The Witcher’s Anya Chalotra Speaks Out About Henry Cavill’s Departure, Saying “We All Adore Him”
Anya Chalotra, the actress who portrays Yennefer in The Witcher, has decided to speak up about Henry Cavill’s departure from the Netflix series and is considering the show’s future in his absence.
As fans prepare for the last episodes, Anya Chalotra, the actress who plays Yennefer in The Witcher, finally speaks about Henry Cavill’s upcoming departure.
Cavill has been at the forefront of the Netflix adaptation of the fantasy novels, portraying Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter whose destiny is intertwined with Cintran crown princess Ciri and the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg, who is of quarter-elf heritage.
In the upcoming third season of The Witcher, Geralt, and Yennefer will journey to Aretuza to protect Ciri and initiate her magical training, only to find themselves embroiled in a web of political corruption and sinister sorcery.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly to delve into the upcoming season of the popular Netflix series, Anya Chalotra expressed her thoughts on Henry Cavill’s departure from The Witcher.
The actress, known for her role as Yennefer, mentioned that the ambiance on set remained unchanged during the wrap-up of the previous seasons. However, she admitted that she would deeply miss Cavill as they move forward into the show’s future. Below, you can find Chalotra’s exact words on the matter.
The emotions we experienced as the season ended were primarily ones of pride, love, and a sense of achievement for what we had accomplished. Instead of focusing on anything else, we dwelled on that moment.
However, the news of Henry Cavill’s departure was undoubtedly difficult to accept since he plays a vital role in the show and is adored by all of us. We will sincerely miss him. I genuinely wish him the very best.
Without Henry Cavill, will The Witcher Survive?
Just as Henry Cavill was preparing for a significant comeback as Superman in the DC Universe, including a cameo in Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, his plans were derailed when James Gunn took over the project, resulting in the cancellation of Cavill’s future involvement.
Shortly after, Liam Hemsworth was swiftly chosen to take over Cavill’s role for The Witcher season 4. Meanwhile, Cavill embarked on various new ventures, including a series of adaptations of Warhammer for Amazon Studios, creating an entirely new universe.
Despite showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich’s confidence in the show’s ability to continue without him, there has been an ongoing debate about whether The Witcher can thrive without Henry Cavill leading the cast. This discussion has been fueled by the recent release of The Witcher season 3 trailer, which received many dislikes from viewers.
The comment section, comprising around 11,000 comments, predominantly expressed frustration regarding Cavill’s departure and rumors of creative conflicts involving him, Hissrich, and Netflix. Additionally, last year’s prequel spinoff, The Witcher: Blood Origin, faced substantial negative reviews, including review bombing by Cavill’s fans, criticizing its writing, characters, and departure from the source material.
While the mainline The Witcher series may face uncertainty without Cavill in the lead role, it doesn’t automatically indicate the franchise’s end for Netflix. The streaming platform is actively developing an animated Witcher movie and a family-friendly animated series.
Furthermore, Blood Origin showrunner Declan de Barra hinted in December that additional spinoffs might be in the works. Netflix is also experimenting with a two-part release model similar to Stranger Things season 4.
It will be intriguing to see if The Witcher season 3, scheduled to premiere on June 29, can achieve the same level of success.
Liam Hemsworth Gets Deepfaked Into The Witcher
The Witcher fans will need to exercise patience until 2024 to witness Liam Hemsworth taking over from Cavill, but in terms of appearances, Netflix could have made less favorable choices.
The Witcher fans have had almost four months to come to terms with Henry Cavill no longer being part of the Netflix series. Although Liam Hemsworth’s portrayal will only be seen in season 4, a recent Deepfake video showcases his convincing depiction of Geralt of Rivia.
When Cavill announced his departure in October, little attention was given to who would replace him. The overall sentiment among fans was that, despite the differences between the series, books, and games, Cavill was the perfect fit for the role of Geralt.
With The Witcher season 3 set to premiere in the summer, viewers will have one final chapter with Cavill before the show confronts its most challenging task yet – continuing without its lead actor.
Nevertheless, based on this Deepfake video created by the Stryder HD YouTube channel, Hemsworth appears to visually resemble the character quite well despite not acting in the selected clips taken from Cavill’s two seasons as Geralt.
The fact that Cavill wore the iconic white long-hair wig, contact lenses, and a beard to embody the Witcher’s appearance entirely certainly contributes to the likeness.
Regarding appearances alone, it is challenging to dispute Hemsworth’s suitability for the role. However, whether the Australian actor can match his predecessor’s performances remains to be answered.
Stryder HD’s YouTube channel currently features two such clips, demonstrating that Deepfakes are more effectively created for scenes with low lighting, as Hemsworth’s face blends in more seamlessly. Stryder, a video editor and producer with a specific interest in Deepfake technology, has previously produced works such as transforming Tom Cruise into an Iron Man variant, envisioning Elliot Page in The Last of Us instead of Bella Ramsey, and teasing Harrison Ford’s potential role as the Commander-in-Chief in Captain America 4: New World Order within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Considering the comments section on both Witcher videos, the franchise’s fanbase has not changed its opinion about Cavill’s departure. Most comments indicate no issue with Hemsworth but rather express ongoing disappointment about the loss of the original portrayal of Geralt.
Since Cavill’s release, various sources have claimed that disagreements with The Witcher’s creative team prompted his exit. According to a former writer, there was a perceived lack of respect for Andrzej Sapkowski’s source material and CD Projekt Red’s video games.
The failure of Henry Cavill’s potential transition from The Witcher to Superman has only exacerbated the circumstances surrounding his departure, making it appear more unfavorable. Regarding Netflix’s Witcherverse, the Blood Origin spinoff received overwhelmingly negative reviews.
Therefore, regardless of the use of Deepfakes, Liam Hemsworth faces a significant challenge ahead of him.
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Reaction to Henry Cavill’s Exit from The Witcher
Since the news of Henry Cavill’s departure broke, fans have expressed their dissatisfaction, with many demanding that Season 3 of The Witcher be the final season. Showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich even admitted to considering the same possibility when faced with Cavill’s exit, as it prompted her and Netflix to contemplate the decision of recasting the role of Geralt.
However, despite Cavill’s schedule opening up shortly afterward, as he was not ultimately cast as Superman as anticipated, a return to The Witcher was ruled out. Instead, Cavill joined a live-action television adaptation of the Warhammer 40,000 video game series.
Simson is set to return to her Season 2 character, Francesca Findabair, in The Witcher Season 3 alongside Cavill, as confirmed in a recent trailer. The upcoming season of The Witcher will consist of eight episodes, divided into two parts. Volume 1 will encompass Episodes 1-5, while Volume 2 will include Episodes 6-8.
Following Seasons 4 and 5, which will feature Hemsworth, reports have indicated that the show is likely to conclude with the last season. However, neither Netflix nor Hissrich has officially confirmed these reports.
