Netflix has released a first-look featurette for its upcoming Witcher prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, which is currently in production.
This new behind-the-scenes look of The Witcher: Blood Origin started with a look at a table read of the show's first episode – 'Of Ballads and Bloody Blades' – which is being written by Declan De Barra and directed by Sarah O'Gorman. De Barra is also the showrunner and he gave a tour of the set where the prequel series is being filmed.
Explore the Continent as you've never seen it before. Welcome to the world of our prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, guided by showrunner @declandebarra. pic.twitter.com/PbaWk3lLyq
— The Witcher (@witchernetflix) September 25, 2021
De Barra also took the time to show one of the underwater sets and joke that Blood Origin would be totally underwater and that elves have gills in this world and that the set will be repurposed for The Witcher's sixth season as a Drowner bar. He also joked that they are using "genetically engineered beasts" for the show, no CGI or anything. Hey, wilder things have happened.
The clip also showed a bit of an Icelandic location where the series will be partially filmed, as they needed a place that looked like "the Earth has vomited up mountains out of nowhere."
Here's how Netflix describes the series: "In an elven world 1,200 years before Geralt of Rivia, the worlds of monsters, men and elves merge to become one — and the very first Witcher arises.
The six-part limited series will be brought to life by showrunner and executive producer Declan de Barra (The Witcher, Iron Fist), alongside Witcher creator Andrzej Sapkowski, who will serve as a creative consultant. Sarah O’Gorman (Cursed) and Vicky Jewson (Close) will direct three episodes each.
The Witcher: Blood Origin also features an impressive lineup of actors, including Star Trek Discovery's Michelle Yeoh as Scian, Sophia Brown as Éile, and Laurence O'Fuarain as Fjall.
In a recent Twitter thread, Netflix revealed the names of 10 new characters joining the live-action series, including Mirren Mack as Merwyn, Lenny Henry as Balor, Dylan Moran as Uthrok One-Nut, Jacob Collins-Levy as Eredin, Lizzie Annis as Zacaré, Huw Novelli as Brother Death, Francesca Mills as Meldof, Amy Murray as Fenrik, Nathaniel Curtis as Brían, and Zach Wyatt as Syndril.
For more on the world of the White Wolf, be sure to check out our review of Nightmare of the Wolf, find out what Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said about a potential Season 3, and new story details from Season 2 of The Witcher, which is set to premiere on Netflix on December 17, 2021.