The Witcher is a fantasy drama television series created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich for Netflix. It is based on the book series[a] by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Set on a fictional, medieval-inspired landmass known as the Continent, The Witcher explores the legend of Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg, and Princess Ciri. It stars Henry Cavill and Liam Hemsworth as Geralt, with Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan. The first season, consisting of eight episodes, was released on Netflix on December 20, 2019, starring Cavill in the lead role. It was based on The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny, which are collections of short stories that precede the main The Witcher saga. The second season, also consisting of eight episodes and based on the novel Blood of Elves, was released on December 17, 2021. The third season, which also consists of eight episodes and is based on the novel Time of Contempt, was released in two volumes on June 29 and July 27, 2023. Hemsworth took over the role of Geralt of Rivia in the fourth season, based on the novel Baptism of Fire, which was released on October 30, 2025, also with eight episodes. In April 2024, the series was renewed for its fifth and final season. An animated origin story film, Nightmare of the Wolf, was released on August 23, 2021. A prequel miniseries, Blood Origin, was released on December 25, 2022. A second animated film, Sirens of the Deep, was released on February 11, 2025. A feature-length special, The Rats: A Witcher Tale, was released on October 30, 2025.