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The Witcher live-action TV show is debuting on Netflix on December 20th, 2019.
Fans at Lucca Comics and Games convention in Italy were recently treated to a brand new trailer for the highly anticipated new series, which also confirmed when all eight episodes of the series will come to the streaming service.
Netflix describes the show as “an epic tale of fate and family”, a story of “the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified”.
The show stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, alongside Anya Chalotra as Yennefer and Freya Allan as Ciri. Other previously announced cast members include Jodhi May, Björn Hlynur, Adam Levy, MyAnna Buring, Mimi Ndiweni, Therica Wilson-Read, and Emma Appleton, Eamon Farren, Joey Batey, Lars Mikkelsen, Royce Pierreson, Maciej Musiał, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte, and Anna Shaffer.
This is just one of several game IPs coming to screens both big and small. Most recently, Ubisoft announced it is reimagining even more of its gaming franchises as TV shows; Mars-set Rabbids Invasion special follows four seasons of the France 3/Netflix/Nickelodeon kids show, as well as a kid-friendly Watch Dogs series, and a “comedy-adventure” inspired by the popular Rayman franchise. There’s even plans to adapt its mobile game, Hungry Shark, and Far Cry 3 spin-off, Blood Dragon.
In July we reported that a Cuphead series was coming to Netflix, and in June it was confirmed Ubisoft was strengthening its TV offering with a series and a Netflix movie in the works. Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet will be Ubisoft Film and Television’s first live-action comedy series, whilst a Netflix film based upon Tom Clancy’s The Division starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain is headed to Netflix. The Division will be directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2), with Rafe Judkins (Marvel’s Agents of Shield) working on the screenplay.
A live-action series based upon Square Enix’s MMO RPG Final Fantasy XIV is also in development by Sony Pictures Television and Hivemind, the company also bringing The Witcher to Netflix. The live-action television series will reportedly tell an original story set in the fantastic world of Eorzea.
Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering creator Wizards of the Coast has also announced it is partnering with Netflixand the Russo Brothers to produce a Magic: The Gathering animated series. The Russos will oversee “the creation of an all-new storyline and expand on the stories of the Planeswalkers, which are Magic’s unique magic-wielding heroes and villains as they contend with stakes larger than any one world can hold”.
