What It Means For The Franchise


The Witcher‘s newest spin-off, which was initially considered canceled, has simply quietly dropped on Netflix. The Witcher season 4’s ending introduced a near the controversial installment of the Netflix present. This controversy was pushed primarily by Liam Hemsworth’s function as Geralt, changing Henry Cavill. The Witcher season 5 will finish the present, however not earlier than extra Netflix spin-offs.

After The Witcher: Blood Origin, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, and The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, Netflix has secretly dropped the newest spin-off on the streaming service – The Rats: A Witcher Story. This was evident on Netflix and confirmed by Tudum, revealing that the feature-length particular is out there to view after watching all eight episodes of The Witcher season 4.

What The Rats Spinoff Means For The Witcher

Liam Hemsworth first look as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher season 4

The Rats: A Witcher Story was initially meant as a restricted sequence spin-off akin to Blood Origin, earlier than manufacturing points noticed it condensed into an 80-minute particular. The brief film tells the origin story of The Rats, the group that befriends Ciri all through The Witcher season 4. Regarding what this implies for The Witcher, the scenario foretells the tip of the Netflix franchise.

The Witcher: Blood Origin was not well-received as a spin-off, and the principle present itself has dwindled in reputation. Not solely was this because of the controversy surrounding Cavill’s exit, however the general course wherein The Witcher was heading after season 2. If the alternative have been true, The Rats: A Witcher Story doubtless would have come to fruition as a restricted sequence, as initially deliberate.

Nevertheless, the lowering clamor for extra tales within the franchise noticed it drop quietly alongside The Witcher season 4 with little advertising. This proves that the particular is just meant for the diehard followers who will discover its launch. This does not bode properly for any future Witcher spin-offs that have been deliberate, particularly with the present heading for its fifth and remaining season.

Our Take On The Witcher’s Shock Spinoff Launch

Custom image of Ciri and the "Rats" together in The Witcher season 4
Customized picture of Ciri and the “Rats” collectively in The Witcher season 4
Customized Picture by Joe O’Shea

The Witcher‘s shock launch does, paradoxically, not shock me all that a lot. My very own pleasure for the franchise has been slowly declining since The Witcher season 3’s launch, primarily as a consequence of how the character of Geralt has been dealt with. I’m not one to ignore Hemsworth, and truly suppose he was good within the function in The Witcher season 4.

Shifting past casting adjustments, although, The Witcher appears extra content material to deal with issues apart from, properly, the Witcher. Its political subplots involving different characters past Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri, and Jaskier hardly ever appear to work, and I’ve lengthy struggled to search out them compelling.

Subsequently, I’m not overly stunned that Netflix quietly dropped one other spin-off with out a lot noise. It’s clear that followers of The Witcher merely need an enticing story surrounding its titular character. The Rats: A Witcher Story, irrespective of how a lot it ties into Ciri’s story, strays from that need, making Netflix’s ever-so-quiet launch of the spin-off straightforward to grasp.


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Launch Date

December 20, 2019

Community

Netflix

Showrunner

Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

Administrators

Stephen Surjik, Charlotte Brändström, Edward Bazalgette, Loni Peristere, Louise Hooper, Bola Ogun, Alex Garcia Lopez, Gandja Monteiro, Sarah O’Gorman

Writers

Haily Corridor, Clare Higgins, Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Jenny Klein, Tania Lotia

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  • Headshot Of Anya Chalotra iN tHE UK premiere of The Witcher season 3

    Anya Chalotra

    Yennefer of Vengerberg


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