Netflix's Witcher series will stream by the end of 2019

Image Credit: Netflix

The Netflix adaptation of The Witcher will be released before the end of 2019, the company has confirmed.

That's according to an investor call (reported by Deadline). Netflix's chief content office Ted Sarandso revealed the news, which will come as music to the ears of series fans who had been expecting a 2020 launch at the earliest.

While it's The Witcher computer game series that most TechRadar readers will be familiar with, its actually the games' source material, the books of Polish author Andrzej Sapowski, that the show will be taking its core inspiration from. He will work as a consultant on the show, which is being filmed in Hungary, with the series being overseen and written by Lauren Hissrich.

Geralt of Metropolis

So, who's who in the world of live-action Witchering? Superman himself, Henry Cavill, will be donning a flowing grey wig to take on the lead role of monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. Ciri is played by Freya Allan, Yennefer by Anya Chalotra and Triss Merigold by Anna Shaffer.

Hissrich states she is a "huge" fan of the Witcher video games, but has attempted to return to the books in order to make sure "the show we were creating was its own unique thing".

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter late last year, she said: "One of the things I feel most strongly about is people being afraid that we're going to strip out the cultural context of The Witcher, to remove its Slavic roots, the very thing people in Poland are proud of. That couldn't be further from the truth. What I've always wanted to do is take these Slavic stories and give them a global audience."

  • More of a Star Wars fan? Here's what Disney+ has in store for you.
Gerald Lynch

Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.