The Witcher is a fantasy drama television series created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich for Netflix. It is inspired by the book series written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The story takes place on a fictional, medieval-inspired land called the Continent. The series follows the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Princess Ciri. The show features Henry Cavill and Liam Hemsworth as Geralt, with Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan in other roles.

The first season, which has eight episodes, was released on Netflix on December 20, 2019. Henry Cavill played Geralt in this season, which is based on The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, two collections of short stories that come before the main The Witcher story. The second season, also with eight episodes and based on the novel Blood of Elves, was released on December 17, 2021. The third season, which has eight episodes and is based on the novel Time of Contempt, was released in two parts on June 29 and July 27, 2023. Liam Hemsworth took over the role of Geralt of Rivia in the fourth season, which is based on the novel Baptism of Fire. This season, with eight episodes, was released on October 30, 2025. In April 2024, the series was announced to have a fifth and final season.

An animated movie called Nightmare of the Wolf, which tells the beginning of the story, was released on August 23, 2021. A prequel miniseries titled Blood Origin was released on December 25, 2022. A second animated film, Sirens of the Deep, came out on February 11, 2025. A feature-length special called The Rats: A Witcher Tale was released on October 30, 2025.

Synopsis

The story starts with Geralt of Rivia, Crown Princess Cirilla of Cintra, and a sorceress who is one-quarter elf, Yennefer of Vengerberg, at different times. It shows important events that help shape their characters during the first season before these separate stories come together into one timeline.

Geralt and Ciri are connected by destiny even before Ciri was born. Geralt unknowingly asked for Ciri as a reward for his work by using "the Law of Surprise." After they meet, Geralt becomes Ciri's protector. He helps her and fights against people trying to capture her to stop her powerful magic and special bloodline from being used for harmful goals. His actions aim to keep Ciri and their world safe.

Cast and characters

• Henry Cavill (Seasons 1–3) and Liam Hemsworth (Season 4) as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter with magical powers known as a "witcher." He is connected to Princess Ciri of Cintra through a concept called "destiny."
• Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress with one-quarter elf heritage and Geralt's closest ally.
• Freya Allan as Ciri / "Falka," or Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, the princess of Cintra who has a special gene called "Elder Blood" that gives her strong magical abilities.
• Eamon Farren as Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, nicknamed the "Black Knight," a commander in the Nilfgaardian army who leads the invasion of Cintra and searches for Ciri.
• Joey Batey as Jaskier, a traveling bard who becomes friends with Geralt and joins him on his journey.
• MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries (Seasons 1–3; guest in Season 4), Yennefer's teacher and the head of Aretuza, a school for sorceresses.
• Mimî M. Khayisa as Fringilla Vigo, a sorceress who trained with Yennefer and later helps the Nilfgaardian Empire.
• Anna Shaffer as Triss Merigold, the royal sorceress of the kingdom of Temeria.
• Royce Pierreson as Istredd, a skilled mage and historian who befriends Yennefer.
• Wilson Mbomio as Dara (Seasons 1–3), an elf boy who becomes friends with Ciri.
• Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz of Roggeveen, a charismatic sorcerer who gathers northern mages to stop the Nilfgaardian army and later leads the Brotherhood of Mages.
• Tom Canton as Filavandrel (Seasons 2–3; guest in Season 1), the king of the elves and husband of Francesca.
• Mecia Simson as Francesca Findabair (Seasons 2–present), an elven sorceress and queen of the elves who fights for her people's freedom.
• Kim Bodnia (Season 2) and Peter Mullan (guest in Season 4) as Vesemir, the oldest witcher and Geralt's mentor. Theo James voices a young version of Vesemir in the animated prequel The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
• Graham McTavish as Sigismund Dijkstra (Seasons 3–present; recurring in Season 2), the leader of Redanian Intelligence and advisor to the ruler of Redania. McTavish also voices Deglan in The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
• Cassie Clare as Philippa Eilhart (Seasons 3–present; guest in Season 2), a sorceress who can change her shape and works with Dijkstra.
• Hugh Skinner as Prince Radovid (Seasons 3–present), the prince of Redania and later Jaskier's lover.
• Bart Edwards as Duny, the "Urcheon of Erlenwald" / Emperor Emhyr var Emreis (Seasons 3–present; guest in Seasons 1–2), the ruler of the Nilfgaardian Empire and Ciri's father, who was once cursed and turned into a hedgehog-like creature until midnight.
• Meng'er Zhang as Milva (Season 4; guest in Season 3), a skilled archer from the Brokilon Forest who joins Geralt.
• Danny Woodburn as Zoltan Chivay (Season 4), a dwarf warrior who befriends Geralt.
• Christelle Elwin, Ben Radcliffe, Fabian McCallum, Aggy K. Adams, Connor Crawford, and Juliette Alexandra as Mistle, Giselher, Kayleigh, Iskra, Asse, and Reef (Season 4; guest in Season 3), a group of young criminals known as the Rats who meet Ciri.
• Laurence Fishburne as Emiel Regis (Season 4), a mysterious vampire and barber surgeon who travels with Geralt.

