Fans of The Witcher have united in their thousands to sign a petition calling for Henry Cavill to remain part of the cast, and to ask that the show’s writers are replaced instead.
- READ MORE: The Witcher season two review: Netflix fantasy show finds its feet in much-improved second offering
On Saturday (October 29) Netflix released a statement saying that while series lead Cavill would continue to play Geralt of Rivia in season three of the show, he would be stepping down for season four. Liam Hemsworth is his replacement.
In a statement via Netflix, Cavill said: “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season four.
“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,” Cavill concluded.
Hemsworth also responded to the news in a statement, saying that he was “over the moon” at the news.
“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”, he said.
Fans of the show have been reacting to the news online, with many saying that they’re unhappy with the casting change. Now, a Change.org petition has been launched to reverse the decision, which is currently sitting at just over 27,000 signatures.
The title of the petition reads: “NETFLIX: You MUST keep Henry Cavill as The Witcher and replace the writers instead” and suggests a boycott, as fans had been suggesting on social media previously.
“Let us show them in pure numbers (and thus lost money, because that’s all they really care about) that none of us Witcher fans will stand with them and will abandon the show (and potentially our subscriptions) after The Witcher season 3 is concluded,” the petition reads.
Alongside Cavill, The Witcher season three will see Freya Allan and Anya Chalotra return as Ciri and Yennefer respectively. New cast additions include Robbie Amell, Meng’er Zhang, Hugh Skinner and Christelle Elwin.