Gosh, it's been ages since The Witcher arrived on Netflix. Given the time that's passed, I'm surprised I don't have silver hair at this point. However, we've gotten a glimpse of what's to come in the second season and it is sounding like an absolute treat.
The cast for the second season of The Witcher sees a huge number of characters join Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer's journeys following the Battle of Sodden Hill. Eskel, Coen and Lambert will be played by Basil Eidenbenz, Yasen Atour and Paul Bullion respectively, so we'll be sure to see these Witchers spark off of each other and wind up Vesemir, who will be played by Kim Bodnia. That's the Kim Bodnia, by the way, and most viewers will recognise him from Killing Eve. To this day, I cannot get over how inspired that casting choice is. To. This. Day.
Moreover, veteran players of the series of games will be intrigued by the arrival of Phillippa Eilhart into the story of the show. Played by Cassie Clare, this sorceress pulls the strings in Redania after the death of King Vizimir II and she's one of the very few magic-users who are able to transform into other animals. And, Game of Thrones actor Kristofer Hivju is playing Nivellen, a man who is cursed to become a monster when he attacks a priestess in a temple robbery.
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Check out Kaer Morhen, the fortress where new Witchers are forged and trained, in this video from Netflix.
In the books, Nivellen's story is titled "A Grain Of Truth," and it is apparent that the first episode of the second season of The Witcher will cover these events. This has been confirmed by showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich in a video interview published by Netflix Geeked.
"It's been the worst-kept secret that we've had but we are adapting 'A Grain of Truth' for the opening of our season two of The Witcher," said Schmidt Hissrich. "After season one I thought our chance to finish the short stories... we lost that. And instead, we were able to adapt this story and to bring Ciri into it. It's a story of a father and daughter coming together in a place that doesn't quite feel safe for them. And, of course, we really get into Nivellen who's played by the incomparable Kristofer Hivju. And we get to explore his character and his backstory as well with Geralt."
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"It's really the perfect kickoff for season two because it's about family. It's about the secrets that we keep from each other and it's about the monsters that we are inside sometimes," explained the showrunner. The second season of The Witcher is coming on December 17th, 2021.
Featured Image Credit: NetflixTopics: News, The Witcher, Netflix
