Season three of The Witcher marks Henry Cavill’s final outing as monster slayer Geralt of Rivia in the popular Netflix fantasy series before he hands the reins over to Liam Hemsworth.
The actor, who is a genuine fan of the original source material from Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, announced that he would be hanging up his white wig and silver sword back in November 2021. But why?
Keep reading for everything we know about Henry’s departure and the rumoured drama behind-the-scenes.
WATCH: Will you be watching season three of The Witcher?
Why is Henry Cavill leaving The Witcher?
While Henry hasn’t explicitly detailed his reasons for stepping down from the role, the timing of his departure is quite telling.
Just days before the Jersey-born actor announced his exit from the Netflix show, he revealed that he would be reprising his role as Superman in the DC Extended Universe.
© Susie AllnuttHenry Cavill will step down from his role after season 3
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Henry first portrayed the iconic superhero in 2013’s Man of Steel, before returning to the role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017).
His Superman comeback wasn’t meant to be, however. Two months later, James Gunn was announced as the new co-CEO of DC Studios and chose to take the character in a different direction. The new reboot, titled Superman: Legacy, would feature a new actor in the iconic role, who has now been revealed as David Corenswet.
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© Susie AllnuttHenry Cavill stars alongside Joey Batey in The Witcher
Henry took to Instagram after being dropped from the role. He wrote: “After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life.
“The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.”
The following day, Netflix confirmed that Henry would not be returning to The Witcher and that season four would continue with Liam Hemsworth as Geralt.
© Photo: Getty ImagesLiam Hemsworth will take over the role from Henry Cavill
Speculation about behind-the-scenes drama on The Witcher
Whilst there’s no real evidence of any behind-the-scenes drama on the show, some fans have speculated that there had been tension between Henry and showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich in the lead-up to his departure.
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There were also rumours circulating online that some members of the writing team didn’t share Henry’s appreciation for the book series.
© NetflixAnya Chalotra and Henry Cavill as Yennefer and Geralt
Ahead of the season two premiere, the Enola Holmes actor Total Film: “This season, I really wanted to make sure that we represented the book’s Geralt more accurately, and that we saw him speak more. I pushed really, really hard for that.”
However, during an Instagram Q&A session, one of the show’s ex-writers, Beau DeMayo, suggested that Henry’s affinity with the books may have not been shared by some of the writers.
© Photo: NetflixSeason 3 debuts on June 29
Without naming any names, Beau said on Instagram: “I’ve been on a show – namely Witcher – where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material.) It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale.
“Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you’re allowed to add to its legacy.”
While some fans assumed this could be the real reason behind Henry’s exit, there’s no evidence to connect the actor to Beau’s claims.
The Witcher season 3 premieres on Netflix on June 29.
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