Netflix announced today that Henry Cavill will star as Geralt of Rivia in its upcoming fantasy show The Witcher.
The grim fantasy franchise started life as Polish novel series in 1993 with The Last Wish. But the brand grew in popularity once it became a video game series by CD Projekt Red (also Polish), starting with 2007’s The Witcher. The last entry, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, came out in 2015 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and it’s the best of the bunch, with some (such as GamesBeat managing editor Jason Wilson) regarding it as one of this generation’s best RPGs. The series has sold over 33 million copies.
Cavill has experience playing heroes with supernatural powers, as he has starred as Superman in Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. This is a high-profile casting for Netflix’s show that could give it extra attention outside of existing fans of The Witcher.
The Witcher‘s first season will consist of eight episodes. It will take its inspiration from the books rather than the games (CD Projekt Red’s stories take place after the events of the novels).