Don’t expect the Netflix ‘Witcher’ series for a few more years

Production is moving along nicely on the Netflix adaptation on The Witcher book series by Andrzej Sapowski. The series has already been made into a game series by CD Projekt Red, of course — but don’t expect to see Geralt on your television for a few more years.

Writer Lauren S. Hissrich revealed on Twitter that the production team was “moving quickly” and is enthusiastic about the project, but anticipated that it would not air until 2020. Thought the pilot episode was written back in January, Hissrich said it still needs to be polished and the other seven episodes haven’t been written yet.

Hissrich added that it will consist of eight episodes and will be shot in Eastern Europe, as that setting was the only one appropriate for the story.

“And no, we haven’t cast [the roles] yet,” she said. “Don’t even try.”

For our money, we’re hoping Alexander Skarsgård ends up with the title role, though its possible the producers will want to go with an older actor whose hair wouldn’t have to be died silver.

Eight episodes seems like a pretty short amount of time to tell a story in the Witcher universe given its massive scope. The games can take dozens of hours to complete, with detailed side quests, and long character arcs. Netflix does have experience with limited-episode series based on existing properties, however. Its Castlevania animated show premiered its first four episodes last year, and the final eight will be released later this year. It has managed to tell a compelling story, complete with a cast of characters fans of the games will recognize, in a limited amount of time.

Video game adaptations — if you can call The Witcher that — have been making a comeback on the big screen as well. Tomb Raider and Rampage recently released in theaters, if to somewhat middling reviews, and it appears there is even a new film based on the Doom series in the works. Id Software’s shooter was first turned into a movie back in 2005 with Dwayne Johnson and Karl Urban. It’s mostly unwatchable, but there is a neat first-person sequence thrown in as a nod to players.