Netflix’s New Witcher Movie Makes Henry Cavill’s Geralt Recast Even More Disappointing

Netflix dropped a trailer for The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, and the upcoming anime movie makes Henry Cavill's Geralt recast even more disappointing. Based on Andrzej Sapkowksi's short story, "A Little Sacrifice," The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep will debut on February 11. It will throw Geralt into the middle of a conflict between humans and merpeople. And judging by The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep'strailer, it will be an action-packed addition to the franchise. It could even live up to the success of The Witcher's former anime movie, Nightmare of the Wolf.

While another animated take on The Witcher is something to look forward to, perhaps the most exciting aspect of Sirens of the Deep is its cast. Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey will return to voice Yennefer of Vengerberg and Jaskier, respectively. However, Geralt will be portrayed by someone new to Netflix's franchise. Doug Cockle, who voices Geralt in The Witcher games, is taking on the lead role in the anime film. Having Geralt's original voice actor back as the character is a huge deal, but the movie's portrayal of him highlights Cavill's absence, making it bittersweet.

Sirens Of The Deep's Geralt Looks Like Henry Cavill's Character (But Isn't Played By Him)

The Witcher's Anime Movie Highlights His Absence

According to Netflix, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is set during the first season of the live-action series — specifically, between episodes 5 and 6. This means the anime film is striving for continuity with the original show, and Geralt's design speaks to that. The Geralt seen in the Sirens of the Deep trailer bears a strong resemblance to Cavill's iteration of the character. This makes sense. From the connections between projects to the character design, it's clear that the film's Geralt is supposed to be Cavill's character, making his departure that much sadder.

It doesn't help that Sirens of the Deep's Geralt is surrounded by familiar faces from the live-action series. Both Jaskier and Yennefer will appear in the upcoming film, and they'll both be voiced by the same actors who bring them to life in Netflix's live-action show. This will further highlight Cavill's absence, as viewers are accustomed to seeing and hearing these stars together. It might have been less jarring to have an all-new cast for the animated project, as keeping some actors and changing the talent behind Geralt highlights what's missing.

Doug Cockle Is The Perfect Replacement For Henry Cavill In The Witcher's New Movie

He's The Best Choice To Follow Henry Cavill

Geralt looks down in disgust in The Witcher Sirens of the Deep — Geralt in The Witcher Sirens of the Deep

Although The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep makes Cavill's recast more noticeable and disappointing, it's for the best that Cockle is the one to follow him. Cavill's take on Geralt of Rivia is iconic; it's probably one of the best fantasy castings of the past decade. The actor leaves big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Cockle is one of the few stars that viewers can count on to do the character justice. After all, he has experience bringing Geralt to life, just in a different medium. His portrayal of The Witcher's lead is just as renowned — probably even more so.

While there are questions and concerns about whether Liam Hemsworth can successfully replace Cavill in The Witcher season 4, viewers will have no such qualms about Cockle stepping into the role.

While there are questions and concerns about whether Liam Hemsworth can successfully replace Cavill in The Witcher season 4, viewers will have no such qualms about Cockle stepping into the role. In fact, with the excitement around Netflix's Witcher franchise dimming, Cockle's return may even draw disillusioned fans back into the fold. So, while Cavill's absence will be felt in The Witcher's upcoming anime movie, casting Cockle was the right choice. It's just a shame we'll never see Cavill go as far with the character as the original voice actor did.

Sirens Of The Deep's Geralt Is A Reminder Of How Great Cavill's Version Could've Been

The Witcher Star Never Got To Complete The Character's Journey

A hooded Henry Cavill gazes forward with a concerned expression in a scene from The Witcher. — A hooded Henry Cavill gazes forward with a concerned expression in a scene from The Witcher

The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep isn't just drawing attention to the fact that Cavill is no longer Geralt; it's also highlighting what could have been. Cockle's character in the anime film is still early in his journey. However, having him play Geralt again is a reminder of how far he took the character in the games. Cavill did a great job with Geralt throughout The Witcher's first three seasons, but he'll never get to complete his journey. This is a shame, as Cavill would undoubtedly have done the later parts of Geralt's story justice.

With any luck, Hemsworth's performance will surprise viewers and capture the remainder of Geralt's story effectively. Even so, we'll be left to wonder what could have been if Cavill had seen his tenure as Geralt through to the end. Given his appreciation for the source material, it's likely he would have delivered a conclusion worthy of The Witcher's book and video game foundations.

Source: Netflix