Netflix has released a ton of new The Witcher Season 2 details, including the full cast list, what characters will appear in the new season, and when the new season will debut on the streaming service. The Witcher is, of course, the fantasy TV series starring Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher. It’s based on a series of books that were then adapted into a video game franchise, and while there are shades of Lord of the Rings throughout, in tone The WItcher more closely resembles the Syfy series The Magicians. It’s silly and sexy and extremely NSFW, and while it takes its fantasy aspects seriously, it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

That’s part of its charm, and why it became an unlikely hit when it debuted on Netflix in December. Memes aplenty made the rounds as people couldn’t get enough of that catchy “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher” song or scenes where Cavill broods shirtless (there are a lot of those).

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Image via Netflix

All of this to say, anticipation for The Witcher Season 2 is high, but we’ll have to wait. Netflix announced today that filming on the second season is underway in the UK, but the Witcher Season 2 release date won’t be before 2021. Indeed, you can expect the eight-episode second season to premiere on the streaming service sometime next year, which makes sense given the intense visual effects that are needed to be completed after a grueling production schedule.

Returning to the cast for season two are Cavill who leads the cast of The Witcher saga, playing the role of Geralt of Rivia. Anya Chalotra (The ABC Murders, Wanderlust) returns as the sorceress Yennefer, Freya Allan (Third Day, Gunpowder Milkshake) as Ciri and Joey Batey (Knightfall, Strike) as fan-favorite Jaskier.

Netflix also confirmed rumors that Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju (aka Tormund) is joining the ensemble, revealing he’ll be playing the character of Nivellen. Other new cast members for The Witcher Season 2 include Yasen Atour (Young Wallender) as Coen, Agnes Born as Vereena, Paul Bullion (Peaky Blinders) as Lambert, Thue Ersted Rasmussen (Fast and Furious 9) as Eskel, Aisha Fabienne Ross (The Danish Girl) as Lydia, and recent graduate Mecia Simson, as Francesca.

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Image via Netflix

The streaming service also revealed the directors for the second season: Stephen Surjik (Umbrella Academy) will direct 201 and 202, Sarah O’Gorman (Cursed) is helming episodes 203 and 204, Ed Bazalgette (The Last Kingdom) is directing episodes 205 and 208, and Geeta Patel (Meet The Patels) takes the helm for episodes 206 and 207. That makes zero returning directors from Season 1, but Lauren Schmidt Hissrich remains onboard as showrunner and executive producer, and she released this statement about Season 2:

“The reaction to season one of The Witcher set a high bar for adding new talent for the second season. Sophie Holland and her casting team have once again found the very best people to embody these characters, and in the hands of these accomplished directors, we’re excited to see these new stories come to life.”

Other returning cast include MyAnna Buring (Kill List) as Tissaia, Tom Canton (Good Karma Hospital) as Filavandrel, Lilly Cooper (Peterloo) as Murta, Jeremy Crawford (Titans) as Yarpin Zigrin, Eamon Farren (Twin Peaks) as Cahir, Mahesh Jadu (Marco Polo) as Vilgefortz, Terence Maynard (Cursed) as Artorius, Lars Mikkelson (House of Cards) as Stregobor, Mimi Ndiweni (Black Earth Rising) as Fringilla Vigo, Royce Pierreson (Judy) as Istredd, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte (Hunter Street) as Dara, Anna Shaffer (Harry Potter) as Triss Merigold, Therica Wilson Read (Young Wallender) as Sabrina.

So toss a coin to your witcher and fire up Season 1 for a rewatch or two this year. It’s gonna be a long wait.

For a full rundown of the show's timeline, click here. And for a recap of the existing cast and characters, check out our breakdown.