The Witcher fans bemoan ‘jarring’ first footage of Liam Hemsworth as Henry Cavill replacement

Hemsworth is taking over role of Geralt for final two seasons of Netflix fantasy show

Netflix has released the first footage of Liam Hemsworth in season four of The Witcher and fans are already having their say.

The Hunger Games actor will take over the role of demon-slayer Geralt of Rivia, played in the fantasy series’ first three seasons by Henry Cavill.

In 2022, it was announced that Cavill would be stepping down from the series – a high-budget adaptation of the hit book and video game franchise – with reports suggesting that creative differences were to blame.

The new trailer was unveiled by Netflix during the boxing match between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Terence Crawford on Saturday.

In a pre-recorded message played to the crowd in Las Vegas, Hemsworth says: “Hey everyone, Liam Hemsworth here. I am excited to announce that season four of The Witcher will be streaming on Netflix on 30 October. Here is a quick clip of me in action as Geralt of Rivia.”

The clip sees Hemsworth’s character battle a creature known as a wraith, ultimately destroying it.

Liam Hemsworth in 'The Witcher' season four (Netflix)

Season four of The Witcher will follow Geralt, along with Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) and Princess Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allan), who are kept apart from each other while war rages across the continent.

“This is the beginning of a two-season journey for our family to finally reunite and be together – hopefully forever,” showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich told Netflix’s website Tudum.com.

Reaction to the teaser has been mixed, however, with many fans lamenting the loss of Cavill.

“I just feel like i just watched a fan film,” one person claimed on YouTube.

“As jarring as I thought it would be.. Maybe more,” wrote another, while someone else wrote: “It's just not the same without Henry Cavill.”

“Viewership for this is gonna drop massively without Henry Cavill as Geralt,” predicted one commenter.

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Others, however, praised Hemsworth’s brief appearance and implored people to “give him a chance”.

“It was a sick scene overall and I'm going to give it a fair shot despite everything in the name of love for the Witcher lore,” one remarked.

It was previously announced that The Witcher will be coming to an end after five seasons, with the fifth and final entry still in development.

Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in ‘The Witcher’ (Netflix)

In a statement around the time that it was announced that Cavill would be ceding the role to Hemsworth, the Man of Steel star 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.”

Cavill suggested during the press tour for the show’s second season that he had been pushing for greater fidelity to the source material.

“The toughest part for me was finding that balance between the showrunners’ vision and my love for the books, and trying to bring that Geralt to the showrunners’ vision,” he said. “It’s about treading a fine line there. It’s the showrunners’ story and so it’s an adaptation.

“The tricky bit for me was finding Geralt from the books’ place within that and being able to serve both as much as I could.”

Season four of The Witcher will premiere on Netflix on 30 October.