Tomek Bagiński believes The Witcher ranks among Superman, Batman, and James Bond in terms of pop culture influence, pointing out the decisions which come with that territory.
The official @AgentsFandom shared stills of the four characters from their respective franchises. The tweet received 2.4K+ Views:
‘THE WITCHER’ executive producer Tomek Bagiński says Geralt of Rivia has reached the popularity levels of Batman, Superman, and James Bond.
(via: Wyborcza) pic.twitter.com/XPuxmB8r85
— Agents of Fandom (@AgentsFandom) August 13, 2023
When Henry Cavill stepped down as Geralt of Rivia, Polish publication Wyborcza asked if Bagiński and the crew felt anything. “After shooting Season 3, I took my first vacation in four years and cut myself off. I found out about the case a few days before the official announcement,” Bagiński states. “I do not want to go into the reasons for this decision, because I learned about many things after the fact.”
He went on to say,
“Henry was a fantastic Geralt, but in the history of pop culture we have many actors who played the same character, and the character itself changed. I am most pleased that the series was created and became so popular. The Witcher has already reached the level of Batman, Superman and James Bond. Maybe we hoped to see him in a new version only in a few years, but it happened now. And that’s nothing new for iconic pop culture heroes.“
Bagiński has previously stated similar sentiments. This includes, for example, saying, “Bond and Batman discover something new and interesting with each change of appearance. We have the time. Geralt is in the same league.” Bagiński, known for his candor, frequently emphasizes how Geralt is bigger than any single actor, leading many fans to question his judgment given the popular belief that no one is more devout to Geralt than Cavill.
Despite the obvious rift, details of Cavill’s recasting have been difficult to come by. Both sides have remained relatively silent on the issues, but Cavill had already expressed concerns prior to leaving.
Bagiński had stated,
“The toughest part for me was finding that balance between the showrunners’ vision and my love for the books, and trying to bring that Geralt to the showrunners’ vision. All of my asks and requests were along the lines of just being faithful to the source material.“
Bagiński’s statements reflect The Witcher‘s long-term goal in light of Geralt’s fame, but they also confirm that Cavill’s departure was not planned. Given Cavill’s statements, “mean-spirited” and prevalent rumors about a negative culture in the writer’s room, and showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich saying that Cavill frequently pushed for changes to Geralt’s character, Cavill’s disagreement is well-documented. Bagiński’s statement that he didn’t want to discuss the reasons for Cavill’s departure could imply that there were more than simply creative differences that led to the split.
Will The Witcher Reach Season 5 With Liam Hemsworth?
The Witcher kicked off in 2019 and features three seasons, each released every two years. Bagiński’s original aspirations that he “hoped to see him [Cavill] in a new version only in a few years” indicate his plans extended beyond Season 5. It’s unclear how these remarks relate to unsubstantiated allegations that The Witcher may not last that long.
The Witcher is currently available to stream on Netflix.
You can also check out Henry Cavill’s final stint as Geralt in the season 3 trailer of the show. Liam Hemsworth is currently poised to reprise the role of Geralt for future seasons.
Do you agree with Bagiński’s comparison of Geralt to top famous pop culture characters in cinematic history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
