It has been a complex and difficult shoot, but ‘The Witcher‘ has finally managed to wrap production on Season 2, dealing with 15 locations, 89 cast members, and 1,200 crew members, all in the middle of a global pandemic!
Season 1 of ‘The Witcher’ followed Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a solitary monster hunter, struggling to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtled him toward the powerful sorceress Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan), a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.
As we head into Season 2, 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.
“That is a wrap on Season 2 of The Witcher,” comments showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich in the video. “It is hard to believe it’s been over a year since we kicked off this season in typical Witcher fashion… In a freezing cold forest, in the middle of the night! Since then, we’ve shot for 158 days, with at least one unit, sometimes two, sometimes three, all while decked out in face shields, and face masks, and goggles, and slathered in hand sanitiser.”
As you might expect when filming in a pandemic, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. The shoot began for Season 2 way back in early 2020 in London, but was halted in March due to COVID, and when actor Kristofer Hivju (‘Game Of Thrones’), who joins the show as Nivellen, contracted the virus (thankfully, he made a full recovery.) Pre-production began again in July, with filming restarting in August 2020, but was halted again in November when a number of the crew tested positive for COVID. Thankfully that break only lasted 2 weeks and even continued when Cavill injured his hamstring on-set, with them rejigging the schedule to film around the missing lead. Filming continued through December 2020, and returned in the new year following the Christmas break, with it finally wrapping on 1st April 2021.
“We shot in 15 locations, with 89 cast members, and over 1,200 different crew members all bringing their craft to life,” continues Hissrich. “None of us have ever experienced a television season like this before, I’m sure. We cannot wait to show you what Geralt, and Ciri, and Yennifer, and Jaskier, and all of your favourites have been up to since we left them at the Battle of Sodden Hill. There are plenty of new characters and storylines, and, of course, monsters to explore as well, as we dig into the “Blood Of Elves”, and beyond. We’re so proud of everything we accomplished in Season 2, and we can’t wait for you to watch it.”
Returning season one cast includes Henry Cavill as Geralt, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Freya Allan as Ciri, Joey Batey as Jaskier, MyAnna Buring as Tissaia, Tom Canton as Filavandrel, Lilly Cooper as Murta, Jeremy Crawford as Yarpen Zigrin, Eamon Farren as Cahir, Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz, Terence Maynard as Artorius, Lars Mikkelsen as Stregobor, Mimi Ndiweni as Fringilla, Royce Pierreson as Istredd, Wilson Mbomio as Dara, Anna Shaffer as Triss, and Therica Wilson-Read as Sabrina.
They are joined by by new cast Yasen Atour as Coen, Agnes Born as Vereena, Paul Bullion as Lambert, Basil Eidenbenz as Eskel, Aisha Fabienne Ross as Lydia, Kristofer Hivju as Nivellen, Mecia Simson as Francesca, Kim Bodnia as Vesemir, Adjoa Andoh as Nenneke, Cassie Clare as Phillippa Eilhart, Simon Callow as Codringher, Liz Carr as Fenn, Graham McTavish as Dijkstra, Kevin Doyle as Ba’lian, and Chris Fulton as Rience.
No news yet on exactly when ‘The Witcher‘ Season 2 will land on Netflix, but it should be later in 2021. We’ll let you know when we have a date.