• Lars Mikkelsen as Stregobor (Seasons 1, 3; guest in Season 2), a mage in the town of Blaviken and head of Ban Ard, a school for male mages.
• Jodhi May as Queen Calanthe (Season 1; guest in Seasons 2–3), the ruler of Cintra and Ciri's grandmother.
• Packy Lee as Nohorn, a bandit and member of Renfri's gang.
• Mia McKenna-Bruce as Marilka, the daughter of the mayor of Blaviken.
• Maciej Musiał as Sir Lazlo, a knight who protects Ciri.
• Tobi Bamtefa as Sir Danek, the leader of Cintra's royal guard.
• Natasha Culzac as Toruviel, an elven warrior who serves Filavandrel.
• Amit Shah as Torque, a creature called a "sylvan" who works for Filavandrel.
• Shaun Dooley as King Foltest (Seasons 1–2, 4), the ruler of Temeria, whose relationship with his sister caused a daughter to be born.
• Jade Croot as Adda the White, Foltest's daughter who suffers from a curse that turns her into a striga.
• Julian Rhind-Tutt as Giltine, the enchanter of Aretuza.
• Josette Simon (Season 1) and Lorna Brown (Season 3) as unnamed characters.

Episodes

The first season is based on The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. A website that shows the timeline of the show and includes detailed summaries of events was created later by Netflix.

The second season is based on "A Grain of Truth" from The Last Wish, Blood of Elves, and the beginning of Time of Contempt.

The third season is based on Time of Contempt and includes some parts of Blood of Elves and parts of Baptism of Fire.

The fourth season is based on the remaining parts of Baptism of Fire and The Tower of the Swallow.

The episodes of the fifth season were written by:
1. Javier Grillo-Marxuach
2. Tera Vale Ragan
3. Troy Dangerfield
4. Clare Higgins and Rae Benjamin
5. Matthew D'Ambrosio
6. Tania Lotia
7. Mike Ostrowski
8. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

Production

Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher book series was first planned as a single Netflix movie. However, Kelly Luegenbiehl, Netflix's Vice President of International Originals, suggested this was not the best idea. She asked the producers, "How can you take eight novels and turn them into one film? There is so much material here." After discussions, the producers decided to create a TV series instead. In May 2017, Netflix announced the start of production on an English-language drama TV series based on the books.

In December 2017, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich was named the showrunner for the series. In April 2018, she said the pilot episode's script was completed and the first season would have eight episodes. In 2017, Sapkowski was reported to be a creative consultant, but in January 2018, he denied being involved. However, he met with Schmidt Hissrich in April 2018, and by May 2018, she stated Sapkowski was part of the creative team. In August 2018, Andrew Laws was named production designer. In December 2018, directors Alik Sakharov and Charlotte Brändström joined the project. Schmidt Hissrich said the adaptation would stay true to Sapkowski's books but make changes to fit television storytelling. This included using a non-linear timeline in the first season to introduce characters like Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri. The first season used Sapkowski's short story collections, The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, to build the world and characters before moving into the main story.

