From Novels to Video Games to Television; Here Comes the Witcher
Today marks a special day for fans of The Witcher. Netflix has confirmed that the fantasy franchise created by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski will be made into a TV show.
Witcher, as many may know, comes from the series of novels written by Sapkowski. Set within a fantasy world of magic and monsters, the story revolves around the super-human monster hunters known as Witchers. But each plot follows one in particular; namely, Geralt of Rivia. He is the main protagonist in both the eight-part novel series and the critically-acclaimed video games developed by CD Projekt RED. As such, the upcoming Netflix show will also revolve around Geralt.
As production gets underway, both Sean Daniel (Ben-Hur, The Expanse, The Mummy) and Jason Brown (The Expanse) will serve as Executive Producers. To make things more interesting, oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning Tomek Baginski shall take part in the project. The same Baginski director who directed all three of the video games, and he will be accompanied by Jared Sawko of Platige Image – a Polish production and visual effects company.
Meanwhile, author Andrzej Sapkowski himself will serve as a creative consultant during production. And he had his own response to the announcement of a Netflix series:
“I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing. I’m excited about our efforts together, as well as the team assembled to shepherd these characters to life.”
Netflix Vice President Erick Barmack has this to add:
“Andrzej Sapkowski has created a rich and memorable world, at once magical and familiar. We couldn’t be more excited about bringing Netflix members around the world.”
At the same time, producers Daniel and Brown couldn’t help but express their enthusiasm:
“The Witcher stories follow an unconventional family that comes together to fight for truth in a dangerous world. The characters are original, funny and constantly surprising and we can’t wait to bring them to life at Netflix, the perfect home for innovative storytelling.”
Following is the statement by Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko
“There is a moral and intellectual depth in these books which goes beyond genre. It is a story about today and today’s challenges, hidden under a fantasy cover. It is a story about us, about the monster and the hero inside all of our hearts.”
Even though production has begun, we have no news of a release date or casting. But we expect plenty more info in time.
What are your thoughts on a Witcher series coming to Netflix? Have you played The Witcher 3 yet or read the books? It’s never too late. Comment down below. We’d like to know if you’re as excited as we are.