The Witcher season 4 is set to recast another character as a legacy actor follows original Geralt star Henry Cavill in exiting the show. Adapted from a series of fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapowski, The Witcher follows Geralt of Rivia, a legendary warrior and monster hunter. The show debuted on Netflix in December 2019 to critical acclaim, but was soon mired in controversy amid increasingly mixed reviews from audiences and Cavill exiting the show after season 3, with Liam Hemsworth recast as Geralt.

The Witcher season 4 cast list is set to replace another iconic character for the show’s new era, with Vesemir, Geralt’s mentor and father-figure, the next part to be recast, as original actor Kim Bodnia is set to leave the show. Per Radio Times, a spokesperson for the Killing Eve star revealed scheduling conflicts as the reason for his departure, with Bodnia having joined the cast of the Brad Pitt Apple TV+ project F1. The two projects initially had different schedules, but the Writer’s Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild strikes changed things. Check out his spokesperson’s comments below:

Kim will not return as Vesemir as his current shooting diary didn’t fit in with Netflix’s shooting schedule of The Witcher season 4.

What Vesemir’s Recasting Means for The Witcher

The Move Gives Hemsworth’s Geralt A Chance At A Clean Slate

One of the benefits with recasting the character of Vesemir is that it will provide Hemsworth the opportunity of at least one clean slate as he takes on the role of Geralt for the first time in The Witcher season 4. Cavill’s Geralt is already well established, and his on-screen relationship with Bodnia’s Vesemir is familiar in the fandom. Hemsworth faces a tough process and constant comparisons, but being able to act alongside a brand-new Vesemir allows him the opportunity to make that relationship his own, and goes a small way toward stamping his mark on the character.

This is a good way to ground the new era of the show in a positive and interesting way, and it will allow audiences something fresh to discover, in a world they already know so well. Nothing is known yet about who will be cast in the role, but it is an important and prominent role that needs to be filled, and it is unlikely that whoever steps into Bodnia’s shoes is going to face the same degree of backlash as Hemsworth did when taking on the role of The Witcher‘s Geralt.

Our Verdict On How Vesemir’s Recasting Could Impact The Witcher Seasons 4 & 5

The Character Could Play a Pivotal Role In The Final Two Seasons

The fact the character is being recast would suggest that Vesemir will continue to have an important role in the show, and I think the writers will use this as an opportunity to help Hemsworth get into his role, and ensure that there is at least one other core character grounded to the so-called “Hemsworth Era” of the show. As it has been confirmed The Witcher will end after season 5, Netflix might see this as a good time to get creative and take the shackles off, so Vesemir could be a very prominent player in the conclusion of The Witcher.