‘The Witcher’ on Netflix: Everything You Need to Know About Henry Cavill as Geralt

By Kayla Cobb @kaylcobb
Published July 2, 2019, 11:47 a.m. ET

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With the upcoming premiere of The Witcher, Netflix is bracing for one of the most anticipated adaptations of the year. We’ve already covered everything we know about when does The Witcher come out on Netflix and The Witcher Netflix release date, and clued you about Netflix’s first look photos of its cast. Now it’s time to get to know our boy Geralt a bit more.
Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and based on the novel series of the same name by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia. A powerful warrior with a secret soft spot, the monster hunter is tasked with finding and defending the young Princess Ciri in this fantastical and brutal world. That quest will lead him on an adventure that involves secrets, corrupt politicians, complicated former loves, and oh-so-many monsters.
From what we’ve seen, Netflix’s The Witcher looks promising, and we’re bound to learn more at the show’s upcoming San Diego Comic Con panel. But for now here’s everything we know about Henry Cavill as Geralt in The Witcher.

Henry Cavill as Geralt: How He Was Cast, and What Fans Think

It was inevitable that The Witcher would be eyed for a television adaptation. The iconic video game Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has been awarded multiple Game of the Year awards, and after the success of Game of Thrones most networks have been eager to find their own high fantasy dramas. However, Henry Cavill himself was the one to confirm that Netflix was moving ahead with The Witcher project. In a cheeky Instagram post, the actor announced his casting as Geralt of Rivia.


Shortly after, Netflix’s See What’s Next Twitter account confirmed the news and show creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich excitedly elaborated on Cavill’s casting in her own tweet. According to Hissrich, Cavill was her first choice to play Geralt and she loved the energy he brought to the role.

Despite Hissrich’s excitement, fans were largely dismissive of the casting. Many argued that because the original author of The Witcher series Andrzej Sapkowski is Polish, the Netflix show should have gone with primarily European actors. Mads Mikkelsen, the Danish actor known for starring as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the beloved cult hit Hannibal, was suggested as a better option.
Critics of Cavill largely pointed to his performance in the Superman movies, arguing that he’s too chiseled and good at playing a “boy scout” to capture the brooding Geralt. That casting mockery only increased when Netflix released its first look as Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, complete with a questionable wig.
Cavill does have his defenders, though. Decider’s Meghan O’Keefe argued that dropping Superman for Geralt was a smart move for the star. Only time will tell if Cavill can capture the grumbling Geralt we know and love.

Does Geralt Have Two Swords In The Books?

It wasn’t just Geralt’s wig that stirred up controversy. In July Netflix released several first look photos for The Witcher, one of which included a brooding Geralt standing over a cliff and only carrying one sword. That single blade immediately caught fans off guard. Much of the gameplay in Witcher 3: Wild Hunt revolves around Geralt switching between his iron sword that’s used to kill people and animals and his silver sword used to kill monsters.
But don’t worry! Netflix’s Geralt still probably has two swords. In Andrzej Sapkowski’s original books it’s noted that Geralt typically has his iron sword strapped to his back like a bow. He often keeps his second silver sword on his horse, Roach. Because we haven’t seen Roach yet we haven’t seen this monster killing sword.

How Netflix’s Geralt Connects To The Witcher Books

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When Netflix first announced the series, the streaming giant said that The Witcher would be based on the book series. The full description for the upcoming eight-episode show reflects that focus:

Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.
Based on the limited amount of information we have, it seems as though The Witcher is going to take its plot, characters, and themes from Sapkowski’s original novels. That said, so far the aesthetics certainly look like they’re inspired by Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Is Mads Mikkelsen Geralt In Netflix’s The Witcher?

As far as we know, Mads Mikkelsen isn’t in Netflix’s upcoming Witcher series. The Hannibal star was an early fan favorite to play Geralt of Rivia. People even made trailer mock ups around the potential casting. But ultimately Cavill is the one with two swords, a loyal horse, and a metric ton of magic.