"Please come back in 6 months": The Witcher showrunner on Henry Cavill leaving the show

Henry Cavill has not only left the DC Universe as Superman, but he has also made his exit from the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's The Witcher. The double whammy of losing both his iconic and favorite parts left Henry Cavill's fans in a sour state.

However, one question came to fans' minds after Henry Cavill left The Witcher franchise: Did he leave on his own, or was he fired by executives?

Henry Cavill in a still from The Witcher (Image via Netflix)

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, The Witcher showrunner Lauren Hissrich said that it would take a year for them to shed light on what happened behind the scenes due to contractual reasons. She further stated that both she and Cavill parted ways on amicable terms.

"I do have a lot to say and I think that there's a lot of, you know... we'll obviously never get into exactly why Henry left, all of the reasons, but I can say it's been a mutually respectful relationship...So please, please, please come back in six months when we can talk."

Liam Hemsworth will now take over the role of Geralt for the fourth season of The Witcher. Cavill will only return for the third season, which will mark the final time he essays the role of Geralt.

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What went on between Henry Cavill and the writers behind-the-scenes?

Henry Cavill announced his departure from Netflix's The Witcher franchise via a post on Instagram, where he also announced Liam Hemsworth succeeding him in the role.

So far, there has not been any news that covers the exact reasons why Henry Cavill decided to step away from Geralt of Rivia. Only speculations had arisen, claiming that the actor had scheduling conflicts and that he and the writers could not agree on the story's creative direction.

Fans believe they learned why Henry Cavill left the series, thanks to one of the writers, Beau DeMayo, who took a dig at the writers for actively hating the source material, which Cavill deeply loved and respected.

"I’ve been on show – namely Witcher – where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material).”

He continued:

“It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you’re allowed to add to its legacy."

In her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lauren Hissrich also revealed that Cavill was frustrated at the writing of the series. He wanted Geralt to open up more and feel like the one in the books rather than someone who conveyed words via a series of grunts. She stated:

"In particular, Cavill wanted Geralt to open up more to the audience. A lot of the notes he was sending to me were about Geralt’s dialogue — could he, first of all, say more. Everybody came out of season one laughing and loving Geralt’s fuming.

Poster for The Witcher (image via Netflix)

Hissrich added:

"But Henry was saying that when you read the books you spend a lot of time in Geralt’s head. So how can we put that on the page? Meanwhile, I wanted to tell the story of him becoming a father figure to Ciri. So those two things coalesced wonderfully. He opens up to get Ciri to trust him, by speaking his mind and his heart more."

Henry Cavill has currently closed the door on his return as Superman and Geralt of Rivia. He will now be seen in the lead role of Amazon's Warhammer 40,000 TV adaptation, where he will also serve as executive producer.

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