Netflix’s ‘Witcher’ Universe In Trouble As Bad ‘Blood Origin’ Reviews Come In

What once seemed like it could be a huge hit that would create a series that may even rival Game of thrones for streaming service, now seems to be in quite a bit of trouble.

It is easy to see the problems the series faces outside of its initial promising first season and solid animated prequel. Here's what's happening.

• Henry Cavill is leaving The Witcher after season 3. While many speculated that it was because he was returning to play Superman at DC, that’s not even for certain now. He’s being replaced by Liam Hemsworth after season 3.
• Rather, there were rumors that Cavill may have sparred with the writers of the show who were reported to “actively dislike” the original books and video games, something Cavill was deeply passionate about, and it remains odd that he would be so thrilled about a role only to drop it and leave the story to be finished by another actor. The showrunner has pushed back on the claims about the writers not liking the source material, though significant changes from the books have been made.
• The Witcher season 2 was just not as nearly well-received by fans as the first season, with audience scores dropping from 90% from season 1 to 59% for season 2. Some of this was due to source material changes but overall it just felt more forgettable and like less of an event than season 1.

The idea of expanding The Witcher into a live action series with Blood Origin didn't work out well. Blood Origin is currently reviewing poorly with just a 36% on the Tomatoes, which is much lower than the previous two seasons of the show. The series won't air until Christmas, but early reviews are problematic. Here is a sample from the movie.

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“In a year filled with great fantasy – House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power among them – this ultimately ranks near the bottom.”

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“Blood Origin does not stand very well on its own or as part of the expanding franchise, managing to focus on some of the least interesting aspects of one of The Witcher’s most fascinating pieces of lore.”

We have one more season of the show with Henry Cavill and then he will be replaced. I am not sure if I have ever heard of a recasting that was worse received than this, as even critics of the show agreed that Henry Cavill was the key to making it work as Geralt. It was in a negative direction with the second season.

If The Witcher continues to decline, I'm wondering if this is a good time to cut costs. The idea of continuing to expand the universe may not be as popular as it used to be, and what once seemed like the birth of a huge fantasy universe onNetflix seems to be rapidly Shrinking in quality and scope.

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The Herokiller series and The Earthborn trilogy are available for purchase.