Streaming giant Netflix is seemingly moving away from The Witcher expansion, with recent cancellations.
As per the insights from Redanian Intelligence and further reported by What’s on Netflix, it turns out Netflix has halted production on two planned spin-offs of The Witcher — namely, The Rats and an undefined project aimed at younger audiences. The animated feature, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, voice starring Doug Cockle as Geralt, is now set to be the final offshoot of the beloved fantasy series.
What is Known about The Rats?
Details on the cancelled children-focused series remain scarce, but more light was shed on The Rats. This series would have served as a prequel revolving around a group of teenagers, introduced in The Witcher Season 3’s finale. The narrative would have chronicled their journey as they came together amidst war and turned to a life of crime, long before their paths crossed with Ciri’s.
Two months of production for The Rats took place in South Africa during 2023, with Mairzee Almas (known for The Sandman, Shadow & Bone) directing. However, after reviewing post-produced footage, Netflix chose to abort the rest of the production. Neither will the content from The Rats be recrafted into a movie format.
There is word, though, that Netflix has considered integrating some scenes from The Rats as flashbacks in the forthcoming fourth season of The Witcher, but nothing has been set in stone.
Concluding Saga: The Witcher Season 5 Marks the End
The Witcher series, created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, hit Netflix screens on December 20, 2019, led by Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Geralt of Rivia. Though the series faced a mixed critical response, Cavill’s performance quickly became a fan favorite. Departing from the show after Season 3 due to creative differences, Cavill has been succeeded by Liam Hemsworth, who is set to carry the torch forward as Geralt.
Hemsworth, known for his role as Gale in The Hunger Games film series, is scheduled to take over as Geralt from Season 4. With Season 4 production underway in April 2024, and Season 5 still in the scripting phase, these two installments are geared up to adapt the last three books of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher saga.
The available three seasons of The Witcher continue to entertain fans on Netflix.
FAQ about The Witcher Spin-Offs and Series Future:
- Why were the two The Witcher spin-off shows cancelled?
- Netflix has not publicly detailed why the two spin-offs were cancelled. However, their decision came after reviewing post-produced footage from The Rats.
- Will The Witcher Season 4 still include elements from The Rats?
- While it is rumored that Netflix might include some footage from The Rats as flashbacks in The Witcher Season 4, no confirmation has been provided.
- Who is replacing Henry Cavill as Geralt?
- Liam Hemsworth will take over the role of Geralt from Henry Cavill starting with Season 4.
- Is Season 5 the last season of The Witcher on Netflix?
- Yes, according to current plans, Season 5 is set to conclude the series on Netflix.
Conclusion:
The Witcher universe on Netflix seems to be approaching its end not just with the cancellation of two promising spin-offs, but also with the confirmed conclusion of the main series with its fifth season. While the abrupt end of The Rats and the unnamed children’s project is disappointing for fans, there is still anticipation for the new lead, Liam Hemsworth, and the storytelling that will wrap up The Witcher’s tumultuous journey. Fans can only hope that the final two seasons will honor the rich tapestry Andrzej Sapkowski created and provide a fitting conclusion to the dark and mystical tale of Geralt of Rivia.