With Netflix seemingly editing one of its major The Witcher features quietly, fans are once again dissecting the show’s casting timeline. The update corrected a small detail about Liam Hemsworth’s casting and reignited curiosity about when the decision to pass Henry Cavill‘s Geralt’s sword was made.
Netflix quietly updates article on Liam Hemsworth being cast as The Witcher
Netflix recently updated its Tudum feature “Liam Hemsworth Carries Geralt into The Witcher Season 4” to correct a timeline discrepancy. The original version stated Hemsworth’s journey began with “a phone call in 2020,” while the revised article now reads “late 2022.” The change appears in the “The making of a Witcher” section. It recounts how Netflix approached Hemsworth to replace Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.
The article originally described that Hemsworth “was home in Australia” when his agent called about stepping into the role, with an early conversation with showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich giving him “the support and the confidence that [he] needed to really pull it off.”
Following the edit, the year of that call was changed from 2020 to 2022. Fans on social media quickly noticed the revision, speculating that Hemsworth may have been contacted after Season 1. An X (formerly Twitter) user @perseruna also posted, “2020????” and noted the apparent inconsistency before Netflix quietly corrected it.
In the same Tudum piece, Hemsworth shared that he was “pretty hesitant and unsure” at first about taking on the part mid-series, calling it “an odd thing to be asked to come in midway through a series like this and continue on as the lead character.” Hissrich stated that from their first meeting, she knew he would be “a perfect Geralt for us in Season 4.”
The removed 2020 reference fueled speculation that Netflix may have considered replacing Cavill earlier than publicly known. Cavill had announced his departure in 2022, citing other commitments. Hissrich later clarified that his exit was “a really symbiotic decision,” adding, “The show is bigger than one actor. It’s bigger than me… The Witcher lives whether or not we go.” (via Entertainment Weekly)
The Witcher Season 4 premieres October 30 on Netflix.
