It’s been a long time coming, but we finally have our first glimpse of Liam Hemsworth in his full costume and wig for The Witcher while filming season 4.
Trust us – fans are going to be in for a shock when they take a look at the new Geralt of Rivia in all his black clothed and white-haired glory.
When it was first revealed in October 2022 that Liam, 34, would be replacing Henry Cavill, 41, in the epic Netflix TV series, plenty of viewers across the world were utterly outraged.
Many couldn’t possibly imagine that anyone but the Man of Steel actor could possibly play the ferocious monster hunter as he announced that he would be stepping down from the show.
However, there were some that had high hopes that Liam would be able to step up to the mark… and if these first look pictures of filming are anything to go by, we agree.
In season three episode six, which was released in July last year, Geralt went up against the villainous sorcerer Vilgefortz (Mahesh Jadu) in a duel on a beach that resulted in the witcher being beaten within an inch of his life.
In the pictures from set, it looks as though Liam might be recreating that scene for his own iteration of the character, while wearing the exact same black shirt, trousers, boots, pendant and wig that Henry wore for the sequence.
The Australian actor could be seen holding his sword and swinging it in Mahesh’s direction, while also hanging around in between takes with his body double.
A small grin dawned on his face as he stood gripping his broken weapon, with fake blood visible on his face.
At one point, Geralt is knocked to the ground by Vilgefortz, with a blue crash mat placed on the sand to soften the landing for Liam’s stunt double Joel Adrian.
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Liam looked extremely at ease on set, as he was photographed chatting with members of the crew, as one of them chomped on an ice lolly.
In more pictures, the actor donned Geralt’s hefty armour, absorbing himself completely in the legendary role, which originated in the book series by Polish writer Andrzej Sapkowski, followed by a globally popular video game franchise.
Geralt and Vilgefortz weren’t the only characters seen back in action in the first look pictures from filming, as Anya Chalotra’s sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg was also pictured in a hooded cloak, surrounded by members of the film crew on the beach.
When it was announced that Henry would be leaving The Witcher, dedicated followers in the fandom were absolutely devastated.
His statement that he released at the time read: ‘Some news to share from The Continent… 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.
‘In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.’
He then added: ‘Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.’
In his own statement, Liam said that Henry had been an ‘incredible Geralt’, and that he felt ‘honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure’.
He continued: ‘Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character.
‘I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.’
Executive producers of The Witcher insisted to Metro.co.uk that the introduction of Liam as the recast Geralt would make sense to the ‘lore’ of the story, while it was also said that the newcomer was ‘very excited’ by his new role.
While some fans might have already pledged to boycott The Witcher over the change to the cast, we have a feeling naysayers might be pleasantly surprised by what Liam has to offer.
The Witcher is available to watch on Netflix.
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