“The Witcher is in a state of flux. You are becoming something new,” intones Laurence Fishburne’s barber-surgeon Regis in this new teaser trailer for Season 4 of The Witcher.
Regis is giving voice to what most fans of the sweeping fantasy drama already know. Liam Hemsworth is taking over the role, made famous by Henry Cavill, in the show’s upcoming fourth season, meaning Geralt of Rivia is about to look and sound very different. Or is he?
Fans have been treated to table-read footage, and some first look photos ahead of the new season, but the new teaser is an opportunity to see Hemsworth properly in action as Geralt … and if first impressions are accurate, this new version of the White Wolf shows a little less swagger, a little more anger, but still feels like the character we have known for the last three seasons.
Following Season 3’s literal contnient-shifting events Season 3 of the series will find Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri struggling to reunite. Separated by foes and war, this fractured family will do whatever it takes to find each other again.
Netflix teases that “As their paths diverge, and their goals sharpen, they stumble on unexpected allies eager to join their journeys. And if they can accept these found families, they just might have a chance at reuniting for good…”
“I was such a big fan of this character, so it was a bit of those pinch-yourself moments of walking around in this costume,” Hemsworth told Netflix. “We pick up Geralt having just left Brokilon, he’s with Milva [Meng’er Zhang] and Jaskier [Joey Batey], and his main driving force is to get to Ciri and make sure that she’s safe.” says Hemsworth.
Following chaotic scenes at Aretuza, Yennefer now finds herself in a leadership role, and tasked with building an army. “At the beginning of Season 4, she’s ready to do anything to protect her daughter, Ciri, and make this world better for her — to dig deeper than she’s ever had to dig before,” says Anya Chalotra of her character.
Meanwhile, Ciri is undercover under the pseudonym “Falka” and travelling with the Rats, an infamous band of vagabonds. Season 4 promises to show a fiercer and more violent side to Ciri. “She sees that she can’t just lead with pure goodness,” says Freya Allan, “but she’s navigating the balance — at times the pain and the hunger for some kind of revenge goes too far down the dark path.”
This season will also introduce a new character Regis, a barber-surgeon with secrets of his own. We are told that Regis’ arrival signals a pivotal shift in Geralt as he embarks on a personal transformation.
“I was just really excited to be a part of this world,” Fishburne told Netflix. “I’m a big fan of fantasy and science fiction, and when they asked me to join them, I was like, ‘Oh, this is interesting.’ This is something I’ve always wished to be able to do, and now I’m getting an opportunity to do it.”
Catch the trailer and official first look photos from Season 4 below.
The Witcher returns for Season 4 on October 30 on Netflix.