Netflix announced a second season in November 2019, with the working title "Mysterious Monsters." Production began in London in early 2020, with a planned release in 2021. In April 2021, Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the second season would premiere in the fourth quarter of 2021. In July 2021, it was confirmed the second season would air on December 17, 2021. In September 2021, Netflix announced a third season. In April 2023, it was announced the third season would be split into two parts, released on June 29 and July 27, 2023. In April 2024, Netflix renewed the series for a fifth and final season while filming the fourth.

Because of the series' success, Netflix expanded the franchise with the animated film Nightmare of the Wolf (2021), which focuses on Vesemir, and the live-action prequel Blood Origin (2022), set over a thousand years before Geralt's time.

The first season used a non-linear storytelling approach, covering different time periods. Schmidt Hissrich said this was inspired by Christopher Nolan's 2017 film Dunkirk. She noted Yennefer's story spans about 70 years, while Ciri's story covers only about two weeks. Schmidt Hissrich also said Yennefer and Ciri were given more focus to help viewers understand them better. She explained that showing their backstories, along with Geralt's, "gets to the soul of the story. It's the story of a broken family. It's the story of three people who are on their own in the world, really orphans living on the edges of society who are determined to not need anyone, and yet they do."

Schmidt Hissrich said the second season would build on the first, with more character interactions. She emphasized that the series is about Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer forming a family. "When I talk about The Witcher, I always talk about how these three characters coming together — Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer — they come together as a family. It's the most important part of the series for me," she said. She added that understanding their family backgrounds, like Geralt's connection to his witcher brothers, was important.

In September 2018, Netflix announced Henry Cavill would play Geralt of Rivia. He was chosen from over 200 actors. Cavill campaigned for the role, being a fan of the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, though he read the books after being cast. In October 2018, Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra were cast as Princess Cirilla and Yennefer of Vengerberg, respectively. Other actors joined the cast later that month.

In February 2020, Kim Bodnia was cast as Vesemir, an experienced witcher and Geralt's mentor. Other additions included Kristofer Hivju, Yasen Atour, Agnes Born, Paul Bullion, Thue Ersted Rasmussen, Aisha Fabienne Ross, and Mecia Simson. In September 2020, Basil Eidenbenz replaced Rasmussen in the role of Eskel. In November 2020, Rebecca Hanssen was cast as Queen Meve.

In March 2021, Kevin Doyle was cast as Ba'Lian, an original character not in the novels. Other actors included Cassie Clare, Adjoa Andoh, Liz Carr, Simon Callow, Graham McTavish, and Chris Fulton.

In April 2022, Robbie Amell, Meng'er Zhang, Hugh Skinner, and Christelle Elwin joined the third season with recurring roles. In July 2022, Michalina Olszańska, Ryan Hayes, Kate Winter, Martyn Ellis, Harvey Quinn, and Poppy Almond were cast.

In October 2022, Liam Hemsworth was announced as the new Geralt of Rivia starting with the fourth season. In January 2024, Laurence Fishburne was cast as Regis. Other actors joining the fourth season included Sharlto Copley, James Purefoy, Danny Woodburn, Linden Porco, Eve Ridley, and Clive Russell.

The series' casting director is Sophie Holland.

In April 2018, Schmidt Hissrich said the show would be filmed in Central and Eastern Europe. Principal photography for the first season began on October 31, 2018, in Hungary. Much of the series was filmed at Mafilm Studios near Budapest. The exterior of wizard Stregobor's household was part of the outdoor set. The hall in Cintra was built at Origo Studios near Budapest. Fort Monostor and the nearby forest were used for exterior scenes in Cintra. The Battle of Marnadal was filmed in the hills of Csákberény, Hungary. Yennefer's original home was filmed at Skanzen Village Museum near Szentendre, Hungary. The exterior of the fictional castle

Marketing

Netflix showed the first look of the series at San Diego Comic-Con during a panel on July 19, 2019. This preview was hosted by Henry Cavill and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, who is the head of the show. They also used large billboards in big cities, sold special items, and created interactive photo areas to promote the series. The first full trailer was shown at Lucca Comics & Games on October 31, 2019. Netflix released a final trailer on December 12, 2019. On October 29, 2021, Netflix shared the official trailer for season 2. For season 3, promotional materials featured Henry Cavill to create an emotional connection, as this was his final season in the show.

