A new report now calls The Witcher a big miss for Netflix, and it aligns with what fans have been saying since Henry Cavill left the series.
In its Upfronts 2026 report covering the hits, misses, and needs of networks and streamers, Variety says the fourth season of the big-budget fantasy series “landed with a thud” after Liam Hemsworth replaced Henry Cavill as Geralt, with the fifth and final season “poised to go out with a whimper.”
It is a rough spot for The Witcher after the series once looked like Netflix’s next major fantasy franchise.
What are Upfronts?
Upfronts are the annual presentations where TV networks and streamers pitch their upcoming shows, returning series, live events, and ad plans to advertisers.
The goal is simple: sell advertisers on what is working, what is coming next, and why they should spend money there.
Variety’s framing matters because the trade is looking at what each company can brag about heading into the ad market. For Netflix, The Witcher is not listed as a bragging point. It is listed as a miss.
The Witcher decline follows Henry Cavill’s exit
The Witcher was once one of Netflix’s biggest genre plays.
Henry Cavill gave the show instant credibility with fans. He was also open about being a fan of the books and games, which helped sell the idea that the series had someone in the lead role who actually cared about the material.
Then Cavill exited after Season 3.
Liam Hemsworth took over as Geralt of Rivia in Season 4, but the change never shook the cloud hanging over the series. For many fans, Cavill is The Witcher. Once he left, the show lost its anchor.
Variety now calling Season 4 a thud only adds to the perception that the series never recovered.
Netflix has hits, but The Witcher is not one of them
The Witcher being labeled a miss stands out because Netflix still has major wins.
Variety points to Stranger Things as a hit, with its final season already ranking as one of Netflix’s most-watched seasons of all time. Wednesday Season 2 also returned with massive views, while shorter six-episode shows like Untamed and His & Hers became surprise hits.
In other words, Netflix can still make big shows work.
The problem is that The Witcher is no longer being talked about in the same group.
Instead of becoming Netflix’s answer to Game of Thrones, the series is heading into its final season with a whimper hanging over it.
