Geralt and Ciri from The Witcher show Netflix’s upcoming The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep might confirm a harsh reality for the fantasy franchise. Andrzej Sapkowski wrote The Witcher fantasy novels throughout the 1990s, creating a dark world of magical monsters and complex human characters. Over the past decade, that franchise has become widely recognized due to the immense popularity of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, an enormous video game that allows the player to embark on the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, staying true to the complex decisions and character choices the define the book series.

The popularity of the video game and the immense cultural phenomenon of Game of Thrones led Netflix to pursue a live-action adaptation of Sapkowski’s books. The series was released in 2019, with Henry Cavill starring as Geralt. While it got off to a promising start, the show worsened with each season. Now, fans await The Witcher season 4 with skepticism as Henry Cavill has officially stepped down from the role to be replaced by Liam Hemsworth. While the live-action show will be under intense scrutiny going forward, Sirens of the Deep looks to be winning over fans of the franchise.

The Witcher: Sirens Of The Deep Could Confirm The Better Medium For The Franchise

Animation Might Be The Best Fit For The Witcher Franchise

Geralt holds his sword in front of his face in The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep

If Sirens of the Deep is a huge success for Netflix, it could confirm the harsh reality that animation might be the better fit for the series. This won’t be the first animated feature set in the franchise, following 2021’s Nightmare of the Wolf, which was a prequel to The Witcher series following the Witcher Vesemir in his earlier years. It didn’t have the most widespread appeal, given that it was a fairly niche creation for fans of the franchise, but it was met with primarily positive reviews, boasting a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Sirens of the Deep’s story should reach a wider audience, as it’s directly focused on Geralt of Rivia, the franchise’s most popular character. Fans have already expressed hype in response to the trailer, stating that the voice of Doug Cockle, who was the video games’ actor for Geralt, generated a sense of nostalgia. A Geralt-centric story will certainly appeal to dedicated Witcher book and game fans, and it may even have the notability to reach fans of the TV series.

Why An Animated Format Works So Well For The Witcher’s Story & World

Animation Is Suited For High-Magic Fantasy

Henry Cavill as Geralt staring into the distance in The Witcher season 2 Ciri standing in a white dress in The Witcher season 2 finale Ciri in front of a sword in The Witcher Ciri with others in the forest in The Witcher episode 5 season 1 Bottled Appetites A group of man surrended in The Witcher season 1 episode 8 Henry Cavill as Geralt staring into the distance in The Witcher season 2 Ciri standing in a white dress in The Witcher season 2 finale Ciri in front of a sword in The Witcher Ciri with others in the forest in The Witcher episode 5 season 1 Bottled Appetites A group of man surrended in The Witcher season 1 episode 8

Netflix wanted its own version of Game of Thrones, but The Witcher involves far more magic, mythical creatures, and other-worldly elements that make it harder to adapt on a television budget. Animation, on the other hand, doesn’t have the same limitations. Not to mention, audiences are already familiar with The Witcher franchise in some form of animation, as the video game is the most popular medium.