Netflix Tudum: The Witcher drops action-packed clip from upcoming third season

Fans of The Witcher can feed their anticipation for the upcoming third season with a new clip featuring an action-packed fight scene.

Henry Cavill will depart The Witcher after season three. Picture: Netflix

Fewer than two weeks out from the third season of The Witcher, Netflix has released a new clip of Henry Cavill’s final turn as Geralt of Rivia.

The hugely popular fantasy series, adapted from the even more revered book and game series by Andrzej Sapowski, The Witcher will debut the first volume of its third season on June 29, followed by a second drop of episodes on July 27.

The eight-episode third series will be Cavill’s last after the British actor announced he would be departing the show. The character will be taken over by Liam Hemsworth.

Netflix revealed a clip from the upcoming season at Tudum, its live fan event in Sao Paulo, Brazil where 15,000 fans were gathered to geek out.

The clip features Princess Cirilla being ambushed by baddie Reince. She manages to hold off the villain’s henchman, but the scuffle requires a bit more firepower. The sorceress Yennefer shows up and tells Reince (who has been recast with Sam Woolf) and tells him that he will have to face her magic.

A battle ensues and Geralt storms in, swinging both his sword and his platinum locks.

The Witcher’s Joey Batey told news.com.au on the red carpet at Tudum, “[The new season] is both bigger and smaller at the same time. There are these huge themes of war and turmoil that we know have been burgeoning for so long and yet at the same time, the micro emotional stuff with this found family. And we’re getting more and more into both aspects of the story.

The series also stars Anya Carlotra, Freya Allan, Anna Shaffer, Kristofer Hivju and MyAnna Buring.

It has already been renewed for a fourth and fifth season with Hemsworth recast in the lead role.

Allan said the cast found out about Cavill’s departure “quite last minute”.

She added, “Right now, we’re trying to focus on all the work the entire cast has put in for this season and focus on that, because it’s nice to look at that.”

Onstage during Tudum, Cavill paid tribute to his castmates. He said, “I’m going to talk about what it was like filming my final season and I actually want to talk about my co-stars here. Once again, it was such a pleasure and honour to be working with you guys.

“You guys bring so much nuance and details to these characters, which are often at risk at being oversimplified, and what you guys have done with the characters as they evolved is work, care and effort. And believe me, working with you guys is the biggest pleasure.

“I just want to say I’m going to miss you, I’m going to miss you very much.”

While there has been hand-wringing in some parts of the fandom over The Witcher’s adherence to the beloved source material, the show has remained one of the most popular on the streaming service.

According to Netflix figures, the first season was watched over 541 million hours in the first 28 days of release while the second recorded 484 in the first four weeks.

The Witcher season three premieres on June 29. Picture: Netflix

When Cavill announced his exit, he wrote on Instagram: “My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for season four.

“In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.

“Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”

The Witcher has also spawned a prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, and an upcoming animated title.

The writer travelled to Sao Paulo, Brazil as a guest of Netflix

Originally published as Netflix Tudum: The Witcher drops action-packed clip from upcoming third season