Netflix Updates Witcher Premieres, Minnie Driver Joins Blood Origin

New announcements concerning the future of Netflix’s Witcher franchise were expected to be the crown jewel of Saturday’s Tudum global fan event. Luckily, the streaming service did not disappoint. Geralt himself, Henry Cavill, showed up during the livestream to reveal that the highly-anticipated third season of The Witcher premieres sometime next summer. Until then, fans can get ready to sink their teeth into the show’s first live-action spinoff later this year. Netflix also confirmed that The Witcher: Blood Origin will debut on December 25.

Blood Origin takes place 1,200 years before the flagship series and centers on a band of warrior elves who encounter the first prototype Witcher. Actors Sophia Brown (Éile), Laurence O’Fuarain (Fjall), and Michelle Yeoh (Scian) all appeared during the segment to share interesting facts about their characters. But more importantly, they introduced a brand new addition to the cast in Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), who is joining the series as a shapeshifting Seanchai who can travel between time and worlds.

According to the official Tudum blog, Driver will also narrate the spinoff and act as a “tour guide” for viewers. The Academy Award-nominated actress couldn’t say much else about her role. But she did tease that her character is “pivotal in connecting Blood Origin’s past with The Witcher’s future.”

RELATED: Henry Cavill Tests Positive For COVID-19, Witcher Season 3 Halts Filming

Meanwhile, The Witcher season 3 hit a speed bump back in July when Cavill tested positive for COVID-19. But once he made a speedy recovery, he was back on set until production wrapped earlier this month. The new season will reportedly borrow most of its story elements from Time of Contempt, the second novel in author Andrzej Sapkowski’s primary Witcher series. Anya Chalotra and Freya Allen are also coming back as Yennefer and Ciri, respectively, the latter of whom will finally learn to control her magical abilities.

Are you excited to watch The Witcher season 3 next year? How do you feel about Driver joining the cast of Blood Origin? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!

Recommended Reading: The Witcher Boxed Set: Blood of Elves, The Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire

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