Netflix’s The Witcher is preparing for Liam Hemsworth’s debut as Geralt of Rivia in season 4, but now Vesemir is also being recast, and this is good news for Hemsworth. Netflix’s The Witcher is the first English language adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels of the same name, though this world was already very popular thanks to the books and their video game adaptations. Still, Netflix’s adaptation expanded The Witcher’s fanbase, and though it had a solid start, it was quickly met with backlash for the many creative liberties it has taken.
The Witcher season 3 was an improvement, but the show is about to face its biggest challenge after Henry Cavill’s departure. Taking over the role of Geralt is Liam Hemsworth, and there’s already a lot of anticipation but also worry around Hemsworth’s performance, mostly after how well-received Cavill’s was. Now, The Witcher season 4 is going through another recast as Kim Bodnia won’t return as Geralt’s mentor Vesemir, but as surprising as this is, a new Vesemir is actually good news for Hemsworth’s Geralt.
Vesemir’s Return Suggests A Bigger Role In The Witcher’s Story
Vesemir Doesn’t Have A Big Role In The Rest Of The Books
Vesemir is the oldest living witcher and mentor of Geralt, Eskel, Lambert, and other witchers. Vesemir is also a father figure to Geralt after his mother, Visenna, gave him to Vesemir, and he’s also one of the few members of the School of the Wolf to survive the assault on Kaer Morhen. Vesemir is one of the most important characters in Geralt’s life and The Witcher books, and he made his debut on the Netflix TV series in season 2. Vesemir was played by Kim Bodnia after the character had a voice cameo in season 1, played by Theo James.
Vesemir was the main character in the animated
Witcher
prequel movie
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
, where he was voiced by Theo James.
Vesemir welcomed Geralt back to Kaer Morhen and took Ciri in, and told her about the history of witchers while Lambert and Coën trained her in different types of combat. Vesemir later learned that Ciri has Elder Blood, a key ingredient in the creation of the serum that creates witchers. After the fall of Kaer Morhen, no more serum could be made and thus no more witchers were created, so Vesemir saw a new possibility in Ciri and her blood. Vesemir was last seen defending Kaer Morhen from the Voleth Meir, and at the end of The Witcher season 2, Ciri, Geralt, and Yennefer left Kaer Morhen.
Despite his role in season 2,
The Witcher
didn’t really go into the relationship between Vesemir and Geralt.
If Netflix is going through the process of recasting Vesemir for The Witcher season 4, it suggests there’s a bigger role for the old witcher in the upcoming season, even if that isn’t the case in the books. Despite his role in season 2, The Witcher didn’t really go into the relationship between Vesemir and Geralt, and this could finally be addressed in season 4.
Vesemir’s Recasting Can Help Give Liam Hemsworth’s Geralt A Cleaner Slate
Geralt Won’t Be The Only Character Getting A New Actor
The relationship and dynamic between Vesemir and Geralt are key to understanding the latter’s past and why he is the way he is now. Vesemir and Geralt have gone through a lot together, and, funny enough, they are now going through recasts together. Having a new Vesemir with a new Geralt brings a completely new and fresh dynamic to the characters that will pretty much be a fresh start for both after the chaos that was The Witcher season 2.
Among the challenges Hemsworth will face in The Witcher season 4 is his dynamic with other, already established characters, mostly Jaskier, Ciri, and Yennefer. With a new actor playing Vesemir, it gives Hemsworth a cleaner slate and will make his and the new Vesemir’s debut a lot smoother for both, and they will also benefit from the few and not-so-deep interactions between Cavill’s Geralt and Bodnia’s Vesemir in season 2.
What To Expect From Vesemir & Geralt’s Story In The Witcher Seasons 4 & 5
Netflix’s The Witcher Didn’t Fully Go Into Vesemir & Geralt’s Story
The Witcher season 4 is expected to cover the events of Baptism of Fire and, quite possibly, The Tower of the Swallow, as the show will end with its fifth season and there are two more novels left. Vesemir isn’t featured in Baptism of Fire, and he has a very brief appearance in The Tower of the Swallow. Netflix The Witcher will have to deviate from the source material (again) if it brings Vesemir back in season 4 in a bigger capacity and not just in flashbacks, so it’s possible Geralt could travel to Kaer Morhen for help to find Ciri.
As Geralt is now pretty much Ciri’s father figure, reuniting with Vesemir now that he’s desperately looking for her could be the perfect way to explore Vesemir and Geralt’s father/son dynamic. The Witcher’s Vesemir recast will benefit both the old witcher and Hemsworth’s Geralt, and the show can finally properly explore the bond between them, their dynamic beyond mentor/mentee, and the aftermath of the disaster at Kaer Morhen from season 2.
Based on the novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the video games, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. “Ciri” Cirilla is the Princess of Cintra, who has magical abilities and whose fate has been linked to Geralt’s. Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress who trains to become a mage before deserting her duties and going solo, is also a main character in the Netflix series. The show’s storylines are intertwined but told throughout different timelines, all of which eventually catch up to Ciri’s, whose timeline of events is the most recent. Set on the Continent where men, monsters, and elves exist together, the characters all have separate journeys, though their destinies bring them into each others’ orbits.
- Cast
- Tom Canton , Maciej Musial , Björn Hlynur Haraldsson , Anna Shaffer , MyAnna Buring , Lars Mikkelsen , Royce Pierreson , Eamon Farren , Wilson Radjou-Pujalte , Joey Batey , Jodhi May , Therica Wilson-Read , Anya Chalotra , Mimi Ndiweni , Henry Cavill , Freya Allan , Adam Levy , Amit Shah , Liam Hemsworth , Laurence Fishburne
- Release Date
- December 20, 2019
- Showrunner
- Lauren Schmidt Hissrich
