Franchise author Andrzej Sapkowski says the streamer didn’t heed his suggestions for the show, which has been plagued by uproars over deviations from its source material.
The author behind Netflix‘s The Witcher franchise had some words about his relationship with the streamer, or lack thereof.
Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski says Netflix “never listened” to his ideas for the hit adaptation of his novels and games.
Sapkowski was asked at Vienna Comic-Con last week if he’s given Netflix any feedback and he replied with a laugh, “Maybe, I gave them some ideas, but they never listened to me. But it’s normal.” He then broke into an impression of a Netflix executive and said dismissively, “Who’s this? It’s a writer, it’s nobody.”
Netflix had no comment on the remarks. But the Witcher team has had a rough time the past couple years in terms of its relationship with the show’s passionate fan community, which has protested many of the show’s deviations from Sapkowski’s source material.
The biggest headline was the departure of star Henry Cavill after season three, which finished airing in July. While the reason behind his exit has remained murky, Cavill is a massive fan of Sapkowski’s books and repeatedly emphasized the importance of faithfulness to the source material. Months before his announced departure from the show, Cavill told The Hollywood Reporter he was committed to seven seasons “as long as we can keep telling great stories which honor Sapkowski’s work.” Cavill is being replaced in season four by Liam Hemsworth.
In the wake of Cavill’s departure, one of the show’s writers on its first two seasons, Beau DeMayo, wrote on Instagram in 2002, “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.”
Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich was asked about DeMayo’s comments, and replied on Instagram, “I’ve never mocked the books. The books are my entire livelihood. I have a great relationship with Mr. Sapkowski, and writers rooms are sacred and safe and — more than anything — supportive spaces. Don’t believe everything you read.”
Despite all of this, The Witcher remains a hit, with the third season racking up 99.4 million viewing hours, according to Nielsen, and spending eight weeks in Netflix’s Top 10. The show was down 36 percent in viewers from season two, however.
