James R | On 05, Dec 2022

It’s only a matter of weeks until The Witcher is back on our screens and a new trailer gives us a closer look at prequel series Blood Origin.

Taking place in the elven Golden Era, 1200 years before the time of Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri, The Witcher: Blood Origin tells the story of seven strangers who join together to fight an unstoppable empire. Though they hail from warring clans, Éile and Fjall must learn to trust one another if they have any hope of leading this band of outcasts on their quest to topple the Continent’s oppressors. But, when gateways to other worlds are opened and a power-hungry sage unleashes a new weapon, the Seven realise they must create a monster in order to defeat one.

It stars Sophia Brown and Laurence O’Fuarain as Éile and Fjall, two warriors estranged from their opposing clans, while Michelle Yeoh takes the role of Scían, a sword master, the last of her tribe. They are joined by Mirren Mack as Princess Merwyn, Lenny Henry as Chief Sage Balor and Minnie Driver as Seanchaí.

You can see them in action on 25th December, when the series premieres on Netflix. Here’s the trailer:

 

Trailer: The Witcher: Blood Origin arrives on Christmas Day

10th November 2022

Netflix is unwrapping a special treat for fans of The Witcher this Christmas, with the release of The Witcher: Blood Origin.

The prequel series is set in an elven world 1,200 years before the world of The Witcher and tells of the creation of the first prototype Witcher – and the events that lead to the pivotal conjunction of the spheres, when the world of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

The four part series, overseen by showrunner and writer Declan de Barra, is directed by Sarah O’Gorman and Vicky Jewson and exec produced by Lauren Hissrich, Matt O’Toole, Platige Films (Tomek Baginski &Jarek Sawko), Hivemind (Jason Brown & Sean Daniel). It stars Sophia Brown and Laurence O’Fuarain as Éile and Fjall, two warriors estranged from their opposing clans, while Michelle Yeoh takes the role of Scían, a sword master, the last of her tribe. They are joined by Mirren Mack as Princess Merwyn, Lenny Henry as Chief Sage Balor and Minnie Driver as Seanchaí.

You can see them in action on 25th December, when the series premieres on Netflix. Here’s the trailer:
 

 

First look: The Witcher: Blood Origin prequel unveils teaser and images

20th December 2021

Anyone who’s binged their way through The Witcher Season 2 already, there’s some good news to fill the void left behind: your first look at prequel Blood Origin.

The series, which stars Sophia Brown as Éile, Laurence O’Fuarain as Fjall and Michelle Yeoh as Scían, is set in an elven world 1,200 years before the events of The Witcher. Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – exploring the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “Conjunction of the Spheres”, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

Joining them on screen will be Mirren Mack (Merwyn), Lenny Henry (Balor), Jacob Collins Levy (Eredin), Lizzie Annis (Zacaré), Huw Novelli (Callan “Brother Death”), Francesca Mills (Meldof), Amy Murray (Fenrik), Nathaniel Curtis (Brían), Zach Wyatt (Syndril) and Dylan Moran (Uthrok One-Nut). Behind the camera, Sarah O’Gorman (Cursed, The Last Kingdom) will direct Episode 1, 4 and 6, and Vicky Jewson (Close, Born of War) will direct Episode 2, 3 and 5.

Declan de Barra will act as Executive Producer and Showrunner, with Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Matt O’Toole serving as Executive Producers and Andrzej Sapkowski on board as creative consultant.

The six-part series wrapped principal photography in November and will premiere on Netflix in 2022.

 

Lenny Henry, Dylan Moran join The Witcher: Blood Origin

20th August 2021

Lenny Henry and Dylan Moran are among the latest additions to Netflix’s The Witcher: Blood Origin.

The six-part live-action prequel to The Witcher is exec-produced by showrunner Declan de Barra, alongside The Witcher’s Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Jason Brown and Sean Daniel from Hivemind, and Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko from Platige Films. Andrzej Sapkowski will serve as creative consultant on the series.

Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher, the series will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres”, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

Laurence O’Fuarain stars as Fjall, who is born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King and finds himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil. Joining him is Yeoh as Scían, the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves and Jodie Turner-Smith as Éile, an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess.

