We've just gotten our first look at Henry Cavill's replacement as Geralt in Netflix's The Witcher. Liam Hemsworth takes up the dual blades and sports an all-too-familiar look, one that seems more focused on portraying Cavill than Geralt himself.
First Look at Liam Hemsworth as Geralt in The Witcher S4
While what we got today was brief and didn’t showcase much in the way of acting (something Hemsworth undoubtedly possesses), it felt like Netflix and Hemsworth were both trying to ape Cavill’s performance as Geralt. From the movements to the camera angles to the inability to distinguish between the two when Hemsworth’s face is hidden, the effort seemed aimed at damage control of Cavill’s absence. Still, credit where credit is due: Hemsworth looks good in the black leather armor, dual blades, white hair, and iconic cat eyes.
To truly judge Hemsworth's attempt to replace Cavill as one of the most iconic fantasy characters in a show that has largely failed to capture what made it so great, we'll have to wait until the full season releases. The Australian actor has dabbled in book adaptations before, most notably in The Hunger Games film series, though his expertise in the fantasy genre isn't as pronounced. Still, Hemsworth is known as a solid actor who can pull off perhaps one of the most challenging tasks in acting: pulling it off as a recast.
Either he’ll do a Daario Naharis and give us a memorable performance that surpasses his predecessor, or he’ll remain in his shadow. Cavill is often seen as a dim glimmer of light amidst the dark creative liberties the show takes, and he was reportedly fired from the project for that very reason. It’ll certainly be a difficult task, but there’s hope that Hemsworth will at least keep Geralt as the best character on the show.
