After witnessing Netflix's all-new trailer for The Witcher series, there's no denying Henry Cavill lived and breathed the Witcher universe in preparation for his role. Him swinging his sword like a savvy dancer while fending off guards is only a glimpse into the beautifully-rendered world of the Continent Netflix has in store. By initiating the trailer with a pile of dead bodies, then transitioning to a close-up of Yennefer's eyes, Netflix easily captures the attention of fans. Anticipation ratchets to an all-time high, especially now that the official release date has been set in stone: December 20.
Start sharpening those blades and tightening the knots in your armor, for the monsters are coming...
Netflix chose the absolute perfect day to drop its trailer and official debut announcement for The Witcher. Displaying a variety of new scenes, and even an inside look at the way in which Geralt is presented within this world, the trailer offers a slew of insight on what fans can expect of the series. Though it's doubtful Triss Merigold will be making an appearance in the show, both the princess Ciri, played by Freya Allan, and the sorceress Yennefer, portrayed by Anya Chalotra, share plenty of screen time during the trailer. It's clear the focus will be heavily on the tri-relationship of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri, as well as the juxtaposition of monsters with humanity.
As showrunner Lauren Hissrich reveals in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
"These three characters — Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri — really rose to the surface. If you take all the other fantasy elements away, you take the magic and story and violence and sex away, you still have three characters who are this broken disjointed family who really need each other even though they don’t want to admit it. And that was one of the most appealing things to me."
The trailer also invited a quick glimpse of the ways in which Geralt's own sorcery and alchemy will look within the show, proving how well Netflix has adopted the dark fantasy of Andrzej Sapkowski's novels for the silver screen. While the books themselves can be credited for the show's existence, it wouldn't be releasing so early without Cavill's pushy insistence, as so revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. He says:
"When I heard they were making The Witcher, I obviously was incredibly excited, and I annoyed the living daylights out of my agents...and I kept on pushing, pushing, pushing, and eventually I think Netflix just got tired.”
Only just recently, Netflix also teased four new photos, and fans simply can't get enough of the Witcher from Rivia. The new trailer even has an easter egg for watchful gamers, showing off Geralt in a tub as Yennefer looks on. The show looks to be an intense and mind-blowing entrance into the breathtaking world Sapkowski designed. At the very least, it will offer a better glimpse of dark fantasy than its counterpart Game of Thrones, which ended on a lackluster note.
Join Geralt on his monster-hunting quest through the Continent on December 20.