‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ is a highly ambitious spin-off series that will depict the key events that define ‘The Witcher’ universe.
The Witcher’s vivid universe is set to expand on screen with the highly-awaited live-action spin-off series ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’. With its head-spinning plot, this prequel series will transport us into a more imaginative world than ‘The Witcher‘ Season 1.
HIGHLIGHTS —
- Background of ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’
- Complications faced by the series
- Release date of the series
DIVING INTO THE WITCHER’S PAST
‘The Witcher’ prequel series will not feature Henry Cavill‘s Geralt of Rivia or any other character from the flagship ‘The Witcher’ series. Instead, the six-episode series will explore the roots of the animosity between humans and Elves portrayed in ‘The Witcher’ Season 1 by diving into the Continent’s expansive history.
“1200 years before Geralt of Rivia, the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged into one, and the first Witcher came to be.”
The official description of ‘The Witcher’ prequel reads,
Simply put, ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ will be rooted in two storylines: the Conjunction of the Spheres and the creation of the first Witcher. The Witcher world, or “The Continent” as it is known, was home to different realms that existed in parallel dimensions. But as a result of the Conjunction of the Spheres, all the realms came together in the Elven land. Various species including elves, dwarves, as well as humans and countless monsters poured into one world.
This pivotal celestial event created utter disarray on The Continent. It also unleashed the mystical force called “chaos” or “magic” that humans and Elves sought to tame to fight dangerous creatures. The motif of ‘chaos’ was predominant in Season 1 of ‘The Witcher’ as well.
Besides this, ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ will also feature the first Witcher of the Continent. In the Witcher-verse, Witchers are mutated humans who attain special physical and magical powers which enable them to slay monsters. Despite their courageous deeds, they face immense stigma. The series will dive deep into the intentions and process behind their creation. ‘The Witcher’ spin-off is expected to be nothing less than adventurous time travel. It will reveal the “origin” of many unanswered things witnessed in Season 1 of ‘The Witcher’.
A RECIPE FOR MESSY STORYTELLING
Although ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ shows promise due to its wide scope, there is a catch. The two central plotlines of the prequel series occur almost 1000 years apart. The Conjunction of the Spheres happened 967 years before the mages created the first Witcher. This poses a big question about how the show’s makers plan on dealing with the gaping difference between the two timelines.
Season 1 of ‘The Witcher’ also dealt with different timelines but ultimately merged them into one. However, the three plotlines in Season 1 were not so contrasting in their periods as the stories will be in ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’. The spin-off series can take on the same route but this would make the storytelling monotonous.
This prequel could also skip vast periods through exposition but that can leave an emotional void in the show. Even if the makers figure out a way to balance the ages-apart events, presumably with time jumps, the show’s structure will remain vulnerable to faltering due to the vast difference in time. It will be interesting to see how the show deals with stories that have not been explored before in any ‘The Witcher’ literature.
Moreover, the series’ potential remains intact as ‘The Witcher’ showrunner Laura Schmidt Hissrich will executive produce the anticipated spin-off. In addition, Andrzej Sapkowski, the brain behind the books on which ‘The Witcher’ is based, will act as a creative consultant on ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’. This means that fans can be assured that the series is in the safe hands of Sapkowski. His presence in the making of the show becomes even more crucial as the events of the prequel are not fully illustrated in the books. As a consequence, the makers will be starting from ground zero. Thankfully, they have the vision of the original storyteller of ‘The Witcher’ to guide their way.
‘THE WITCHER: BLOOD ORIGIN’ RELEASE DATE
The makers of ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ have posted several casting calls for the spin-off series. But only a meagre number of cast members, including Vikings’ Laurence O’Fuarain and The White Princess’ Jacob Collins-Levy, have been confirmed.
The filming of ‘The Witcher’ prequel is expected to commence in August this year while ‘The Witcher’ Season 2 has packed up. If everything goes smoothly, the production should be completed in the initial months of 2021. After considering the post-production period, the premiere of ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ can be forecasted for early or mid-2022. The fans can only hope it is worth the wait!
Share with us in the comments what you expect from ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’.
