Netflix has reportedly scrapped a Witcher spin-off show focusing on the band of misfits Freya Allen's Ciri joins at the end of Season 3.
According to Redanian Intelligence, filming of The Rats — named after the group itself which also includes Fabian McCallum's Kayleigh and Christelle Elwin's Mistle — was cut short by several months and will likely be reworked into Season 4 flashbacks.
Though intended to be a prequel series spanning six to eight episodes, focusing on the characters before they meet Ciri, The Rats reportedly only filmed for two months instead of six with only footage for one or two episodes being secured.
Redanian Intelligence said Netflix scrapped plans for an independent season after seeing some early footage, and this will instead be folded into the upcoming Season 4 or released as a short ahead of time. Further evidence comes as the resume of Juliette Alexandra, who plays Reef, was obtained by Redanian Intelligence, who said previous mention of The Rats spin-off has now been removed.
This report comes days after Netflix announced The Witcher will end with Season 5, meaning the final three Witcher saga books from Andrzej Sapkowski will be folded into two seasons instead of lasting roughly a season each as they have so far. Seasons 4 and 5 will film back to back, while Netflix is elsewhere working on a second animated film set in its Witcher universe.
Season 4 will see Geralt searching for Ciri following the events of the Thanned Coup, which played out in the Season 3 finale. "After the shocking, Continent-altering events that close out Season 3, the new season follows Geralt, Yennefer [played by Anya Chalotra], and Ciri who are faced with traversing the war-ravaged Continent and its many demons apart from each other," the official Netflix synopsis reads.
"If they can embrace and lead the groups of misfits they find themselves in, they have a chance of surviving the baptism of fire — and finding one another again."
Critical reception of The Witcher is mixed so far, with IGN awarding Season 1 a 6/10, Season 2 a 7/10, and Season 3 a 7/10 and 5/10 over its split season in our reviews. "The Witcher closes out its most compromised season yet by once again losing Henry Cavill in the clunky, plot-heavy shuffle," we said of the most recent episodes.
The biggest trial is still ahead of Netflix, however, as star Henry Cavill walked away from the show following the completion of Season 3. The actor hasn't given an explicit reason for leaving, though said in November 2021 he was absolutely committed to a seven season run of The Witcher "as long as we can keep telling great stories which honor Sapkowski's work".
Hissrich said the show could've ended or moved on without Geralt after Cavill's departure, but Netflix wasn't willing to because "there's just too many stories left to tell". Liam Hemsworth is now training heavily and reading the book series in preparation for taking the role over.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
