As well as getting a third (and fourth) season, The Witcher's Netflix presence is expanding this year to include a new prequel mini-series set over a thousand years before the time of Geralt of Rivia.
The new limited run series will be called The Witcher: Blood Origin, and stars the awesome Michelle Yeoh as an elf, set in the time when they created the very first Witcher prototype.
Of course, we're stepping somewhat away from the novels with this series, so it's hard to predict exactly where it will go. But we do have some information about its release, cast and plot already. Here's everything we know so far, inluding a look at the first official tease trailer.
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Release date
- Airs on 25 December 2022
During its Tudum announcements, Netflix announced that Blood Origin will start airing on 25 December, Christmas Day 2022.
For those in the northern hemisphere who celebrate, this will be one mini series you can curl up under a blanket in front of the fire with and binge after a day of consuming too much food.
Blood Origin is described as a limited series, however, so don't go expecting an epic hours-long eight episode run like The Witcher proper. It was originally expected to be six episodes, but that's now more likely to be just four episodes according to the latest information.
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Where can I watch it?
Being a Netflix original, this one's going to be available exclusively on Netflix to stream from December.
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Plot
Netflix has already given us some insight into the story being told in Blood Origin. The synopsis describes it as being set 1,200 years before Geralt, Ciri and Yennefer, when the first prototype Witcher was created.
It "explores" that creation, and tells the story of the events that lead to "Conjunction of the Spheres" where the worlds of men, elves and monsters all merge to become one world.
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Cast
The most recently confirmed member of the cast is Minnie Driver. The actress will be the voice over narrator of a character within Witcher universe who will actually make an appearance in season three of The Witcher too.
Undoubtedly the most notable cast member is the legend that is Michelle Yeoh, who stars as the protagonist elf, Scian, and she's joined by Sophia Brown and Laurance O'Fuarain in their roles as Éile and Fjall.
Fans of UK comedy TV shows will immediately recognise Lenny Henry on the list, as well as Black Books star Dylan Moran. There are of course others in the epic series cast, we've noted a few of the more notable ones below.
- Michelle Yeoh - Scian
- Lenny Henry - Balor
- Sophia Brown - Éile
- Laurence O'Fuarain - Fjall
- Dylan Moran - Uthrok One-Nut
- Jacob Collins-Levy - Eredin
- Francesca Mills - Meldof
- Nathaniel Curtis - Brían
- Mirren Mack - Merwyn
- Minnie Driver - Narrator
- Huw Novelli - Brother Death
- Zach Wyatt - Syndril
- Lizzie Annis - Zacaré
- Amy Murray - Fenrick
- Hebe Beardsall - Catrin
- Kim Adis - Ket
- Aidan O'Callaghan - Kareg
The Witcher: Blood Origin - Trailers and featurettes
The first glimpse of Blood Origin was given in the form of a post-credits teaser published way back in December 2021. It was a long time after that we got our first proper 'Official Teaser Trailer', which was published on 10 November 2022.
In it we get a much better feel for what the series is going to entail and - it's probably no surprise - we're going to be getting wars, sword-fighting and magic set in gorgeous landscapes punctured by flame and darkness.
As more teasers, trailers and featurettes are published, we'll drop them in here. Let's hope that between now and launch we see a few more to whet our appetites for the next Witcher installment.