Netflix dropped a trailer forThe Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, andthe upcoming anime movie makesHenry Cavill’s Geralt recasteven more disappointing. Based on Andrzej Sapkowksi’s short story, “A Little Sacrifice,“The Witcher: Sirens of the Deepwill debuton February 11. It will throw Geralt into the middle of a conflict between humans and merpeople. And judging byThe Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’strailer, it will be an action-packed addition to the franchise. It could even live up to the success ofThe Witcher’s former anime movie,Nightmare of the Wolf.
While another animated take onThe Witcheris something to look forward to, perhaps the most exciting aspect ofSirens of the Deepis its cast. Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey will return to voice Yennefer of Vengerberg and Jaskier, respectively. However, Geralt will be portrayed by someone new to Netflix’s franchise.Doug Cockle, who voices Geralt inThe Witchergames, is taking on the lead rolein the anime film. Having Geralt’s original voice actor back as the character is a huge deal, but the movie’s portrayal of him highlights Cavill’s absence, making it bittersweet.
Sirens Of The Deep’s Geralt Looks Like Henry Cavill’s Character (But Isn’t Played By Him)
The Witcher’s Anime Movie Highlights His Absence
According toNetflix,The Witcher: Sirens of the Deepis set during the first season of the live-action series — specifically, between episodes 5 and 6. This means the anime film is striving for continuity with the original show, and Geralt’s design speaks to that. The Geralt seen in theSirens of the Deeptrailer bears a strong resemblance to Cavill’s iteration of the character. This makes sense. From the connections between projects to the character design,it’s clear that the film’s Geralt issupposedto be Cavill’s character, making his departure that much sadder.
It doesn’t help thatSirens of the Deep’s Geralt is surrounded by familiar facesfrom the live-action series. Both Jaskier and Yennefer will appear in the upcoming film, and they’ll both be voiced by the same actors who bring them to life in Netflix’s live-action show. This will further highlight Cavill’s absence, as viewers are accustomed to seeing and hearing these stars together. It might have been less jarring to have an all-new cast for the animated project, as keeping some actors and changing the talent behind Geralt highlights what’s missing.
Doug Cockle Is The Perfect Replacement For Henry Cavill In The Witcher’s New Movie
He’s The Best Choice To Follow Henry Cavill
AlthoughThe Witcher: Sirens of the Deepmakes Cavill’s recast more noticeable and disappointing,it’s for the best that Cockle is the one to follow him. Cavill’s take on Geralt of Rivia is iconic; it’s probably one of thebest fantasy castingsof the past decade. The actor leaves big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Cockle is one of the few stars that viewers can count on to do the character justice. After all, he has experience bringing Geralt to life, just in a different medium. His portrayal ofThe Witcher’s lead is just as renowned — probably even more so.
While there are questions and concerns about whether Liam Hemsworth can successfully replace Cavill inThe Witcherseason 4, viewers will have no such qualms about Cockle stepping into the role.
While there are questions and concerns about whether Liam Hemsworth can successfully replace Cavill inThe Witcherseason 4, viewers will have no such qualms about Cockle stepping into the role. In fact, with the excitement around Netflix’sWitcherfranchise dimming,Cockle’s return may even draw disillusioned fans back into the fold. So, while Cavill’s absence will be felt inThe Witcher’s upcoming anime movie, casting Cockle was the right choice. It’s just a shame we’ll never see Cavill go as far with the character as the original voice actor did.
Sirens Of The Deep’s Geralt Is A Reminder Of How Great Cavill’s Version Could’ve Been
The Witcher Star Never Got To Complete The Character’s Journey
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deepisn’t just drawing attention to the fact that Cavill is no longer Geralt; it’s also highlighting what could have been. Cockle’s character in the anime film is still early in his journey. However,having him play Geralt again is a reminder of how far he took the character in the games. Cavill did a great job with Geralt throughoutThe Witcher’s first three seasons, but he’ll never get to complete his journey. This is a shame, as Cavill would undoubtedly have done the later parts of Geralt’s story justice.
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With any luck, Hemsworth’s performance will surprise viewers and capture the remainder of Geralt’s story effectively. Even so, we’ll be left to wonder what could have been if Cavill had seen his tenure as Geralt through to the end. Given his appreciation for the source material, it’s likely he would have delivered a conclusion worthy ofThe Witcher’s book and video game foundations.
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Cast
Based on the hit novel and video game series, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is an animated film directed by Kang Hei Chul for Netflix. Series protagonist Geralt of Rivia takes center stage once more as he is hired for a nearly impossible task- to ease tensions between humans and merpeople before they break out into an all-out war.
The Witcher
The Witcher, released in 2019, follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.
