Does Netflix’s New 'The Witcher' Series Finally Have A Solid Release Date?

Andrzej Sapkowski’s classic Polish novels about a grizzled monster hunter called Witcher may finally be making its live-action debut this December on Netflix thanks to the reveal on Twitter by Redanian Intelligence.

Revealed in a promotional banner outside of London-based MCM Comic Con, as reported by Wccftech, Netflix teased its “The Witcher” premiere for Dec. 16, thus possibly proving the various rumors detailed on Facebook that the show would likely air in its entirety the following day on the streaming platform. A multitude of photos has also been showcased by Netflix so as to prepare and satiate fans for the wait in the weeks ahead.

Rather than focusing on the well-known and beloved video games, “The Witcher” will be far more grounded in events from the books, specifically “The Last Wish.” A pairing of various different short stories retelling the backstory behind the main Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, “The Last Wish” fuses dark fantasy with Polish fairy tales in order to breathe life into the world of the Continent.

Starring Henry Cavil as Geralt, a white-haired and ages-old Witcher, Netflix’s new series attempts to invoke similar renditions of HBO’s now deceased “Game of Thrones,” which was highly criticized by both fans and critics alike for its lackluster finale. Netflix not only wants to cherry-pick viewers from that sour fandom but also wants to expound upon its own setlist of fantasy. The show also stars Anya Chalotra as sorceress Yennefer and Freya Allan as the young princess Ciri.

Whereas “Game of Thrones” told a big and bombastic story across nations, families, and eras, “The Witcher” on the other hand, is much smaller in scope, though broad in its underlying meaning. Much of “The Last Wish” is spent building up how Geralt and Yennefer come to meet each other in the midst of a showdown with a djinn, yet the context behind all of the many stories told by Sapkowski seem to evoke a message on humanity. Given that Geralt fights and ultimately kills a multitude of different monsters and beasts, all of which are savage and gruesome in their own right, it’s interesting to find that many of the portrayed humans are far worse and uglier than the creatures Geralt is faced with. These ideas on humankind are pivotal to the plot of Sapkowski’s novels and will most assuredly be central in Netflix's version of "The Witcher."

With “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” now on the Switch, it is the perfect time to dive into the vast and beastly world of “The Witcher” as fans and newcomers alike await the series’ forthcoming release this December.