Netflix's THE WITCHER Starts Casting Soon and The Writer/Producer Discusses Their Process
I'm pretty pumped up about Netflix's upcoming series adaptation of The Witcher and I like how writer and producer Lauren S. Hissrich has been keeping the fans updated on the process. The show is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's book and CD Projekt Red's game trilogy and Hissrich has announced that they will start casting soon. She also shared some details on how they will go about going through the casting process. Here's what she shared:
It's Friday night in LA, and it's been a seriously great week here at #Witcher.
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) June 23, 2018
So.
Let's talk casting. Yes, I said the magic word! Casting is starting soon, and no, I can't tell you who our top picks are so don't ask. But. There is something very important you need to know. pic.twitter.com/9dfkhBIyo0
Normally, when casting a show, the casting director pulls character-specific scenes from the pilot script for actors' auditions. However, because we're casting internationally (which means lots of emails and self-tapes) and because we know by now the internet keeps no secrets --
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) June 23, 2018
-- the writing staff has instead created entirely new scenes for our main characters. These are written to illustrate the precise tone, vibe, depth, and emotional resonance we need from Geralt and friends... but voila! They are spoiler-free, for us and for you. Which means --
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) June 23, 2018
-- if you start seeing Witcher scenes floating around the internet in the coming weeks -- yes, they're probably real! But no, they won't give anything away as to the stories we're telling, or the ways we're telling them. You're safe. For now.
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) June 23, 2018
And hells yes, his name is Jaskier.
It completely makes sense to write up fake script pages for the casting process. Gotta keep those story details as safe as they can! Hissrich previously shared a full list of characters that will be making an appearance in the adaptation and those are many of the character that they'll be casting for. Mark Hamill has expressed interest in playing Vesemir, which he would be perfect for, so I hope to see that happen.
When previously talking about the show, Hissrich assured fans that it would not be a watered down version of the dark and hardcore story that fans love.
The Witcher chronicles monster hunters who, with training and body modification, develop supernatural abilities at a young age to battle deadly beasts. Executive producers Sean Daniel and Jason Brown previously released the following statement offering some additional insight into the story:
“The Witcher stories follow an unconventional family that comes together to fight for truth in a dangerous world. The characters are original, funny and constantly surprising and we can’t wait to bring them to life at Netflix, the perfect home for innovative storytelling.”
We've got a long time to go before we see the series. It won't be released until 2020 but it's good to see that it's pressing forward and getting ready to cast. Are there any actors you hope to see end up being cast in the series?