Why did Henry Cavill quit The Witcher? Real reason explored amidst DCEU drama

Henry Cavill has appeared on Netflix's The Witcher for two seasons. The star is popular for being a gamer, and he's a big fan of The Witcher franchise as well. It's impossible for viewers to imagine anyone else playing Geralt of Rivia, but sadly, Henry Cavill had to leave the role of The Witcher behind.

The actor is also involved in the current turmoil that is taking place in DCEU. After the release of Black Adam, Henry Cavill announced that he would be returning as the current Superman in DCEU. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson also stated that he had been fighting to let Henry Cavill remain Superman.

A still from Man of Steel (image via Warner Bros.)

Now that Henry Cavill is out of both The Witcher and Superman roles, he's gearing up for a role in the Warhammer 40,000 series from Amazon. Amid all this news about the actor, fans are wondering why Henry Cavill quit The Witcher.

---

Henry Cavill's The Witcher exit came from problems with his schedule and lack of faithful adaptation of the source material

Henry Cavill has always been outspoken about his love of The Witcher games as well as the books, which served as the source material for the show. Cavill has stated over and over again that he is dedicated to making sure that the source material is faithfully adapted.

The actor even appeared on The Witcher's YouTube channel to talk about the adaptation of the source material in the series. He said that he approached the role with the intent of making the story happen without too many things to "muddy the waters".

He said:

"I'm a huge fan of the books and staying loyal to them. It's about making sure that story happens without too much in the way of diversions or side things going on to muddy the waters."

Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher (image via Netflix)

He also told Total Film that during season 2, he pushed "really, really hard" to make sure that the accuracy of the book's Geralt translated to the screen as well.

He stated:

"This season, I really wanted to make sure that we represented the book's Geralt more accurately, and that we saw him speak more. I pushed really, really hard for that."

Why did Henry Cavill have to take up such a heavy task? Recently, former The Witcher writer Beau DeMayo revealed the internal situation of the writers who were tasked with bringing The Witcher to life.

Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher (Image via Netflix)

They said:

"I've been on a show – namely Witcher – where some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material). It's a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you're allowed to add to its legacy."

Deadline previously reported at the time of the news that Cavill only had a short-term contract for The Witcher, and so did his co-stars.

While Cavill opted out of getting a deal renewal, his co-stars renegotiated their contracts to reprise their roles for the next few seasons of The Witcher. To add to this, Cavill also had problems with his incredibly packed work schedule.

---

Who is playing the role of The Witcher in season 4?

While Cavill is set to return as the titular white wolf in season 3 of the show, actor Liam Hemsworth will replace him in season 4 of The Witcher. While the actor is very excited to play Geralt of Rivia, fans seem to think that Cavill is the true Witcher.

The Witcher fans have plenty to look forward to as season 3, which features Cavill is yet to release. A spin-off titled The Witcher: Blood Origin is also set to air on Christmas. Seeing that the Man of Steel actor is moving on to yet another gaming franchise turned TV series, fans can anticipate the same level of purity in Warhammer 40,000 that Cavill fought for in The Witcher.