Latest Fantasy News: ‘The Witcher’ tries to lean on ‘Doctor Who’ legacy to excuse Geralt recasting as ‘The Sandman’ star eyes a potential return

Netflix’s decision to recast Geralt of Rivia in its Witcher adaptation didn’t go over well with fans, many of whom are determined to swear off the show following Cavill’s final appearance.

Perhaps in hopes of easing the backlash, one of the stars of spin-off The Witcher: Blood Origin is comparing the character of Geralt to the titular Doctor across the Doctor Who series. It’s an odd comparison to make, and doesn’t really work into Witcher lore, but an effort was at least made.

A very different, but equally divisive, fantasy property is also fighting for relevance, even as it rakes in box office earnings. Avatar: The Way of Water is no slouch, but its opening weekend was still weaker than a range of box office bombs.

Far more successful fantasy fare is falling to the wayside as Avatar takes over the news cycle, but that isn’t stopping one of the stars of Netflix’s The Sandman from digging into a potential return to the show. Fans would certainly be delighted, but does it make sense for the series?

Minnie Driver tries to compare Geralt to the Doctor

Minnie Driver’s attempt to link Geralt’s name to that of the Doctor was pretty much a nonstarter, despite the star’s best efforts. She attempted to lean on traditions established by franchises like Doctor Who and Bond, in which different actors step into the same role, but it simply doesn’t add up in the Witcher universe. Geralt is one person, with no time-manipulation abilities, and no official title that can be passed down. Besides, Cavill was the perfect fit for the role — you can’t just erase him with a new leading man.

The Way of Water has a truly rotten opening weekend

Avatar: The Way of Water has a high financial bar to surpass in order to be profitable, and it seems the film is still far off from that goal. The film’s opening weekend wasn’t a bust, by any means, but it still lost out to a number of terrible films with solid opening weekends. Releases like The Rise of Skywalker and both halves of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn made more on their opening weekends, only to eventually receive abysmal ratings, and none of this bodes well for the second Avatar flick. 

Could the Corinthian make a return in The Sandman season two?

The first season of Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman is still weighing heavy on fans’ minds. The show was a breakout hit, and its many viewers already have their sights set on season two. As it turns out, so does the show’s cast — including those whose characters didn’t make it to the end of season one. Boyd Holbrook, who played the Corinthian in season one, is already speculating about how his character could return in season two, and fans are intrigued. 

Fans have absolutely no faith in The Witcher’s ability to stay true to lore

Despite showrunner Lauren Hissrich’s best efforts, much of The Witcher’s fandom has sworn off the series forever. Minnie Driver’s attempts to paint the Geralt recasting in a different light joins Hissrich’s latest comments as duds in the fight to keep the fandom loyal. Hissrich tried to claim that season three will stick close to the show’s source material, but fans don’t believe a word out of her mouth.