CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher titles have garnered a legendary, solid reputation over the years, especially with the breathtaking masterpiece that is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The hype surrounding Netflix’s The Witcher show is, thus, hardly a surprise, even as it takes after the original novel series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and not the game world.
In fact, the past few weeks have been a steady trickle of information, with an earlier reveal of the official character posters, then a follow-up first-look at titular character Geralt’s trusty steed, Roach. Now to round up all of that goodness, Netflix has finally dropped the debut trailer that brought to the table many recognisable elements at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2019, from the likes of monsters and thrilling sword fights, to Geralt bearing his upper torso.
It’s all doom and gloom, with every scene taking on an intense, serious, and dark tone. The narrative also seems to be packed complex lore – a few different storylines are hinted at in the above trailer, including the cultural clash between humans and elves, the political feuds with Nilfgaard, the connection between protagonists Yennefer, Ciri, and Geralt, and the usual monster-slaying business.
As it stands, Netflix’s The Witcher appears to be living up to showrunner Lauren Hissrich’s statement on its adult-themed, mature nature. Sure, there’s violence, and there’s bound to be nudity, but what’s important to note is that the trailer places a heavier focus on the humans as well, who are often the real monsters in the world of The Witcher.
In it, both Ciri and Yennefer are seen to be undergoing separate trials, with the former pointed to as the cause for Nilgaard’s invasion, and the latter going through a fiery transformation after. The battles, short as they are, give off the impression of being well-choreographed, grand, and exciting. The element of control looks to be a major part of the storyline, too, as a character states, “Without control, chaos will kill you,” in regards to the underlying magical force.
The debut trailer, in all honesty, is rather impressive and promising – at first glance, at least. Expectations sure are high for the series, and we can’t wait to see more footage of Henry Cavill showing off his action chops as Geralt when the show drops later in the year.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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