follows the wealthy Roy family, whose New York City conglomerate is constantly threatened by their father Logan’s hot temper. The Roy siblings—Connor, Kendall, Roman, and Shiv—all battle for Logan’s attention in a bid to run the company when he retires. The result is a lot of uncomfortable comedy, frenetic situations, and the occasional highly unfortunate tragedy. Come for sad boy Kendall, stay for the memes. (Lindsey Romain)

Catch Up On: Two seasons, 20 hour-long episodes.

The Witcher

Netflix

Some fantasy shows over explain everything. They constantly hold viewers’ hands, slowing down the action and undercutting meaningful world building. Netflix’s The Witcher doesn’t suffer from this problem, because it takes you by the hand and throws you over a cliff to fend for yourself. It doesn’t have time to waste. The story, characters, universe, and performances are too good to worry about exposition. That approach makes for an exciting, compelling, entertaining journey. And eventually you’ll figure out what’s going on anyway. (Mikey Walsh)

Catch Up On: One season, ten episodes.

Editor’s Note: Carnival Row and Lost in Space are both Legendary productions. Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.

Featured Image: FX/Netflix/HBO

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