News culture The Witcher on Netflix: 5 actors who could have replaced Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia
Published on 03/12/2022 at 12:20
The ax fell at the end of October 2022. Henry Cavill, the interpreter of Geralt de Riv in the Netflix series The Witcher, lays down his arms at the end of season 3. The famous Witcher will be replaced by another actor known to the general public. Before returning to the career of the latter, the editorial staff of JV rethinks the cast of this Netflix Original with five actors who could have played the famous monster slayer on the small screen.
Summary
Alexander DreymonKarl UrbanMads MikkelsenSebastian StanViggo MortensenEt le grand gagnant est… ?
Alexander Dreymon
Who else butAlexander Dreymon could pave the way? This German actor became known to the British and then to Netflix subscribers with a role that sticks to his skin. A. Dreymon plays Uhtred de Bebbanburg in the series The Last Kingdom which has five seasons. Note that the film “Seven Kings Must Die”, whose shooting ended recently, will serve as a conclusion to the saga. At the end of the 9th century, the islands destined to become a unified England fell victim to Scandinavian raids. In this context, a Saxon orphan is raised by Vikings settled on Anglo-Saxon lands. Alexander Dreymon proved with this “historic” series that he could become a talented Witcher.
Karl Urban
Now make way for one of the most fashionable actors since 2019 and the release of a certain trashy and irreverent superheroic series on Amazon Prime Video. Karl Urban has been on the screen since taking on the role of William “Billy” Butcher aka Monsieur Charcutier in the series The Boys. However, this American actor has interpreted many other characters in the past among the most cult of pop-culture. He was Éomer in the trilogy The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson, Siberius Vaako in The Chronicles of RiddickLeonard McCoy in the film reboot of Star Trek by JJ Abrams and Judge Dredd in the eponymous film. He even made appearances in the series Hercules and Xena, the warrior. Karl Urban in Geralt de Riv… What else?
Mads Mikkelsen
If I tell you Death Stranding, will you answer me? Hideo Kojima… without hesitation. Norman Reedus… of course. Lea Seydoux… OK. Guillermo del Toro… but still? Of course I want to talk about Mads Mikkelsen. This internationally renowned Danish actor could play a Witcher on screen who has had many adventures. He who was Gellert Grindelwald (Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets), Galen Erso (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Kaecilius (Doctor Strange) and The Number (Casino Royale – James Bond) during his career also performed as One-Eye in Valhalla Rising, an atmospheric and poetic adventure film set in Scandinavian myth. Mads Mikkelsen as the White Wolf… The King’s choice!
Sebastian Stan
The personality who will follow would have, according to certain rumors, applied in 2018 for the role of Geralt de Riv in the Netflix series alongside Henry Cavill and another actor in particular who will put on the armor of the Witcher from season 4. Sebastian Stan is a Romanian-American actor who rose to fame once he became James “Bucky” Barnes aka The Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Beyond his physical performance, S. Stan has recently tried his hand at different genres, that of espionage with The 355 or even a horror thriller with Fresh on Disney+ alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Viggo Mortensen
The name that will follow should make everyone agree, Lord of the Rings fans in mind. Viggo Mortensen would make on paper an excellent Geralt of Rivia as much by the charisma as by the acting. However, his face will forever remain that of Aragorn, an emblematic figure in the film adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s work, and that is where the problem lies… Personally, the Witcher in the guise of Viggo Mortensen would make me think too much of the descendant of the Men of Numenor crossed in the trilogy The Lord of the Ringsnot the white-haired slayer of Andrzej Sapkowski’s literary saga.
And the big winner is…?
…none of the five previously mentioned actors. In effect, it is indeed Liam Hemsworth, younger brother of Chris Hemsworth (Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) who takes up the torch. This Australian actor seen among others in Hunger Games and Independence Day: Resurgence is given the heavy task of donning the costume of the famous witcher from season 4 of The Witcher on Netflix following the departure of Henry Cavill. The third season of the main series will therefore be the last with the interpreter of Superman in the DC Universe.
Liam Hemsworth does not come out of nowhere, no offense to detractors and those who signed the petition demanding the return of Henry Cavill. On November 25, 2022, no less than 255,000 people had affixed their electronic signature on Change.org. According to our colleagues at RedanianIntellligence.com, the brother of the god of thunder (MCU) was actually among the favorites in 2018 to play the role of Geralt of Rivia from the producers of the Netflix series. The same would have been the case for Sebastian Stan (see above), but nothing has been confirmed regarding him.
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