When the first season of Netflix’sThe Witcherwas made available in late 2019, it quickly went on to become one of the biggest shows in the streaming platform’s history. With the second season of the show officially starting production, casting announcements are going to be sprinkled throughout the year leading up to the season premiere sometime in 2021.The Witcherhas become so popular, in fact, that it revitalized sales for both the video game franchise and the novel series for which the property is based off of.
AlthoughCD Projekt Red is busy developingCyberpunk 2077,the hype that drove up recent sales ofThe Witcher 3is sure to encourage the company to continue investing in the franchise’s future. As for the show, fan interest is going to make the second season one of the most highly anticipated seasons of television in recent memory, and to go with that, Netflix has revealed seven new characters have been cast for the second season, with one notable omission.
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Coen - Yasen Atour
Coen is one of the witchers that is found atKaer Morhenduring Ciri’s training there. He will be played by Yasen Atour (Ben-Hur, Mission Impossible Rogue Nation), and Coen’s appearance in the second season may actually confirm the setting this time around. As stated, Coen is one of the central figures responsible for training Ciri at Kaer Morhen (he helps teach her sword skills) which means the second season is likely to be based off ofBlood of Elves,the third entry in the novel series (technically the first inThe Witcher Saga).
Vereena - Agnes Bjorn
Vereena is a bruxa (a vampire monster that’s capable of humanoid disguise), and in the second season, she will be played by Agnes Bjorn. Interestingly, Vereena’s first and only appearance is inThe Last Wish,a collection of short stories precedingThe Witcher Saga.The first season of Netflix’sThe Witchercontains many plotlines that are based directly on these short stories, which means that the show isn’t done withThe Last Wishyet.Vereena’s tale mostly revolves around the cursed life of another character, Nivellen, who was also just cast.
Nivellen - Kristofer Hivju
Nivellen is another character fromThe Last Wishand will be played by Kristofer Hivju (who famously played Tormund Giantsbane inGame of Thrones) in the upcoming second season. Nivellen has a form-changing curse that makes him feel like a character straight out ofBeauty and the Beast,andhe’d be right at home inBlood and WineforThe Witcher 3. He has a history with Vereena and they were even lovers at some point before meeting Geralt (Geralt, of course, deals with both of these characters in turn).
Lambert - Paul Bullion
Lambert is another witcher and ally of Geralt. His first appearance was inBlood of Elvesand, like Coen, he had a significant presence in Ciri’s childhood during her training at Kaer Morhen. Asplayers ofThe Witcher 3can attest, Lambert can be recognized for his attitude and impatience. He seems to be less interested in the workings of society than Geralt and has been known to get into arguments with Geralt as well. In the second season of the Netflix show, he will be played by Paul Bullion (Peaky Blinders, Dracula Untold).
Eskel - Thue Ersted Rasmussen
Players ofThe Witcher 3will also recognize Eskel, another witcher and ally ofGeralt. In the upcoming second season of Netflix’sThe Witcher,he will be played by Thue Ersted Rasmussen (who has a role in the upcoming movieF9). Eskel is sort of the opposite of Lambert and is more level-headed; he and Geralt go way back, having gone through the witcher trials together as children at Kaer Morhen. Like the other main witchers in the story, he helps train Ciri during her time at the old keep.
Lydia - Aisha Fabienne Ross
Lydia’s first appearance in the lore ofThe Witcheris inBlood of Elves.She is a sorceress, in addition to being the assistant and lover of Vilgefortz. In thesecond season of Netflix’sThe Witcher,she will be played by Aisha Fabienne Ross (The Danish Girl, Alleycats). Her relationship with Vilgefortz isn’t exactly a mutual one but they work together nonetheless. Considering Vilgefortz’s heel turn at the end of the first season, Lydia will probably have a big role to play in the events of the second season.
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Francesca - Mecia Simson
Francesca first appeared inBlood of Elvesand plays a significant role throughoutThe Witcher Saga.She is an elven sorceress and later becomes queen of a state of elves after siding with the Nilfgaardian empire. In most descriptions of her in the lore of the series, she is frequently noted for her beauty and for being a founding member of the lodge of sorceresses. In the second season of the Netflix show, she will be played by Mecia Simson (He Who Has It All, The Hunt).
Other Characters for Season 2
There is one other original character that has been cast in addition to another character that was leaked. Violet is a new character to the series (original to the Netflix show) and will appear in at least three episodes in the upcoming second season. She will be played by Carmel Laniado, a young actress whose biggest roles so far have been inDolittleandA Christmas Carol.Additionally, a leaked audition video has revealed that Graham McTavish (The Hobbit, Outlander) has been in the running to playspy master Sigismund Dijkstra. As for whether or not he will ultimately be cast in the role, only time can tell.
Who Will Play Vesemir?
Onenotable omission from Netflix’s list of newly announced cast members is Vesemir and whoever will play him. Vesemir is a mentor and father figure to Geralt. He, like the other witchers, also plays a significant role in Ciri’s childhood, as he helps train her in addition to being another father figure for her.
Vesemir was directly referenced in the season finale, so he must be in the second season in some capacity. There will eventually be someone cast as the old witcher. There were some recent rumors that claimed the role was offered toMads Mikkelsen and Michael Keatonwho both turned it down. But fans are still holding out hope for a portrayal by Mark Hamill, who has shown interest in playing Vesemir multiple times.
Confirmed Returning Characters
Characters confirmed to return in the second season ofNetflix’sThe Witcherinclude the main characters (Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, and Jaskier) but other characters that are likely to return are Fringilla, Cahir, Tissaia, Stregobor, and Vilgefortz among others. The first season was primarily based on the first two collections of short stories by Andrzej Sapkowski,The Last WishandSword of Destiny.Although the second season will be partially based off of those stories, it will most likely be primarily based onBlood of Elves,which is why characters from that novel are now appearing.
Season 2 ofThe Witcherwill premiere on Netflix in 2021.
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