As Netflix releases more and more cast photos from its upcoming Witcher show, a pattern has begun to emerge. Long-time fans of the video game series – which, like the show, is based on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski's popular line of fantasy novels and is coming to Switch this year in the form of Witcher 3 – seem to be rather divided on some of the casting picks, with the negative comments usually relating to the fact that a certain character doesn't closely resemble their video game equivalent.
That's because, according to showrunner Lauren Hissrich, the Witcher show isn't taking inspiration from the games, but rather the original novels.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Hissrich said:
We’re not adapting the videogames, it’s a straight adaptation of the books. Which is great as the videogames are also an adaptation of the books. They went one direction, we actually get to go another. We’re kind of holding close to our chest what we’re doing in the first season. There’s a lot of obviously epic excitement that starts in the saga of the books. But the short stories provided a lot of world building and lay the foundation of this Continent and the politics of it and the understanding of the people of it and those really came into focus in the first season.
Hissrich added that, much like real life itself, there's not necessarily going to be 'good' guys and 'bad' guys and there certainly won't be a central baddie:
It’s not a secretive aspect. There isn’t really a villain. One of the things we’re enjoying exploring is all the shades of grey in the books. The characters you’re rooting for in the beginning may not be the characters you’re rooting for in the end. And characters you hate and seem absolutely evil are motivated by something that’s really relatable and human and emotional. I found writing it and then watching it afterward that your allegiance switches a lot. You constantly try to put yourself in the shoes of characters and think what would you do [in a situation]. I think you’ll end up having a lot of empathy for characters you didn’t expect to.
Netflix's Witcher series launches later this year, and will comprise of eight hour-long episodes. With the flames from Game of Thrones now dying down, this could be a well-timed venture by the streaming giant.
[source ew.com, via gonintendo.com]
Comments 71
@Haxxor Why would sticking to the book make it horse shit?
Give it a chance and stay open minded without expecting too much from this show (especially not a clone of the game) and you might enjoy it. I'm not a big fan of Cavill but I am still looking forward to this.
Good. If you want to see the familiar version of Witcher, you can do so for literally hundreds of hours in the games. Why do we want the series to show us what we've already seen, but without the fun of blasting fireballs and making our own story choices?
Not being more close to the games will probably be the shows downfall considering the games were the first interaction with the series that majority of people have. And naturally they will compare the tv show to the games.
Do anyone actually ask for this?
I'll give it a go, and honestly ignoring the game is probably the right call for this. The books were good. The video game was good too as far as it went. I'm more curious than ever to see it in action now.
@Haxxor Have you read the books? No? Try picking one up sometime. They're good. The game is not the source material for this show. What the game looks like and how CDPR interpreted the characters is irrelevant.
@Haxxor You know Sapkowski hates the games, right?
I expect the same nudity.
@Haxxor Oh boy. You don't need my help to look foolish. I'll leave you to it.
all the shades of grey in the books
Erm is this going to be a different type of Witcher?
Anyways, havent played the games, so will give it a go whenever it turns up
Anyone following the books must be really confused.
Considering the toxic response of some of the fanbase its probably for the best they are distancing themselves from the interpretation from CDPR. Regardless of what a vocal minority feel I think the show will be a success.
@Damo
The reason he hates the games is greed and his own stupidity.
He refused royalties because he didn't think the games would sell, and then he got pissed when they did. Went so far that he's actually trying to get money from CDPRED by dragging them to court in Poland.
He may be a good author, but he's a terrible greedy human being.
And again, without the games the series would never have gotten as big as it is right now. Obviously Netflix is trying to cash in by riding on the games popularity.
Every time they say something like “ it’s not goin be like the game” 9 times outa 10, it’s gonna suck lmao
Hmmmm TV shows/movies adapted from books vs TV shows/movies adapted from video games. Not really much comparison, clearly they're going in the right direction.
@Haxxor @Damo Haxxor is right, though. Everyone knows The Shining movie surpassed the book because it was based on the game
@Rhaoulos @Damo @Haxxor
Jeez. Who pissed in Haxxor's cornflakes?
A usual dose of idiocy in the comments, including perrenial degenerate fan myths like the ability of an adaptation to "ruin an intellectual property". As for the games, they aren't "the reason the series got popular enough for Netflix" at the end of the day but the reason this show is getting articles and fanbrained comments on a gaming fansite at all. And it's becoming clearer that it probably doesn't even need to. Or maybe NL plans to do a retrospective of the Polish TV series, too? 😄
We are talking separate, independent adaptations of one book series. One of which doesn't even retell the material as much as crafts its own continuation of the chronicles once penned. As works and adaptations go, we are likely looking at THREE different canons already (four if the Polish show was similarly independent from Sapkowski and his publishers). End of story. Either you're curious to see an adaptation of the books onscreen or you aren't - but CDPR's works have literally nothing to do with either, and all we've read here is another official confirmation.
