There had been a lot of controversy surrounding Netflix’s The Witcher following the exit of its original lead star Henry Cavill, and now, with The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth taking over the role of Geralt of Rivia, the murmurs have turned into an uproar.
It is widely known that Cavill left the project because of creative differences, and if the show could not remain faithful to the source material, there is no way he can continue working for the next installments. As a huge fan of The Witcher games, Cavill wanted to stick to the lore as much as possible.
Joey Batey Comments On Liam Hemsworth Replacing Henry Cavill
Liam Hemsworth is going to be the new face of The Witcher franchise from season 4. Fans are revolted by this idea, and their disappointment with Henry Cavill’s exit has not settled yet. Now, in a new interview with It’s Gone Viral, co-star Joey Batey who plays Jaskier, addressed some of the issues:
“I don’t really pay attention to a lot of the noise. I’m not really on social media or anything. But what I do know is a lot of these fans have been with us since before the show existed. They’re fans of Mr. Sapkowski’s writing, they’re fans of the games, and there is a certain sense of ownership over these stories and of these characters – and quite rightly so.”
The 34-year-old musician, who portrays the role of a bard in The Witcher, sympathized with fans and validated their feelings toward this whole fiasco:
“I think it’s a testament to Henry’s hard work, and Henry’s skill and talent, that everyone’s going, ‘But no, don’t leave, you were great! The sheer affection and fondness and love that they have for him that there is such a vocal outcry at it.”
At the same time, he acknowledged Hemsworth as the new Geralt of Rivia and expressed how big of a responsibility the Australian actor now carries on his back:
“It really is the end of an era and the start of a new one with Liam. I know that Liam is working so hard, training already and things like that – to come in and step into these enormous shoes.”
Batey articulated his thoughts in a way that showed support for both of his co-stars. The Witcher Season 3 is Cavill’s final stint as Geralt of Rivia, with the first volume already streaming on Netflix.
Liam Hemsworth Is Already Prepping For His Role As Geralt Of Rivia
After Henry Cavill officially passed on the torch to Liam Hemsworth, the latter accepted the duty with humility and sincerity. Along with this is the rigorous training he needs to do to fully embody the character.
Joey Batey spoke with GamesRadar+ and revealed that the new leading man is already doing his research and getting those muscles moving:
“I’ve been in contact with him. We’ve been emailing, we’ve been exchanging our favorite quotes from the books, and things like that. I don’t think any of us are in the position to advise on playing Geralt, but he’s throwing himself into it. His training regime is insane, and he’s been devouring the books.”
It’s not yet known when fans will witness Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia, as production for Season 4 is yet to begin. Meanwhile, the final three episodes of The Witcher Season 3 will drop on Netflix this July 27.
Sources: It’s Gone Viral, GamesRadar+
