Geralt and The Witcher series are making a comeback through a medium that they have not conquered yet. Not through books or video games, but rather, the wonderful world of streaming video. Netflix has confirmed that it has picked up the license to create an original series based on the eight novels.
Author Andrzej Sapkowski will act as a creative consultant, and the series will be produced in English in coordination with Netflix and The Sean Daniel Company, which now helms The Mummy film franchise. Sapkowski, who has reportedly not been happy with the popularity of the video games nor does he profit from it, issued a statement claiming he was excited about this new project.
I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing. I’m excited about our efforts together, as well as the team assembled to shepherd these characters to life.
Game developer CD Projekt Red will not be involved in the production, but Tomas Baginski, creator of the intro videos for a three The Witcher games and the Cyberpunk 2077 teaser, will direct at least one episode.
We started production of the series based on “The Witcher” in coop. with @NetflixUS and SeanDanielCompany. Tomek #Bagiński one of the dir! pic.twitter.com/hYXWCHySOF
— Platige Image (@PlatigeImage) May 17, 2017
A chance to see the series in a whole new light
It’s no different than when Peter Jackson picked up Lord of the Rings for New Line Entertainment. Many longtime fans, myself included, already had their image of Middle-earth trapped in their mind’s eye thanks to the book’s extended descriptions, the animated films, the collectible card game, and decades upon decades of drawings and paintings from legendary artists.
Then, the world got used to Jackson’s image of Middle-earth as the standard for a while, and we loved it then, too!
The point is that gamers already have their image of what The Witcher might look like, and my guess is that Sapkowski will want it to differ from CD Projekt Red by making the series look like his own vision. It might challenge what you are used to from this fantasy universe, but you should see it simply as a different viewpoint, not something intending to replace or destroy the setting you fell in love with.
Netflix has not confirmed any release dates, actors, or directors involved.