The original plan for “The Witcher” at Netflix was for the show to run for seven seasons. Not only will it end after five seasons, but it will do so with a different actor leading the line. Liam Hemsworth will take the place of Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia starting with the upcoming fourth season, which debuts on October 30, 2025. Cavill was originally committed to making seven seasons of “The Witcher,” so what changed? “He had plans for other roles that he really wanted to commit himself to,” showrunner Lauren Hissrich told Entertainment Weekly ahead of the Season 4 drop, adding, “And for us, you don’t want to hold someone and force them to be doing something that they don’t want to do. I think that’s why it felt like a really symbiotic decision.” 

The fan reaction to Hemsworth taking the place of Cavill was vocal, to say the least. Many are still of the opinion that “The Witcher” should have ended after Season 3. To his credit, Cavill released a statement soon after the change was announced heralding Hemsworth’s arrival and calling him a “fantastic” actor. “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 wrote on Instagram. “Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.” Cavill was cordial, but his statement did little to stop the backlash, with many fans hitting the eject button on “The Witcher” following the recast news.

So what were the other roles that Henry Cavill wanted to prioritize over that of Geralt? It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the Brit waved goodbye to “The Witcher” around the same time that he announced his return as Superman. Cavill famously played the iconic superhero in the DC Extended Universe, but he hadn’t appeared as the Man of Steel since 2017’s “Justice League,” one of several DC movies that bombed at the box office due to its inflated budget. Fans were excited to see him return to the role, but it didn’t pan out the way lovers of Cavill’s Clark Kent hoped.

Cavill did get to play Superman one more time, making a cameo appearance in 2022’s “Black Adam” in which he confronts the titular character and sets up a showdown between the two in the future. Sadly, that showdown wasn’t meant to be — James Gunn and Peter Safran were handed control of DC Studios just one month after “Black Adam” came out and quickly announced a big reboot, which meant a whole new Superman. The DC Universe was born and David Corenswet was cast as Clark Kent, bringing an end to Cavill’s reign.

The news came as a shock to many, Cavill included. “After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life,” the actor said in an Instagram post. “The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.” Just like he was when he left “The Witcher,” Cavill remained respectful. He’s now concentrating on his next big project: Prime Video’s reboot of “Highlander,” in which he’ll star as the immortal swordsman Connor MacLeod.