Release

In April 2019, Netflix's Ted Sarandos told investors during a meeting that the series would be released in late 2019. The first season began on December 20, 2019. The second season started on December 17, 2021. The third season was released in two parts: the first five episodes began on June 29, 2023, and the last three episodes began on July 27, 2023. The fourth season started on October 30, 2025.

On August 26, 2020, a behind-the-scenes video about the first season, titled Making The Witcher, was released on Netflix. On September 2, 2020, a series of behind-the-scenes videos titled The Witcher: A Look Inside the Episodes began on Netflix.

When the second season was released on December 17, 2021, Netflix also released several behind-the-scenes videos, including Making The Witcher: Season 2, The Witcher Bestiary Season 1, Part 1, The Witcher Bestiary Season 1, Part 2, The Characters of the Continent, and The Witcher: Fireplace.

On July 27, 2023, when the second part of the third season began, Netflix released a behind-the-scenes special titled Making The Witcher: Season 3.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes collected 91 reviews of the first season and found that 68% of them were positive, with an average rating of 6.26 out of 10. The website’s critics’ consensus states: "Although the world of The Witcher sometimes feels incomplete, Henry Cavill brings strong presence to a series filled with unusual fantasy elements and dark humor." Metacritic calculated a weighted-average score of 54 out of 100 based on reviews from 17 critics, which means "mixed or average reviews."

In a positive review, Erik Kain of Forbes wrote, "If you are looking for an original dark fantasy with horror elements, some bare skin, and plenty of blood and gore (and monsters), look no further." James Whitbrook of io9 wrote, "If you are willing to watch the slow-moving opening episodes, which include some exciting fights or interesting character scenes, The Witcher gradually becomes a fun, bloody, and unusual fantasy story." Conversely, Entertainment Weekly critic Darren Franich wrote, "My destiny is to never watch this borefest again," giving the first season an F rating. Franich faced criticism for admitting he only watched the first, second, and fifth episodes. Raisa Bruner of Time gave the show a positive review, noting, "Each episode gets stronger as the season progresses, and ultimately satisfies the fantasy itch." Scott Bryan of the BBC was more negative, criticizing the show for relying too much on gameplay and for not adapting the novels well for television. Critic William Hughes of The A.V. Club wrote in a positive review, "The Witcher is not perfect; even without its early structural problems, its attempts at comedy often feel too modern for its setting. The characters often talk to objects or people who cannot respond—horses, mute companions, or even dead babies—which can feel funny. However, when the worst thing you can say about a series is that every episode is better than the one before it, that shows a lot of potential for growth."

The Witcher author Andrzej Sapkowski praised the show, writing, "I was happy with Henry Cavill’s appearance as the Witcher. He is a real professional. Just as Viggo Mortensen gave his face to Aragorn (in The Lord of the Rings), Henry gave his to Geralt—and it shall be forever so." Sapkowski added, "I hope viewers and readers take something meaningful from the show. I also sincerely hope they feel excited, not lukewarm." Author Tom Long from The Detroit News praised the series for its action scenes and performances, giving it a B rating. Matthew Aguilar of ComicBook.com had a positive response, rating the show 4 out of 5: "The Witcher brings the world’s rich characters, sharp wit, and stylish action to life in a truly enjoyable way. Whether you are a fan of the novels or the games, you will find something to love." Critic Daniel D’Addario was more negative, writing, "This show has moments of drama and gruesome violence, but its humor often feels rushed and out of place in the world it created."

The second season received positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 95% approval rating with an average rating of 7.9 out of 10, based on 62 reviews. The website’s critical consensus reads, "The Witcher’s second season improves on its first in every way—and it remains a lot of fun." Metacritic calculated a weighted average score of 69 out of 100 based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."

