Netflix has reportedly recast Vesemir actor Kim Bodnia alongside Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher Season 4.
Liam Hemsworth replacing Cavill as The Witcher protagonist is the biggest story going into Season 4, but Redanian Intelligence reported that Bodnia won’t return either. His supposed replacement is still unknown, but IGN has asked Bodnia’s representatives for comment.
Vesemir is Grealt’s mentor and a fellow witcher of the School of the Wolf. He’s a fan favorite character despite only appearing briefly in the books and games, but Netflix has expanded his story further with the meekly received anime film Nightmare of the Wolf. He debuted in live action in Season 2 of the Netflix show.
The Witcher Season 4 is reportedly set to return Geralt to his adopted family in Kaer Morhen, though it’s unclear whether that’s through new storylines or flashbacks as leaked set images have suggested Hemsworth’s take on Geralt will go back to recreate some of Cavill’s scenes from previous seasons.
It’s likely in this context that Vesemir would make an appearance, and his recasting would admittedly be less jarring next to that of the protagonist, but Netflix has yet to make any official announcements.
Hemsworth has already faced criticism from vocal fans of the show but Ciri actress Freya Allan has urged viewers to give him a chance. It’s still unknown why Cavill left but the actor said in November 2021 he was absolutely committed to a seven season run of The Witcher “as long as we can keep telling great stories which honor Sapkowski’s work.”
Critical reception of The Witcher is mixed so far, with IGN awarding Season 1 a 6/10, Season 2 a 7/10, and Season 3 a 7/10 and 5/10 over its split season in our reviews. “The Witcher closes out its most compromised season yet by once again losing Henry Cavill in the clunky, plot-heavy shuffle,” we said of the most recent episodes.
Showrunner Lauren Hissrich said the show could’ve ended or moved on without Geralt after Cavill’s departure, but Netflix wasn’t willing to because “there’s just too many stories left to tell.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
