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Liam Hemsworth steps into Henry Cavill’s boots as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher ’s highly anticipated fourth season on Netflix . But even for a seasoned action star, the decision wasn’t instant. “I was unsure because it’s challenging to take on a lead role midway through a series,” says Liam Hemsworth . “However, as a massive fan of the video game, I felt I could bring something cool to it.” The transformation into the monster-hunter demanded complete dedication. Leaving behind his native Australia and family in Byron Bay, Liam relocated to the UK to begin intensive training. “Physical training started almost immediately in Australia before moving to London three months before we started shooting,” he says. “Then the sword-fight training began, figuring out the nuances of movement and shape. By the time I stepped onto the film set, I felt really good. The sword feels like an extension of my body.” Season four picks up with Geralt wounded and travelling through the Brokilon Forest alongside Milva (Meng’er Zhang) and his bard companion Jaskier (Joey Batey). Geralt’s on a mission to find his adopted daughter Ciri (Freya Allan) and ensure her safety. “Ciri is the main driving force in this series for Geralt,” says Liam. “He believes she is being held captive by Emperor Emhyr var Emreis but he’s having horrific dreams about her and fearing the worst.” He adds, “Geralt’s love as a father has never been stronger and finding her becomes his singular mission.” Meanwhile, Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) faces her own battles across the Continent as she strives to unite the mages against Nilfgaard, while Emperor Emhyr is also on the hunt for Ciri. “Yennefer is the love of Geralt’s life and they have a pretty wild relationship,” says Liam. “Right now, they’re on separate paths. They only have one moment when they physically connect. Yennefer gives Geralt the courage to push forward on his mission to find their daughter.” Yennefer’s journey, however, is fuelled by grief after the death of her mentor. “Losing her was huge, the floor has been ripped from under her feet but at the same time, Yennefer has found something new,” Anya says. “She realises her connection to Ciri is unbreakable, she is destined to be a mother and no one can take that away from her.” As Yennefer unleashes fury on Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) to save Ciri, the love between her and Geralt evolves into something deeper. “Ciri is the only thing she’s fighting for,” she says. “They’re more united than they have ever been because they have Ciri and they are her parents. They are not thinking about each other in the way they have previously. Their love and connection is the truest and deepest we have seen.” Superman star Henry Cavill announced he was leaving The Witcher after three seasons back in 2022, taking to Instagram to share his decision. “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season 4,” the actor wrote on the social media platform. Lauren Hissrich, The Witcher's executive producer, then revealed to Entertainment Weekly what pushed Henry to throw the towel in, admitting he "personally wanted to end his time as Geralt." “He had plans for other roles that he really wanted to commit himself to,” Lauren said. "And for us, you don’t want to hold someone and force them to be doing something that they don’t want to do. I think that’s why it felt like a really symbiotic decision.” The Witcher returns to Netflix on Thursday, October 30th. Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
