The Witcher season four has officially welcomed Liam Hemsworth as Henry Cavill’s replacement — and it hasn’t taken long for fans to debate who is the superior lead.
The first three series of Netflix’s dark fantasy adaptation saw ex-Superman star Cavill, 42, lead as the powerful monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. However, in 2022, to many fans’ dismay, he announced he was departing the series and passing the baton to Australian actor Hemsworth, 35.
Out now, the new eight-episode season picks up “after the Continent-altering events of Season Three,” according to an official logline.
“Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri find themselves separated by a raging war and countless enemies,” it adds. “As their paths diverge, and their goals sharpen, they stumble on unexpected allies eager to join their journeys. And if they can accept these found families, they just might have a chance at reuniting for good.”
While Hemsworth’s road to acceptance was always expected to be an uphill battle — with audiences accustomed to Cavill’s more subdued take on the protagonist — it now seems he may never fully earn it.
“I take back any good faith I gave to Liam Hemsworth,” one viewer wrote on X. “Henry will always be my Geralt. Not whatever this abomination is.”
“No hate for Liam Hemsworth,” a second clarified, “but The Witcher is lifeless without Henry and the way they tried to rewrite the scenes with Liam is cringe enough to not continue.”
“Bring back Henry Cavill,” a third begged, adding, “This timeline sucks. How did we end up with the Temu version of the Witcher with Liam Hemsworth?”
However, not everyone was quite so damning, with one viewer arguing that Hemsworth was “doing Geralt justice.” “Henry Cavill [has] done a great job that can’t be denied but the glazing needs to stop,” they insisted. “Think the story balance is far too favored towards Yennefer this season but enjoying it nonetheless.”
A second felt that Hemsworth wasn’t necessarily the issue. “The showrunner and writers are. That’s why you lost Henry in the first place. I’m sure Liam can deliver this line just fine,” they said.
Critics have also lamented Cavill’s absence. “Henry Cavill was the best thing about the show, and in this penultimate season, it struggles on without him,” The Independent’s Nick Hilton wrote in a paltry two-star review.
Sarah Dempster was stronger in her criticism, writing for The Guardian, “Hemsworth is as charismatic as a bollard in a wig.”
Variety’s Aramide Tinubu, however, opined that “although the voice isn’t quite the same... the transition is mostly seamless.”
Tinubu was more understanding of Hemsworth’s brasher take on the character. “As the stoic monster hunter has become increasingly attuned to his own emotions,” she noted, “the distinct difference between the two actors makes even more sense, given Geralt’s slightly more emotive nature in the story’s current timeframe.”
The Witcher season four is streaming on Netflix.
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