season 4 is going to have a tough time finding an in-universe explanation for recasting Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, but a new addition to the cast could provide the perfect reason for his change in appearance. Cavill will not be returning to after season 3, with Liam Hemsworth taking on the role in season 4. The Netflix show has been on a downward critical trend, meaning 's success is critical to the franchise's future. As such, it is imperative that The Witcher makes the transition from Cavill to Hemsworth as smooth as possible.
left Geralt seriously injured after his fight with Vilgefortz, but that defeat may have opened up a possibility to explain Hemsworth's casting.
Season 4 will see many new characters added to , and one new character is particularly important for Geralt's story. for the upcoming season, and this newcomer could potentially be the key to explaining Henry Cavill's exit.
Regis' magic could be the explanation behind Geralt's physical transformation. In the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, Regis is a centuries-old higher vampire. He is a very studious and curious person, and his long life has allowed him to become extremely knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics.
Regis was killed by Vilgefortz during the assault on Stygga Castle when the sorcerer melted him, but brought Regis back to life via a vampire regeneration process involving another higher vampire donating his blood.
While this type of resurrection was specific to vampires, the rules could be changed to let Regis use his own blood for healing Geralt. could also maintain the idea that regeneration is usually reserved for vampires, and that using it on a human would have serious physical consequences, such as changing the person's appearance. This would be a fairly large deviation from both the novels and the games, but
in past seasons, and there is no source material to canonically explain why Geralt's appearance will change.
Implementing this change could explain Hemsworth's sudden introduction to the story, while also accomplishing a few other things at the same time. By introducing Regis in this way, would immediately establish his kindness as a monster that saved a Witcher's life, his reason for forming an alliance with Geralt, and his extreme power and knowledge. Saving Geralt's life would prove that Regis is not just another side character, and that having him as an ally could be a turning point in Netflix's story.
Giving an explanation for Geralt's change in appearance is a tricky subject. By not explaining it, the story could pick up right where season 3 left off without wasting any time on the details behind his change. An explanation could also make an already complicated story even more complex, muddying the waters for the entire season. On the other hand, a well-executed explanation could add to the story's quality. Leaving the topic unexplored could also be seen as ignoring the elephant in the room, while casual fans would remain confused about the recasting.
While doesn't necessarily need to explain Geralt's change in appearance, it does now have the perfect avenue to do so with the introduction of Regis to the story. Geralt's recasting could be an opportunity to improve the quality of the show and highlight Laurence Fishburne's new character, but handling it poorly could complicate the story and make the problems the show has been facing even worse. Regis may not be the perfect solution to 's Geralt recasting problem, but it is the best solution currently available.
The Witcher is available to watch on Netflix.
