Fans of Netflix’s series adaptation of The Witcher just can’t seem to catch a break. They’ve dealt with several controversies in the past related to showrunners deviating from the source material, issues with story pacing, and its established lead Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) being abruptly recast with Liam Hemsworth after Season 3. Despite the repeated disappointment, some viewers have tried to remain optimistic ahead of Season 4’s scheduled release later this year. Unfortunately, there’s more bad news about the franchise’s anticipated spin-offs. The streaming giant has had minor success with a couple of offshoots, including the live-action prequel miniseries Blood Origin and the animated dark fantasy film Nightmare of the Wolf. Now, its most recent planned additions to The Witcher universe are officially dead. The prequel series The Rats and an untitled kid-friendly animated show have been shelved by Netflix for good. Here’s everything we know about the canceled spin-offs, as well as what showrunners are planning next.

Netflix May Repurpose Footage from Canceled Spin-Off ‘The Rats’

At the end of The Witcher‘s third season, fans meet a group of violent misfits called The Rats. Troubled by various hardships and game to kill, its six members are not shy when it comes to showing brutality in the face of people who have wronged them. Ciri joins them after making an escape from the Frying Pan (a.k.a. the Korath desert), marking a new, darker chapter in her series’ journey.

While Ciri’s story will likely continue with them, at least at the beginning of Season 4, showrunners started developing an offshoot series called The Rats that was set to further explore their origin before meeting her. The renegades were cast with Ben Radcliffe (Giselher), Christlle Elwin (Mistle), Fabian McCallum (Kayleigh), Aggy K. Adams (Iskra), Juliette Alexandra (Reef), and Connor Crawford (Asse). Additionally, action star Dolph Lundgren was set to portray a rogue witcher, Brehen, nicknamed the Cat of Iello.

While Netflix never officially recognized The Rats prequel, filming for it did begin in 2023 in South Africa with director Mairzee Almas, known for The Sandman and Shadow & Bone. The show then immediately went into post-production, so it seemed like a done deal. However, Redanian Intelligence revealed that showrunners had only filmed a little bit of what they’d planned for the entire series, and Netflix wasn’t sold. In the end, the streamer decided not to pick up The Rats, but does intend to use some of the footage within The Witcher Season 4. So, fans will have to wait until its premiere later this year to see whether they integrate it into the show (likely as flashbacks) or scrap it entirely.

An Untitled Animated Series Has Also Been Dropped

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Along with The Rats’ cancelation, Netflix appears to have stopped development on another expected prequel spin-off in The Witcher franchise. Although it was never given a name, there were reports that production of an animated series geared towards kids was also in the works. Not much else was known about the intended show’s premise, and the streamer had yet to officially confirm it was happening, let alone announce its removal from their ongoing projects.

However, Redanian Intelligence also noted that the anime Sirens of the Deep will be the last Witcher offshoot created by Netflix. Thus, we can conclude that the kids’ show is no longer being made. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that fans will ever find out what it was supposed to be about, but with so much bad luck around the franchise so far, that might be for the best.

What Can Fans Expect Next from ‘The Witcher’?

Even with the recent spin-off cancelations, fans of The Witcher still have plenty to look forward to in the coming years. Season 4 is expected to premiere in the latter half of 2025, and its fifth and final season is already underway with an anticipated wrap in early 2026. Additionally, the franchise’s long-awaited anime Sirens of the Deep is about to make its debut on Feb. 11, 2025. The show follows Geralt as he solves a mysterious conflict between humans and sea people after being hired to investigate several attacks on a seaside village. It will include many of the original cast members from The Witcher returning to voice their characters (although Henry Cavill will be replaced by Doug Cockle, who voiced Geralt in all of CD Projekt Red’s video games).

Additionally, showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich has confirmed that she’s developing even more spin-offs in the future. In an interview with SFX magazine, Hissrich gushed, “I love this world. I’m constantly looking for other opportunities to expand it outside the main mothership show.” Her passion for the show and its endless opportunities for rich, fantasy storytelling promises the franchise a long life. She even admitted to coming up with offshoot ideas before the adapted series even hit Netflix six years ago. So, even if fans are met with further disappointment about the main series or any more unexpected scraps, they can rest assured that the people working behind it will keep its magic alive for many years to come.