Ever since Henry Cavill was cast as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's fantasy drama The Witcher, he has been passionate about the show, character and world. So, it was such a huge shock when it was announced he was leaving. After season 3 he will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth, a decision which seemingly came out of nowhere for fans and industry insiders alike.
"I really enjoy playing these kind of games and reading these kinds of books in my spare time," he said in 2009. "I don’t consider it a job," Cavill continued. "For me it is more like an extraordinary opportunity to live my childhood and adult life fantasies."
So what happened to make Henry Cavill quit a show and character he loved playing so much?
8 Liam Hemsworth Taking Over As Geralt In The Witcher
On October 29, 2022, Netflix revealed that The Witcher's Geralt has been recast for season four with The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth now set to star as the White Wolf.
In an official statement following the shocking news, Hemsworth revealed that he's "over the moon" about the opportunity to play the lead character. He admitted he has "some big boots to fill," and for most viewers, it's impossible to imagine anyone other than Henry Cavill in the role.
"As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure," the Australian actor wrote on his Instagram.
7 Henry Cavill Graciously Said Goodbye To The Witcher
Henry Cavill was ever the gentleman in his statement to the casting news:
"In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find."
6 Did Henry Cavill Like Starring In The Witcher?
Henry Cavill once told THR that he was prepared to stay as Geralt for the whole seven seasons.
Cavill said he was happy to play Geralt for "as long as we can keep telling great stories which honour [author Andrzej] Sapkowski’s work."
"I’m a huge fan of the books and staying loyal to them," Cavill explained on The Witcher's YouTube channel. "It’s about making sure that story happens without too much in the way of diversions or side things going on to muddy the waters."
So maybe something in season 4 made Cavill uncomfortable or left him feeling like the show was going in the wrong direction?
5 Was There Tension Between Henry Cavill And The Witcher Showrunner?
As much as Henry Cavill loved Geralt and the source material, people believe they may be been tension between the Enola Holmes actor and The Witcher showrunner.
According to sources, Cavill had considered leaving the drama during Season 2's post-production stage. There were reports that suggested Cavill was not happy with the show's direction and that he did not see eye to eye with the producers, with a recast considered as a possibility.
During the Season 2 press tour, Cavill’s genuine love of the character and showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich’s vision for the series appeared to differ.
Hissrich revealed that Cavill sent her several notes about Geralt’s dialogue for Season 2. “Everybody came out of Season 1 laughing and loving Geralt’s fuming. But Henry was saying that when you read the books you spend a lot of time in Geralt’s head. So how can we put that on the page?” Hissrich explained whilst promoting the sophomore season.
4 Henry Cavil Concerned TV Version Of Geralt Was Simple
Henry Cavill noted that the Netflix version of the character was far less complicated than the book version. In the book, he often philosophizes about ethics and the line between good and evil. The show has made Geralt's character much more about delivering a morose monologue, snarky jokes and grunting his way through adventures.
“It’s important for me to have the character be three-dimensional,” Cavill explained in December 2021. “And it’s tricky to do, as I was saying earlier, because there’s a certain vision and there’s a certain set storyline and plot. And so, it was about me trying to find Geralt’s place within that. All of my asks and requests were along the lines of just being faithful to the source material.”
3 Did Henry Cavill Hint At His Departure From The Witcher?
Fans believe Henry Cavill may have commented about the recasting situation a few days ago in his interview with Josh Horowitz. He spoke about the importance of having belief in what you’re doing in your career and the importance of stopping when you believe what you’re doing is wrong.
“It’s just about belief. If you believe what you’re doing then you’ll be able to keep on doing it. It’s also important to know that if you realize you’re doing the wrong thing, that’s when you stop doing the wrong thing. You don’t just keep on going just because. Because that leads down a dark path.”
Cavill doesn’t name The Witcher, but it is easy to assume that he used this philosophy on the Netflix show.
2 Will Henry Cavill Be Back As Superman?
The news of the recast comes at the same time as Henry Cavill returning as Superman. He popped up in the mid-credits scene for Black Adam and appears set to appear back in the DCEU.
Black Adam himself Dwayne Johnson just revealed that he's "fought for years" to bring Cavill back, and since then, Henry has confirmed that this cameo is just "a very small taste of what’s to come."
Recent reports indicated that Warner Bros. and begun actively started looking for writers for Man of Steel 2, nearly a decade after the original film hit theaters
So perhaps, although he made not be on our small screens, we will soon be seeing him in the signature red and blue superhero suit?
1 Henry Cavill's Busy Schedule
Reported at Deadline, Henry Cavill had made a short-term deal for The Witcher and felt it was time to move on after three seasons on the show. The drama, which also stars Freya Allen, films overseas and has a demanding production schedule.
Cavill has a number of film and TV projects lined up, including the recently announced The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare, alongside his caped superhero return. Cavill’s co-stars renegotiated their contracts heading into Season 4, according to sources.