‘The Witcher’ Makes Another Big Casting Change Ahead of Season 4

Netflix’s fantasy hit The Witcher is undergoing another casting change ahead of its fourth season.

According to fan site Redanian Intelligence, Peter Mullan will take over the role of Vesemir, replacing Kim Bodnia.

The change comes because Bodnia faced a scheduling conflict with other projects. His representatives said, “Kim will not return as Vesemir as his current shooting diary didn’t fit in with Netflix’s shooting schedule of The Witcher Season 4.”

Peter Mullan is a familiar face in the world of sci-fi and fantasy. He has appeared in HBO’s Westworld and Amazon Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

Mullan also played Jacob Snell in the first two seasons of Netflix’s Ozark and earned an Emmy nomination for his performance as Matt Mitcham in the acclaimed miniseries Top of the Lake. In addition to acting, Mullan is an award-winning filmmaker. His 2002 film The Magdalene Sisters won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The Witcher’s fourth season is scheduled to premiere later this year on Netflix. Producers have confirmed that the fifth season will be the show’s final run. The series is adapted from the fantasy novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, and it gained worldwide popularity partly because of the hit video game series based on the books.

The third season received generally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a 79% approval rating with an average score of 7.1/10. The site’s consensus reads, “Capably shouldered by Henry Cavill’s gruff charm, The Witcher’s plotty third season pays a fittingly fond farewell to this particular Geralt of Rivia.”

Metacritic scored the first five episodes at 71 out of 100 and the final three episodes at 65, both indicating “generally favorable reviews.” Despite the praise, the show saw a 30% drop in viewership compared to season two when the first batch of season three episodes was released.

Peter Mullan stepping into the role of Vesemir is a big change for fans, and it will be interesting to see how he makes the character his own. Do you think he can fill Bodnia’s shoes? Share your thoughts in the comments.