The Netflix adaptation of The Witcher has drawn comparisons to HBO’s fantasy epic Game of Thrones ever since it was first announced back in 2017. While most of the similarities have been proven tenuous, the upcoming Season 2 of The Witcher is about to make those comparisons a bit more tangible, with the popular GoT actor Kristofer Hivju having joined the cast as a decidedly non-human character for its sophomore season. To be expected, perhaps, Henry Cavill welcomed Hivju to The Witcher's cast in a truly hilarious fashion.
Kristofer Hivju rose to prominence playing the wildling Tormund Giantsbane on Game of Thrones, and had fans cheering when he joined the cast of The Witcher for a new Season 2 storyline as the not-quite-human character Nivellen. Henry Cavill, known to fans as the titular Witcher Geralt of Rivia, took the opportunity to simultaneously welcome Kristofer Hivju and roast the heck out of him. Check it out below:
So very brave of Kristofer Hivju, right? Apparently Henry Cavill is not only deadly with a magic sword, but also with social media quips. While it’s true that Kristofer Hivju sported a similarly disheveled hairstyle as Game of Thrones' Tormund, HBO fans would be unlikely to recognize him on The Witcher without a heads up. Cavill’s funny trolling aside, the amount of CGI and special effects makeup on Hivju’s face would be enough to make your grandmother look like a stranger.
But just who is Kristofer Hivju playing? The world of The Witcher is home to several fantastical creatures, including the arachnid Kikimoras and the caprine Sylvans, and it looks like the roster of monsters will expand with Kristofer Hivju’s new character Nivellen. While no solid plot details have been released for the TV iteration, it’s probably safe to assume that Hivju's character will hew closely to the source material, where he's a creature in need of some of Geralt’s abilities.
Check out the first-look Season 2 clip that Netflix released for its Tudum live streaming event, which was where fans also got to see the newest Season 2 trailer, and where the streaming service announced its other future plans for the franchise.
In case you need a refresher, the Season 1 finale of The Witcher found Geralt and Ciri finally meeting after a season-long journey to find each other. The main plot of The Witcher books and video games involve a grown-up Ciri’s filial relationship with Geralt, so we can probably expect to see more of that in Season 2. Yennefer mysteriously disappeared after searing the Nilfgaard army to a crisp, so following her journey in the aftermath is sure to be a main component of the season, as evidenced by the latest Season 2 trailer.
Season 2 of The Witcher will be released in its entirety on Netflix on December 17, 2021. In addition to Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, returning cast members include Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg, Freya Allen as Princess Ciri, and Joey Batey as Jaskier. Kristofer Hivju joins an array of new cast members that include Paul Bullion as Lambert and Basil Eidenbenz as Eskel, a fellow Witcher. You can keep up with any other The Witcher news here on CinemaBlend.