As for the books themselves, I'm nearing the end of the fifth one as we speak and have found it all a very worthwhile read to my taste. It's a rich and eclectic fantasy world with enticing characters and events, and I'm glad I refrained from diving into the game trilogy before acquainting myself with the foundation it was built on.
@GustavoMaciel I wish I could 'like' your comment twice
@Haxxor I gather from your rather simple assssessment, you've yet to read the books. Do yourself a favour and pick them up!
@Haxxor ..and you're griping about it already? What have you read about this show making you believe it's going to be garbage?
When this was first announced I knew it was going to annoy a lot of game fans, most of them don't know the games are a sequel to the books.
If you're a Triss X Geralt fan, you're really going to hate this.
@Haxxor Alrighty then
@Haxxor you need to chill out. Your gonna have a stroke
@Haxxor You do realize that Geralt did not have a beard pre witcher 3 right? It's funny to me when casual fans who have only played the last game try to dictate what's canon.
@Haxxor so did mine. You should calm down and take a walk.
The video game series wonderfully carried on the tones and themes of the novels as a continuation. The novels themselves are extremely good on their own.
@Haxxor That's illegal and dishonorable.
@Haxxor Then spend you time playing then instead of posting here with aggression. You can always come back when you’re in a better mood.
This makes me super worried about the upcoming Cuphead show.
@MrMetroid that thing is just a moronic troll. It has no idea about witcher.
Everyone, please don't talk to trolls it just encourages them. Press ignore and move on.
With this much edge it would seem that the entire universe is flat.
I've been saying this ever since people stated complaining about Geralt not looking old, bearded, and chiseled. I think Witcher 3 has gone pretty mainstream, so it's a lot of folks' default concept of the franchise.
Edit for everyone else regarding that one chap- I used the ignore button and had a much more pleasant experience in the comments.
I never liked Sapkowski's books, they're written in style and genre that are not for me (I got to experience them many years before CDPR's first game was even a thing), but criticism for following the books instead of games is just silly.
Also, call me once we get games based on Lem's books - now that's good literature.
I don't know why everyone is so pessimistic about a Netflix miniseries. Doesn't anyone remember how great Sci-Fi Channel miniseries used to be?
......
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Duh, if they copied them it would be a video game and not a Netflix show.
Hey @Haxxor what do you have to say about the Me Too movement?
And it should be based on the novels and not the games. Book versions will ALWAYS trump movies and games...
@Haxxor "have you watched any other Netflix original? They're poorly written and full of sjw garbage like how there always has to be a lgbt character or person of color."
Why does that matter? Black Summer, Stranger Things and Black Mirror are some of my favorite shows. Stop pushing your opinion as fact.
EDIT: Also, what they did with Arrested Development is absolutely AMAZING! All in my opinion of course.
@Haxxor interesting. What then makes you use the dismissive phrase "SJW"? Surely MeToo is a social justice issue. Surely anyone who uses the phrase SJW hates the idea of justice and just wants the world to never get better?
[This thread is weird...oh no people are looking, quick say something cool] Henry Cavill is toight like a toigger. [Genius Goldmember reference]
@Haxxor “You don’t like the same shows as me therefore you must have a low iq”
The mods probably shouldn’t let you run a muck around here. You should definitely go to the park of get a coffee or something. Chill out.
@Haxxor oh, you're trolling. carry on then I guess
I started reading the books, and definitely starting with the short stories is the best way to introduce the Witcher's world to newcomers (like me, I haven't played too much of the games). I hope they do this right, I am looking forward to this series since it was announced.
@faint Ignore and move on.
@StevenG report, ignore and move on* hes just trolling out of I assume boredom. I really don't understand why people do this.
@Haxxor I mean having read the books, Geralt actually prefers being clean shaven, so not really sure what you’re on about...
whats the point of making a film/show based on a game if all your going to use is the name?
Not gonna watch this. Another franchise ruined by netflix
@Haxxor I'm confused...did you read all the books or just 3 of them? Because there are 8 in total. 5 in the main saga, 2 separate short story compilations that were referenced in the article, and one somewhat separate novel set between stories from the first compilation.
Why is anyone interacting with this Hax idiot 🤔
Press ignore like I’m doing just now.
