Like many streaming series, The Witcher Season 4 came and went with relatively little fanfare. The fifth and final season is in post-production, though excitement seems muted thanks to an underwhelming batch of episodes led by the new Geralt of Rivia, Liam Hemsworth.
The Hunger Games star took over from Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher, but with big shoes to fill, his performance drew widespread criticism from fans and critics alike (it's important to point out that some did enjoy his take on Geralt).
While Cavill's exit from The Witcher was framed in a positive light by Netflix, there's been speculation that the Man of Steel star was unhappy with the creative direction the series was heading in. Now, his co-star, Freya Allan, who plays Ciri, has revealed that she also considered walking away.
Talking to NME (via SFFGazette.com), Allan said she "spent a solid amount of time" mulling over whether to exit The Witcher. "Once I’d made that choice, I made the most of every moment," the actress said of her decision to stay. "Season three was a really difficult season for everyone. I cried because I wanted to finish the show with the guy that played my adoptive father."
"For the first time, I was seeing what life away from The Witcher could look like and then the lead moves on," Allan added, before sharing her thoughts on the backlash to Hemsworth's interpretation.
"Fans just love to hate on something. We’ve made it clear that we’re welcoming him with open arms," she noted, acknowledging that it "was very weird" not to be acting opposite Cavill, seeing as "he's the Geralt I grew up with."
Allan added. "I really want to give fans what they want. I’d also seen Henry, who was so knowledgeable and loyal to the books, push for certain lines to be included. When he left, I was inspired to take on that role. The thing that’s surprised me most about season four is how many people have criticised things that are straight from the books."
As for The Witcher's upcoming conclusion, she explained, "That final season took everything out of me, but I feel so incredibly satisfied."
Last month, we learned that The Witcher Season 4 premiered on Netflix with 7.4 million views. That was a 51% decline from Season 3 and a massive 60% drop from Season 2, and pointed to a decline in interest and the obvious lack of desire many viewers had to see Hemsworth take over as Geralt of Rivia from Cavill.
It's interesting that Allan considered leaving The Witcher, and it's hard not to wonder whether she regrets not doing so. The Rats: A Witcher's Tale was reportedly plagued by issues behind the scenes, and while it was released as a feature-length special on Netflix (there were rumblings it might be scrapped), it arrived on the platform with little fanfare or excitement.
The Witcher Season 4 is now streaming on Netflix.