Today Netflix has announced that it has ordered a new TV series based on The Witcher Saga, the collection of novels and short stories lead by Geralt de Rivia and written by Andrzej Sapowski, that served as the source for the videogame series by CD Projekt. With this move, the streaming giant is appealing to the surge in popularity that the works have received in the recent years with the release of each videogame, which have sold 25 million copies collectively. The timing will also coincide with the end of the megahit series Game of Thrones on HBO, and there is no doubt that Netflix hopes that The Witcher can take the spotlight as the prime fantasy series afterwards.
The new TV show will be helmed by Sean Daniel (The Mummy franchise, The Expanse) and Jason Brown (The Expanse), along with Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko (The Fallen Art) from Polish production and visual effects company Platige Image. Sapkowski will remain as a creative consultant for the duration of the show, which is officially titled The Witcher.
The author said: “I’m thrilled that Netflix will be doing an adaptation of my stories, staying true to the source material and the themes that I have spent over thirty years writing. I’m excited about our efforts together, as well as the team assembled to shepherd these characters to life.”
Sapkowski has expressed his mixed feelings with the videogame series, as he considers that many fans think that the books came after the games, and that hold them at a lesser value. He has also declared that he doesn’t get any money from the videogames anymore due to the original contract he signed when he sold the rights to CD Projekt. It’s easy to guess that this deal with Netflix will be much more profitable for him.
Netflix has not shared a premiere date of the show, but we’ll be quick to report any future announcement.