I knew Getalt shouldn’t have spared that troll during Witcher 2; now it’s got a Nintendolife account 😁
Some of us may not like Netflix Originals because yes or no or whatever, some of us might like them because different reasons.
But I think we can all agree that @Haxxor seems like an idiot.
I’ll give the show a go (not like it’s costing me any extra seeing I’m already on Netflix anyway). I like the books, enjoyed the second game and have yet to start my copy of the goty edition on Xbox one (but I’ve heard nothing but praise).
I don’t care what colour or ethnicity the actors are in the series, good actors are good actors. People moaning about that seem to focus on the female cast members (what a surprise!) and ignore that Geralt, who is Slavic, possibly Polish (sto lat!) is being played by an Englishman...
Hey you an opinion? Not edgy so much like myne! BOOM! #K000lAi1Dddd
(Please consider the use of the ignore button for indiscriminate rageys)
Is it just me or does it feel really really weird that Witcher news is now appropriate Nintendo news?
@Maxz i loled lol
@DeathUriel, Indeed truly a great unificator.
I am incredibly eager to see their adaptation of The Witcher!! I don't expect it to be like the games, so my expectations are completely in line with where they should be.
Great, cant wait!
@NEStalgia I think you mean the "Syfy" channel.
Which is actually a name change I approve of. Syfy has as much science-fiction/science programming as the history channel has history programming..
@Ralizah it was Sci-Fi Channel the last time i bothered to notice it was alive.
@Gelantious I wouldn't call him greedy, just shortsighted. It's his own fault, really, but to be fair he wasn't wrong for like a decade. The Witcher and the Witcher 2 weren't runaway killer successes in anyway. Hell, I'd go as far as saying the first Witcher just wasn't good. 3 is where they really took everything good about 2 and blew it up in a really accessible and fun way. No one could predict that
For me this is actually rather good to hear. lol I know this is going to be a pretty unpopular opinion, but I played all 3 Witcher games all through and I was pretty confused about most of the politics/nations and who they were, I had to stop and think "hang on are these guys, those guys from the second game? Who were they again? What were those robotic things in the first game, wth is going on?" The games are fantastic experiences but for me they majorly lacked in being a coherent story that was worth following. Maybe the Netflix series (and the books of course) could clear that issue up for me, which would definitely deserve another playthrough. Pretty much for me, the Witcher quests and the interactions with random people and the tough choices you have to make is where the games really shine. The politics etc. and the over-arching story I thought was always pretty poorly presented (not always, but overall). When playing the games I could never remember much from the previous games, kinda like watching a trilogy of films made up of reboots. Was it like that for anyone else, or is it just me? Would be keen to know.
Did anyone try to watch the old show after learning about the games? It's terrible. The CDPR Witcher branches off after the end of the books. From my understanding the Netflix show is going to adapt and condense some of the books and short stories into hopefully something watchable. I mean, the books are good. It's not too bad to not get an adaptation of the videogames. Hell, I wouldn't want to see an adaptation of the games, I could just play them, the books though, haven't been adapted and have some parts that are just great. Like, doesn't anyone ever wonder what the deal is with the elf boy in 3 that didn't read the damn books? CDPR wisely doesn't explain a lot of what the characters went through with Geralt and Ciri. An adaptation of those stories is dope. Though it's funny that the writer assumes a second season. Well see.
@C-Chakra that's exactly it. The games didn't explain the characters relations to each other that was established in the books super well. I think that's a good thing, but I think a lot of people are like you and didn't go back and read the books and have no idea what some of these characters motivations are and how up some of them are because the games only focus on the immediate story and not what happened in the books. I think an adaptation of the books would be dope
Looks better than I thought it would, but it's definitely lost the distinct feel of the games. This feels like it was made in California, not Poland.
@Xansies Yea, hopefully the series is a faithful adaptation of the books like they are claiming and they can clear up my confusion. I will definitely go back and play the games again if so. Yep, I also had issues with most of the characters in the games, where the only character I felt had some depth and I could really understand her motivations was Triss... (I had more to say on the characters but ended up cutting it in case I said something that could be considered spoilers). Wouldn't want to ruin the experience for others. Anyways, overall I really enjoyed the games but did feel that they left me scratching my head thinking "and what was all that about?"
I smell soy in this.
As long as they don't Americanized the movie I will be happy to see how it turns out. I think most readers on here knows what I mean Americanized means and how badly those moves played out.
If they based it off the games, they would have to give money to CDProjekt Red, so, "they went in another direction"
@SwitchForce
I agree and I think you are gonna be sad and disappointed then lol
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