The Witcher is one series that has been on the tip of everyone’s tongue’s ever since Henry Cavill decided to step out of the show. Netflix has tried its very best to reach out to the audience and work its way around the pickle that the series has stuck itself into but, is somehow not being successful in that. There had been a lot of controversy surrounding the seasons after the first.
This all was further made concrete when it became obvious that the series was trying very hard to not stick completely to the source material. It was drifting here and there to make sure it was not an exact replica of the books and the games. Beau DeMayo has given out a little insight into what was the case behind the scenes.
The Witcher Writers Did Not Want To Stick To The Books
Henry Cavill has always been open about his love for The Witcher books and how he would occasionally make changes in the script when he would see a lot of scenes trailing away from the original source. This had also been the main reason why he gave up the role in the first place. Beau DeMayo, the writer for the anime movie, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf and two episodes of the series as well, has also parted ways from the franchise, but not without revealing certain aspects of the writers that would make it clear as to why the writers are so adamant on staying away from the source.
“It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you’re allowed to add to its legacy.”
He stated that while joining the writing team for the animated project X-Men ’97, the main requirement for the writers had been that they were supposed to be massive fans of the mutants and their stories. This made him remember how that had been far from the case when it came to The Witcher. There it was evident that many writers, none of whom he named, were not fans of the books, and neither did they want to use any of them as a source for the series.
Lauren Hissrich Had Different Criteria When Hiring Writers For The Witcher
Lauren Hissrich, the creator of The Witcher stated that it was important to have people who were dedicated to the source material while also having people who weren’t. When making an adaptation, it becomes necessary to make sure that not every aspect of the source material is copied and that there is some original work here and there.
“When you write an adaptation, you have to be familiar with the original work. Yes. Of course. The writers and staff on The Witcher had to read all of the books, and had to appreciate/enjoy the genre. But I specifically didn’t seek out ten Sapkowski scholars.”
Although there had been a lot of internal feuds regarding DeMayo’s departure, Matthew D’Ambrosio revealed that he had actually been fired for being physically and emotionally abusive while at work. Although there is no confirmation of either of those claims, DeMayo will not be returning to the franchise.
The Witcher’s third season will air on Netflix during the summer of 2023.
Also Read: Henry Cavill Confirmed Netflix Cut a Major ‘The Witcher’ Season 1 Ciri Scene – May Never Release it
Source: @beau_demayo on Instagram
