The Witcher: Blood Origin is a six-part spin-off series of the popular live action game adaptation, coming to Netflix soon from the show's original production team.
Executive producer and showrunner duo Declan de Barra and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich will be at the helm for the mini-series which explores the origin story of the world that births Geralt.
1200 years before Geralt of Rivia, the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged into one, and the first Witcher came to be.
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) July 27, 2020
Announcing The Witcher: Blood Origin, a 6 part live-action The Witcher spin-off series from Declan de Barra and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich.
The prequel series is set 1,200 years before Geralt of Rivia's time, at the point where the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged into one, giving rise to the first Witcher. This event, known in Witcher series lore as the "conjunction of the spheres", is pivotal in the formation of the world that Geralt journeys through, exploring the tangled history of the races and their relationships to each other. It should also cover the fall of the Elven civilization, or at least the circumstances leading up to it.
This is the second spin-off of Netflix's hit series to be announced this year, as an animated show The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf was revealed to be in production in January.
The rumors are true, a new Witcher story is in the works! The anime film, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, will take us back to a new threat facing the Continent. Brought to you by the Witcher team @LHissrich and @BeauDeMayo, and Studio Mir the studio behind Legend of Korra.
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) January 22, 2020
Andrzej Sapkowski, author of the books CD Projekt Red's blockbuster RPG series is based on, is serving as a creative consultant on The Witcher: Blood Origin. "It is exciting that the world of Witcher – as planned in the very beginning – is expanding," he said in a statement issued to Variety. "I hope it will bring more fans to the world of my books."
The spin-off series will be shot in the UK, with production studios Hivemind and Platige Films, though no casting details have yet been announced.
“As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I am beyond excited to tell the story The Witcher: Blood Origin,” said executive producer Declan de Barra. “A question has been burning in my mind ever since I first read The Witcher books – What was the Elven world really like before the cataclysmic arrival of the humans? I’ve always been fascinated by the rise and fall of civilizations, how science, discovery, and culture flourish right before that fall.”
“I am so thrilled to collaborate with Declan and the Netflix team on The Witcher: Blood Origin," said showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. "It’s an exciting challenge to explore and expand The Witcher universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski, and we can’t wait to introduce fans to new characters and an original story that will enrich our magical, mythical world even more.”
The six-part spin-off prequel The Witcher: Blood Origin will begin production soon, and will stream on Netflix when it is complete. A second season of The Witcher on Netflix has also been confirmed, and was intended to begin production this year, though delays and filming issues caused by the coronavirus outbreak could have changed plans.
