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The film is technically a Vesemir origin story, but it’s also a crash course in how Witchers came to be, from the harsh conditions in which they are created to the uncomfortable position they occupy in the politics and cultural consciousness of the Continent. And in doing so, it makes the original series feel like something much larger than one man’s story, expanding its world in a way that makes almost every aspect of it seem more complex and interesting than it did before.

Your mileage will likely vary on whether you think that’s a good idea or not-hardcore fans will be delighted by the frequent namedropping and amped-up violence in the lead-up to the series’ return, while casual viewers may wonder what the big deal about any of this is.īut Nightmare of the Wolf works because it unabashedly doubles down on much of what makes the original series so appealing, namely the rich lore that surrounds the existence of Witchers in general. Like a lot of prequels, Nightmare of the Wolf can often feel more interested in table setting for the next season of the live-action series than in telling a standalone story of its own. The latter, which arrives on the streamer this August, offers fans an intriguing look at the origins of one of the major characters we’ll be meeting in Season 2 of The Witcher proper: Geralt’s mentor Vesemir, one of the oldest remaining members of their kind. Equally unsurprising is Netflix’s decision to expand the Witcher franchise, greenlighting both a live-action prequel called The Witcher: Blood Origin and an anime-style film titled The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. What more could you want?Ī second season for The Witcher was basically the definition of a no-brainer.


Based on Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s interconnected series of novels and short stories, The Witcher had a little bit of everything: Plenty of medieval sword fighting action, complex questions of morality, fascinating female characters and a frequently shirtless Henry Cavill. Netflix series The Witcher was a rather massive hit for the streaming platform in 2019, introducing mainstream audiences everywhere to the dangerous world of Geralt of Rivia, a magically enhanced professional monster hunter known as a Witcher.
