The Witcher fans are still waiting for season 3 (which will be Henry Cavill’s last) but in the meantime, there’s something else to look forward to. The Witcher: Blood Origin is a brand new live-action prequel from the minds behind Netflix’s The Witcher and it will be on our screens very soon.
Here’s what you need to know about The Witcher: Blood Origin.
How does Blood Origin fit into The Witcher universe?
If you’ve noticed the words ‘Conjunction of the Spheres’ or characters referring to a ‘sphere’ in The Witcher, that’s because this was a very important event in the history of the Continent. It was the event that brought the monsters and magic into the world of men and it’s this event that Blood Origin will be exploring.
The series also promises to depict “the creation of the first Witcher”. This is something we still don’t know much about, but you can kind of get an idea of the process in The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
In terms of how The Witcher: Blood Origin ties into The Witcher main show, there’s a bit of a timeline gap. The Witcher: Blood Origin is set 1,200 years before the events of The Witcher, so don’t expect Geralt and the family to show up.
Here’s the official description from Netflix:
Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher, Blood Origin tells a story lost to time – one of seven outcasts who unite against an unstoppable power that took everything from them. Their blood quest giving rise to a prototype Witcher in a conflict that brings about the “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.
When we spoke to The Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich last year (who is also a producer on Blood Origin) she explained that not everyone needs to have seen all The Witcher content on Netflix, but it will be extra rewarding for those who have.
“What we really have tried to do is reward viewers who watch all of them. There are things that we see that may not mean so much when you see them this season, but when you watch Blood Origin, when it comes out, you’ll start to understand a little bit more,” Hissrich said.
Who is in the cast?
Given The Witcher: Blood Origin is set over a thousand years before the main show that makes it pretty unlikely that you’ll see Geralt, Yennefer or any of your other favourite characters – unless they introduce time travel (hey, anything is possible!).
This means The Witcher: Blood Origin has an entirely new cast playing a new set of characters.
Sophia Brown is playing Eile, a warrior of the Queen’s guard, Michelle Yeoh is Scian, the last of a tribe of sword-elves and Laurence O’Fuarain is Fjall, a man born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect the King.
Joining them is Lenny Henry as Chief Druid Balor, Mirren Mack as Merwyn, Nathaniel Curtis as Brian, Dylan Moran as Uthrok One-Nut, Jacob Collins-Levy as Eredin, Lizzie Annis as Zacare, Huw Novelli as Callan “Brother Death, Francesca Mills as Meldof, Amy Murray as Fenrik, Zach Wyatt as Syndril, Dylan Moran as Uthrok One-Nut and Aidan O’Callaghan as Kareg.
Minnie Driver has also been cast in a narrator role that will apparently connect Blood Origin to The Witcher.
The series is directed by Sarah O’Gorman and Vicky Jewson and the showrunner is Declan de Barra.
Here’s the trailer
The latest trailer for Blood Origin was released at CCXP in December. It goes into a lot more depth than the previous teasers, showing us more of the seven warriors who will team up to fight an “unstoppable empire”. Star Wars but make it fantasy, I guess?
As we know from The Witcher main show, the monoliths have a lot of importance to the realms and we’ll find out why here.
The official teaser trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin was released in November, showing off some stunning locations and setting up some epic fantasy action.
A post-credits trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin was also released alongside the second season debut of The Witcher on Netflix last December.
For a better look at the sets, Netflix released a behind-the-scenes video featuring showrunner Declan de Barra taking viewers on a tour. Check it out below.
When and where can you watch The Witcher: Blood Origin in Australia?
Like The Witcher and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf before it, The Witcher: Blood Origin will release all of its episodes on Netflix in Australia.
As for the release date, this holiday season we’ll be celebrating Witchmas once again with Blood Origin set to release on December 25, aka Christmas Day. There will be four episodes in total. What a gift!
Worlds will collide.
The Witcher: Blood Origin premieres this December. #TUDUM pic.twitter.com/aUss0VQAYX
— Netflix (@netflix) September 24, 2022
We’ll keep you posted on any more news about The Witcher: Blood Origin as it becomes available.
In the meantime, you can rewatch The Witcher’s first two seasons on Netflix now or check out these similar TV shows while you wait.
This article hs been updated with additional information.
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