The Witcher Showrunner Defends Liam Hemsworth's Controversial Season 4 Geralt Line

Many fans responded positively to "The Witcher" season 4 trailer, which showcases Liam Hemsworth's Geralt of Rivia in action after taking over from Henry Cavill's version of the character. However, while Hemsworth's performance received some support from the show's base, one line caused quite the stir to ensure that his casting remains divisive. The teaser features a moment in which Geralt utters the words, "Let's f***ing go," which prompted the naysayers to argue that he would never say that. Be that as it may, showrunner Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich disagrees with this sentiment.

Speaking to the Radio Times, Schmidt-Hissrich reassured fans that the line will make more sense in the context of the battle it's relevant to in "The Witcher" season 4. What's more, she believes that the controversial line of dialogue is very much in line with Geralt's character. As she put it:

"It's one of those things that it's like, you may go, 'Oh, that's not what my Geralt would say.' Well, it is. It's what our Geralt would say. And in this moment, it suits it perfectly. So I'm eager for audiences to take those moments from the trailer and actually see them in the context of the scenes."

Schmidt-Hissrich is a big fan of the aforementioned line that has divided the "Witcher" fan base, so she isn't too bothered by the negative feedback. Additionally, she has told fans to brace themselves for some slight changes to Geralt of Rivia's character in the upcoming installment of Netflix's hit fantasy series.

Geralt of Rivia isn't the same grunting, foul-mouthed, lone-wolf warrior everyone fell in love with in "The Witcher" season 1 — and it isn't only down to the fact the character was recast after Henry Cavill left the Netflix fantasy series to pursue other projects. No, Geralt has evolved since meeting Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) and Ciri (Freya Allan), with love and family making the ruthless brute more caring and protective. This aspect of his personality will also become more apparent in season 4. In that same interview, Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich teased the idea of Geralt becoming protective of even more characters moving forward, as he accepts that he has things in common with humans and other species. In her own words:

"[W]hen we find him in season 4, he has a slightly different family that he has to look after, and he's reticent at first. He's really hesitant to accept these people on his journey. In this moment, though, he is protecting someone that's super dear to him, and his tone and his mood, to me, it's a father figure, it's a friend."

So, while some folks argue that Geralt's season 4 lines are controversial and uncharacteristic for him, they could also reflect a new side of his personality, which stems from his personal growth and evolution. We suspect all will become clear when "The Witcher" season 4 slashes its way onto Netflix on October 30, 2025.