Now, they’ve got some company, with Lenny Henry, Mirren Mack (The Nest), Nathaniel Curtis (It’s A Sin) and Dylan Moran (Black Books) all joining the cast. Henry, who will also be in Amazon’s fantasy epic based on The Lord of the Rings, will play Balor, and comedian Moran will play Uthrok One-Nut. Mack will play Merwyn and Curtis will play Brían.

Also joining the ensemble are Jacob Collins Levy (Young Wallander) as Eredin, Lizzie Annis as Zacaré, Huw Novelli (The Capture) as Callan “Brother Death”, Francesca Mills (Harlots) as Meldof, Amy Murray as Fenrik and Zach Wyatt (Karen Pirie) as Syndril.

Filming is underway in the UK.

 

Michelle Yeoh joins The Witcher: Blood Origin

6th July 2021

Michelle Yeoh has joined the cast of The Witcher: Blood Origin.

Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher, Netflix’s series will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres”, when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

The six-part live-action prequel is exec-produced by showrunner Declan de Barra, alongside The Witcher’s Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, Jason Brown and Sean Daniel from Hivemind, and Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko from Platige Films. Andrzej Sapkowski will serve as creative consultant on the series.

The show is gradually assembling its cast, with Laurence O’Fuarain to star as Fjall. Born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King, Fjall carries a deep scar within, the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him. A scar that won’t let him settle, or make peace with himself or the world around him. In his quest for redemption, Fjall will find himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil.

Joining Laurence will be Yeoh as Scían, the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.

They both join Jodie Turner-Smith, already cast as Éile is an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, who has left her clan and position as Queen’s guardian to follow her heart as a nomadic musician.

Yeoh no stranger to streaming, having starred in Star Trek: Discovery, which airs on CBS’ VOD service in the US and on Netflix in the UK.

 

Jodie Turner-Smith to star in The Witcher: Blood Origin

26th January 2021

Netflix has cast Queen & Slim star Jodie Turner-Smith in the role of Éile in The Witcher: Blood Origin.

Set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher, Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – the creation of the first prototype Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men, and elves merged to become one.

Éile is an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, who has left her clan and position as Queen’s guardian to follow her heart as a nomadic musician. A grand reckoning on the continent forces her to return to the way of the blade in her quest for vengeance and redemption.

The six part, live-action prequel to the hit Netflix series is exec-produced by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Declan de Barra, with de Barra serving as showrunner. Andrzej Sapkowski will serve as creative consultant on the series. Jason Brown and Sean Daniel from Hivemind, and Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko from Platige Films will also serve as executive producers

Jodie Turner-Smith will next be seen in Without Remorse, opposite Michael B Jordan, which will be released on Amazon Prime Video this year. She is no stranger to Netflix, though, having starred in in the sci-fi series Nightflyers.

 

Netflix orders live-action prequel to The Witcher

27th July 2020

Netflix has officially ordered a live-action prequel to The Witcher.

Based on the best-selling books, the fantasy series is an epic tale of fate and family. The story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified. Henry Cavill stars as Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

Just as the books have spawned a giant video game franchise, Netflix is also building out its own world of The Witcher titles, with an animated spin-off movie already on the way, not to mention a green light already given to Season 2. Now, a third project is in the works: a six-part series set in an elven world 1200 years before the world of The Witcher.

Blood Origin will tell a story lost to time – the origin of the very first Witcher, and the events that lead to the pivotal “conjunction of the spheres,” when the worlds of monsters, men and elves merged to become one.

Declan de Barra will act as Executive Producer and Showrunner and Lauren Schmidt Hissrich will act as Executive Producer. Andrzej Sapkowski will serve as creative consultant on the series. Jason Brown and Sean Daniel from Hivemind, and Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko from Platige Films will all serve as executive producers.

Declan de Barra says: “As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I am beyond excited to tell the story The Witcher: Blood Origin. 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. How vast swathes of knowledge are lost forever in such a short time, often compounded by colonization and a rewriting of history. Leaving only fragments of a civilization’s true story behind. The Witcher: Blood Origin will tell the tale of the Elven civilization before its fall, and most importantly reveal the forgotten history of the very first Witcher”

Lauren Schmidt Hissrich adds: “I am so thrilled to collaborate with Declan and the Netflix team on The Witcher: Blood Origin. 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 Witcher: Blood Origin will be filmed in the UK.

Add to Watchlist