Critic Sheena Scott from Forbes wrote, "Throughout the episodes, characters repeatedly point out their resemblance—a similar attitude, the same hairstyle—to remind viewers of their daughter-father bond. However, the ending of Season 2 suggests this bond may be in danger in the next season." Angie Han from The Hollywood Reporter praised the series for being an improvement over its previous season, though she noted it is not perfect. She wrote, "In its second outing, The Witcher feels confident enough to explore a wide range of emotions." In a more negative review, Roxana Hadadi from Vulture stated, "The second season is most engaging when exploring the relationships between Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, and when using those three characters to examine the idea that 'Monsters are born of deeds alone. Unforgivable ones.' However, the series struggles with fantasy tropes it does not fully master as it tries to build a bigger world." Author Leigh Butler called the second season an improvement, praising its deeper themes, better storyline, performances, and progress toward its potential. She wrote, "Season 2 (so far) is better and working its way toward being great. At its core, any story only needs to accomplish one thing, and The Witcher has done it."

James Whitbrook from io9 wrote, "The new focus on character development may mean less focus on specific stories from Sapkowski’s collection, but it makes the show’s world feel more expansive and detailed in ways it did not until late in the first season, while still keeping the story centered on the characters." Nick Schager wrote in a negative review, "Even by fantasy standards, the show uses so much made-up terminology at such a fast pace that it becomes easier to ignore details and just follow the story’s flow." Allison Keene from Paste gave a positive review, stating, "More than anything, The Witcher’s excellent Season 2 is a deeper look into a rich world that focuses on Ciri and Geralt’s relationship and how that connection influences everything around them. Though there are differences between the books and the show, The Witcher is best viewed as a fresh version of an old story." Critic Carly Lane from Collider gave positive feedback, noting, "Compared to Season 1, Season 2 is finally finding its rhythm and has a better sense of what works while discarding what doesn’t—although there are still occasional unannounced time jumps or surprise character introductions that require attention."

For the third season, Rotten Tomatoes reports a 79% approval rating with an average rating of 7.1 out of 10, based on 47 reviews. The website’s critical consensus reads, "Capably led by Henry Cavill’s gruff charm, The Witcher’s third season pays a fitting farewell to this particular Geralt of Rivia." Metacritic calculated a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on 14 critics for the first five episodes and a score of 65 out of 100 based on 7 critics for the last three, both indicating "generally favorable reviews."

For the fourth season, Rotten Tomatoes reports a 59% approval rating based on 27 reviews. The website’s critical consensus reads, "While Geralt of Rivia gets a new face, The Witcher overall is beginning to grow stale in a fourth season that dutifully sets up the series’ endgame without having enough fun along the way." Metacritic calculated a weighted-average score of 59 out of 100

Spin-offs

In January 2020, Netflix announced an animated movie called The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. The film tells the story of Vesemir, Geralt’s mentor and fellow witcher. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Beau DeMayo worked on the film, and Studio Mir produced it. The movie was released on August 23, 2021.

On September 25, 2021, Netflix announced a second animated movie. In November 2023, the film was named The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. It is based on the short story “A Little Sacrifice” from Sword of Destiny. Studio Mir will produce the film. Mike Ostrowski and Rae Benjamin will write it, and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich will produce it. Kang Hei Chul, who worked as a storyboard artist on Nightmare of the Wolf, will direct the film. It was released on February 11, 2025.

A special called The Rats: A Witcher Tale was released on October 30, 2025, along with the fourth season of The Witcher. The special follows a group of young criminals who plan a dangerous heist before meeting Ciri, who first appears in the third season. Freya Allan and Sharlto Copley return to play the Rats, and Dolph Lundgren plays the character Brehen.

In July 2020, Netflix announced a live-action prequel series called The Witcher: Blood Origin. The story takes place 1200 years before Geralt’s time and explains how witchers began. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich developed the series as an executive producer, and Declan de Barra was the showrunner. Michelle Yeoh and Sophia Brown joined the cast in July 2021. Filming began in August 2021 in the United Kingdom. Other cast members included Lenny Henry, Mirren Mack, Nathaniel Curtis, Dylan Moran, Jacob Collins-Levy, Lizzie Annis, Huw Novelli, Francesca Mills, Amy Murray, Zach Wyatt, Minnie Driver, Aidan O’Callaghan, and Mark Rowley. The series premiered on December 25, 2022, and has four episodes.