Bringing The Witcher to life for a Netflix series was seemingly quite the challenge, and it could have turned out differently than what fans will eventually see. According to a new interview, Ciri (Freya Allan) was originally the character with the most focus, and even served as a narrator.
Netflix's The Witcher series is based on the same line of books as the games, but has little to no connection with the games themselves. Even so, gamers are very excited to see what happens with the show as it tackles the source material that started it all.
In a recent interview with showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Hissrich explained that the development of the show originally went down a different path in the first pitch to Netflix. Rather than introducing all new characters to the show through the perspective of Geralt (Henry Cavill), Hissrich wanted to introduce Ciri first, from her own perspective. As a result, her initial pitch started the series with Lady of the Lake, the second-to-last book in the series, which focuses on Ciri's point of view.
However, the plan to follow this road ultimately backfired. Hissrich didn't want all characters to be introduced from Geralt's point of view, but in this pitch, there wasn't enough from Geralt's perspective because Ciri was the one telling the story. As a result, Hissrich revised the plan to try and blend together the three main characters' stories so that each would have a fair representation.
If reviews of the show's first episode are any indication, Hissrich and the rest of the team did a great job of telling The Witcher's story. Early viewers heaped praise on the show, impressed with everything from its battles to comedic moments. Unfortunately, these reviews didn't have much to say about Ciri and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), so it remains to be seen if Hissrich was able to provide them with as much limelight as Geralt was given.
While fans still have to wait to get their hands on the show, Netflix has been quick to share plenty for fans to be excited over. One of the latest reveals lets fans listen to Geralt's main theme song, giving listeners a taste for what they can expect from the show's score.
The Witcher will be available to stream on Netflix beginning Friday, December 20.
Source: Gizmodo