The next season of The Witcher will see a number of changes. Will it still be a hit with fans?
A recent report has confirmed that a fan-favorite character will be played by a new actor in the fourth season of The Witcher, which is currently in production. The character is Vesemir, Geralt’s longtime mentor, who has so far been played by Kim Bodnia in the Netflix series. It was initially unclear why the actor was being recast, but a spokesperson for Bodnia has now clarified the matter to RadioTimes, explaining that the change was due to scheduling conflicts. “Kim will not be returning to the role of Vesemir, as his current commitments did not align with Netflix’s filming schedule for The Witcher season 4,” the spokesperson said.
While it’s a shame that fans will no longer see Bodnia as Vesemir, there is one bright spot: the actor will still be starring in another highly anticipated project. The conflict in dates was caused by the filming of the Apple TV+ original film, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick), which focuses on the world of Formula 1, starring Brad Pitt as a retired racing driver who returns to the track to compete with the sport's new stars. In the film, Bodnia plays Kaspar and joins an all-star cast that includes Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem, Tobias Menzies, and Sarah Niles, among others.
Initially, Bodnia could have worked on both projects, as they were scheduled to shoot at different times. However, the recent strikes by the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild have upended those plans, creating a conflict in dates. In particular, the Formula 1 film has a very strict schedule, having to shoot during actual race weekends to integrate real footage into the film. The Witcher also has a tight timeline, with season 4 currently filming and season 5 scheduled to begin immediately after a four-month hiatus.
The change of actor for Vesemir, therefore, is not related to Bodnia's performance, which was highly praised, but exclusively to these timing issues. At the moment it has not yet been announced who will replace him in the fourth and fifth seasons, but we will likely know soon since filming is underway. It will be interesting to see who Netflix chooses to flank Liam Hemsworth, who will replace Henry Cavill as Geralt.
The relationship between Geralt and Vesemir is fundamental in the series, as it was in the books and video games. Vesemir is a key figure in the School of the Wolf and has played a crucial role in Geralt's life, especially in his early years as a Witcher. Having been present at the construction of Kaer Morhen, Vesemir has seen the golden age of the fortress and witnessed its fall, following the attack by a mob that, rebelling against the Witchers, destroyed much of their ability to create new monster hunters. This story was also explored in the animated film The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which showed how Vesemir took Geralt under his wing.
Source: Comicbook