Netflix has revealed more plot details for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an animated spin-off of its popular original series The Witcher. As Variety reports, the animated film will follow Vesemir, the Witcher responsible for training Geralt of Rivia, who in the live-action series is played by Henry Cavill.
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, creator, showrunner, and executive producer of The Witcher, will also act as the showrunner and executive producer of Nightmare of the Wolf. Kwang Il Han (The Boondocks) is set to direct and The Witcher’s writer Beau DeMayo serves as script writer, with Korean company Studio Mir handling the animation. Hissrich, Il Han, and DeMayo talked about the upcoming animated spin-off during an online panel streamed as part of the Annecy Film Festival. During the panel, we learned that the animated film will explore Vesemir’s past as the old Witcher starts to question his work and how it affects the world around him.
According to Hissrich, by exploring Vesemir’s past, Nightmare of the Wolf will also give viewers the opportunity to better understand Geralt and his relation with Ciri (Freya Allan) on the live-action show. In Hissrich's words:
“Families are multi-generational. The things I teach my children, I learned from the generation ahead of me. When we meet Geralt in The Witcher he is a full adult, he’s 100 years old and he’s been living on his own for a very long time. But you can’t help wondering how he learned the things he practices regularly and is going to teach Ciri.”
According to DeMayo, Nightmare of the Wolf also gives the creative team the opportunity to offer something new to the public, that maybe can bring back the sense of wonder fans felt with The Witcher’s first season. In DeMayo’s words, Nightmare of the Wolf "is gonna give fans that are familiar with the series a totally unique experience that I hope makes them feel like they’re coming to The Witcher for the first time again.”
In the upcoming Season 2, The Witcher will focus on the father-daughter dynamic of Geralt and Ciri, as the girl is trained to use her powers. Kim Bodnia is set to play the part of Vesemir in the live-action series, before the animated film explores the life of the old Witcher, and how he helped Geralt to become the White Wolf.
Season 2 of The Witcher is currently slated for a release later this year. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is also expected to be released in 2021.