Netflix's The Witcher show will have 8 episodes and film in Eastern Europe
If you thought this Friday was going to be a quiet one then buckle up, Witcher fans. Lauren S. Hissrich, writer and executive producer on the upcoming Netflix adaptation just spilled all her Witcher tea in a series of tweets. The headlines? There will be eight episodes, it'll maybe be done by 2020 and only the pilot has been written so far.
EIGHT EPISODES. Yes! I know, I know, it may not seem like enough for you, but creatively, it's the right call. The episodes can be tight, action-packed, rich in character and story, without lagging in the middle of the season. Sounds good to me, sound good to you?April 20, 2018
THE SCRIPT NEEDS POLISHED. I'd take a step back from that to say: the scripts need WRITTEN. I've finished the pilot, which yes, will be polished more when we cast/shoot. The other 7 episodes don't yet exist, except in my head. And guess what? New writers are joining me soon, too!April 20, 2018
ANYTHING ELSE? I'm here. (And no, we haven't cast yet. Don't even try.) ♥️April 20, 2018
She's now gamely battling the pedants and the curious in her mentions, and letting the world know Netflix is being supportive - "Netflix is, by definition, not ruled by fear — but by adventure and exploration" - and that rumors of a delay are unfounded. "In fact, the timeline has never been announced so there’s not a delay to be had."
Our last update from Hissrich gave us a preview of the characters we could expect to see in the Netflix series. Yennefer, Triss Merigold and Ciri will join Geralt, as will Regis the vampire, Emperor Emhyr var Emreis and Dandelion (though with his original name in the novels, Jaskier.)
Hissrich's previously produced Daredevil season 2 and The Defenders, and she was also one of the writers for both shows, as well as a staff writer on The West Wing. Feels like Geralt is in pretty safe hands.
Need a Netflix hit before then? Check out our 25 best shows on Netflix.
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Rachel Weber is the former US Managing Editor of GamesRadar+ and lives in Brooklyn, New York. She joined GamesRadar+ in 2017, revitalizing the news coverage and building new processes and strategies for the US team.