The universe ofThe Witcheron Netflix is expanding. The streaming service announced today that it has ordered a six-part limited series calledThe Witcher: Blood Origin, which is a live-actionThe Witcherprequel to the flagship Netflix fantasy show that starsHenry Cavill.
This new series – described as being from “The Witcheruniverse” – is set 1200 years before the events of the main show and takes place in an elven world. It will tell “a story lost to time” as it tracks the origin of the very first Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.
Declan de Barra, who wroteThe WitcherSeason 1 episode “Of Banquets, Bastards and Burials” and whose writing credits includeIron FistandThe Originals, will serve as executive producer and showrunner ofBlood Origin, whileThe WitchershowrunnerLauren Schmidt Hissrichwill also serve as an executive producer.
The WitcherNetflix series first launched in December 2019 and quickly built up a devoted fanbase, growing buzz over the holidays as fans were drawn to the show’s quirky tone and genuinely catchy songs. Netflix ordered a second season, which was in production before the COVID-19 shutdown, and one imagines this series is key to the streaming service’s future plans as one of its cornerstone franchises along shows likeStranger Things. Hence the early greenlight of this prequel series.
The shows are, of course, based on the book series byAndrzej Sapkowski, who will serve as a creative consultant onBlood Origin. “It is exciting that the world of Witcher - as planned in the very beginning - is expanding. I hope it will bring more fans to the world of my books,” said Sapkowski in a statement.
“As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I am beyond excited to tell the storyThe Witcher: Blood Origin,” said de Barra. “A question has been burning in my mind ever since I first read The Witcher books - What was the Elven worldreally likebefore the cataclysmic arrival of the humans? I’ve always been fascinated by the rise and fall of civilizations, how science, discovery, and culture flourish right before that fall. How vast swathes of knowledge are lost forever in such a short time, often compounded by colonization and a rewriting of history. Leaving only fragments of a civilization’s true story behind.The Witcher: Blood Originwill tell the tale of the Elven civilization before its fall, and most importantly reveal the forgotten history of the very first Witcher.”
“I am so thrilled to collaborate with Declan and the Netflix team onThe Witcher: Blood Origin,” noted Hissrich, who got this whole thing off the ground in the first place. “It’s an exciting challenge to explore and expandThe Witcheruniverse created by Andrzej Sapkowski, and we can’t wait to introduce fans to new characters and an original story that will enrich our magical, mythical world even more.”
The Witcher: Blood Originwill shoot in the UK, whereThe Witcheralso films. No word on how soon the show might enter production, as almost everything in Hollywood is up in the air right now, but at least we have this to look forward to sometime in the future.
For more onThe Witcher, check outour breakdown of the show’s twisty timelines.
