It’s been a rocky and complicated road for Netflix’s The Witcher series. After losing Henry Cavill at the end of Season 3, it appeared as though the streamer was desperate to end its once-beloved fantasy adaptation. Liam Hemsworth has taken over as Geralt of Rivia for the final two seasons. In a surprising twist of fate, a once-canceled spin-off from The Witcher (which was axed following the failure of Blood Origins and Sirens of the Deep), was just released on Netflix alongside the core show’s fourth season. But fans are divided about what its quiet release means for the franchise’s future.
Alongside Season 4 of The Witcher, The Rats spin-off special is also currently streaming on Netflix. However, Netflix didn’t tell anyone that the spin-off would also be streaming on October 30. Season 4 was obviously the big release, with many tuning in to see how Liam Hemsworth stacks up to Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. But, fans have another treat to enjoy alongside Season 4.
The Witcher: The Rats was initially developed as a limited series spin-off, in the same vein as Blood Origins. As the title suggested, the series would have followed The Rats, the group of outlaws whom Ciri joins at the end of Season 3. The Rats play a core role in transforming Ciri in Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels, and the series likely would have expanded the characters through original plotlines not found in the books. However, the show’s production was even more troubled than the backlash to Henry Cavill’s recasting…
‘The Witcher: The Rats’ Had a Very Troubled Development
More to come…
