The Witcher has been an enormous (and, I feel, considerably sudden (opens in new tab)) hit for Netflix, and it is executed so whereas remaining fairly trustworthy to the unique supply materials. However in keeping with author and producer Beau DeMayo, not everybody on The Witcher writing workforce was captivated with sticking to Witcher writer Andrzej Sapskowski’s imaginative and prescient.
DeMayo, who’s serving as head author on an animated X-Males challenge that is set to debut in 2023, informed The Direct (opens in new tab) that he was cautious to make sure that solely X-Males followers had been employed for the writing workforce due to dangerous experiences he’d had with non-fans on different exhibits—one specifically.
“I have been on exhibits—specifically Witcher—the place a number of the writers weren’t [fans] or actively disliked the books and video games (even actively mocking the supply materials),” DeMayo mentioned. “It is a recipe for catastrophe and dangerous morale. Fandom as a litmus take a look at checks egos, and makes all of the lengthy nights value it. It’s a must to respect the work earlier than you are allowed so as to add to its legacy.”
DeMayo is credited (opens in new tab) as a author on two episodes of Netflix’s Witcher sequence, and a co-producer on two others, and he additionally co-produced and wrote the screenplay for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (opens in new tab), the animated story of younger Vesemir. He is clearly able to know what he is speaking about, in different phrases, besides it is stunning to listen to that writers on the present had been dismissive of the supply materials. Obscure Polish low fantasy is not going to be everybody’s cup of tea, certain, however Netflix and people concerned in it made some extent of leaning into the present’s dedication to Andrzej Sapkowski’s quick tales and novels.
Right here, as an example, is Henry Cavill lovingly studying from The Final Want:
Showrunner Lauren Hissrich additionally paid tribute to Sapkowski’s work, telling IGN (opens in new tab) forward of the present’s debut in 2019 that “we’re all large followers of the books.”
“We’re all large followers of the videogames as properly, however that is solely primarily based on the books and that is actually the place we drew our inspiration from—beginning with the quick tales,” Hissrich mentioned.
The response to DeMayo’s revelation on social media has been what you may describe as cut up: Some say it is spectacular that The Witcher was so good regardless of discord within the writers room, whereas others say that writers room discord explains why The Witcher didn’t stay as much as its promise. A couple of identified—and I feel that is most likely the fairest take—that good scriptwriters ought to be capable to adapt and enhance on supply materials even after they discover it sub-par—and that Sapkowski’s unique work is not past reproach.
Diehard followers may also typically lose perspective on what really works in an adaptation or spinoff, and find yourself deep within the weeds consequently. Typically you want a bit of skepticism and pushback to maintain issues flowing. And, frankly, turning area of interest fantasy tales from a nearly unknown writer into mainstream leisure is a hit that speaks for itself. No matter was occurring in that writers room, it labored fairly properly.
(I’ll admit that I am a bit of cranky in regards to the present’s therapy of Eskel—not as a result of I’ve any nice attachment to Sapkowski’s characterization, however as a result of it means no drunken prank calls (opens in new tab) to Novigrad wizards.)
Apparently, the success of The Witcher on Netflix really sparked a surge of curiosity (opens in new tab) in Sapkowski’s fiction—for these simply entering into it, we have a really useful information on what order to learn the unique Witcher books (opens in new tab) and quick tales in.
