The Witcher Season 2 is in production. Here's everything we know about it so far.
Season 1 of Netflix's The Witcher was immensely popular, enjoyed by fans and casual viewers alike. Not everyone loved it, of course, but no matter how you look at it, Netflix's live-action Witcher series is here to stay.
Naturally, the streaming service was quick to announce The Witcher Season 2, and they haven't been stingy with the details. We may have had some gripes with Season 1, but we're as excited as anyone about the show's future, especially now that the first season's structural issues may be left behind--keep reading to find out what we mean, as well as everything else we know about The Witcher Season 2.
The Witcher Season 2 release date
We don't yet have a concrete release date for The Witcher Season 2, but we do have some idea of when it's due out. Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said during a Reddit AMA last year that she expects the second season to arrive in 2021--although she added that they "don't want to rush the product" since "that doesn't benefit anyone."
While you might expect statements made in early 2020 about an in-production show's future release date to maybe not be all that accurate anymore thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic, we also know that Netflix managed to resume production in August last year, so it may actually be on track still.
Season 2 trailer
Netflix has not yet released a full trailer for The Witcher Season 2, but a fun video that debuted around Halloween last year features some creatures from the series that were definitely never seen in Season 1, which fans have taken as a hint of things to come in Season 2.
Season 2 story
The Witcher Season 1's finale saw Ciri and Geralt finally united, but also left Yennefer's status unknown following the big battle with Nilfgaard. We can expect Season 2 to continue following Geralt and Ciri as they travel to Geralt's home, Kaer Morhen, and certainly to address Yenn's fate as well. It will most likely also continue to draw inspiration from the books, so if you've read the source material, you may know roughly what to expect. A page of a script Netflix posted to Twitter late last year even hinted at one particular story to watch out for: "A Grain of Truth."
Hissrich has also promised that Season 2 will be "much more linear," referring to the confusing timeline shenanigans in Season 1, which saw storylines featuring the three main characters presented as parallel despite taking place decades apart. The showrunner said the simplified structure will be possible "now that the three characters' stories have started to intersect."
Hissrich also revealed one storyline she won't be adapting from the books: Triss Merigold's extended illness, about which the showrunner said, "No one wants to see Triss have diarrhea for three episodes." Fair.
Other than that, all we have is the official plot synopsis from Netflix: "Convinced Yennefer's life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent's kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside."
Season 2 characters
Obviously, The Witcher's focus will continue to be on Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri. We should also expect more of the series' minor characters, including Jaskier (Dandelion, for those familiar with the Witcher games), Cahir, Triss, and more of Yenn's fellow sorcerers and sorceresses. Beyond the expected, though, there's only been one notable story about new Season 2 casting: Victoria actor Basil Eidenbenz as the Witcher Eskel.
The only other hint has been Hissrich's continued commitment to "color-blind casting," which ensures the best actor will be chosen for any new roles, regardless of their race or skin color. Lastly, we've seen Season 2 images featuring a new look for Ciri as well as new armor for Geralt.
How many episodes?
The Witcher Season 1 had 8 episodes, but Netflix hasn't yet announced an episode count for Season 2. During the same Reddit AMA referenced above, Hissrich referred to Season 2's length without giving any concrete answers. She said Season 1's eight-episode length "felt like the magic number" to get the per-episode budget she wanted while telling the story she wanted to tell.
She's approaching Season 2 similarly, asking questions like, "What are the stories [author Andrzej Sapkowski] was telling, and why? What building blocks do we need to set up future stories? Is there anything we missed from S1 that we want to include? And what will work on television?"
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