Netflix TUDUM 2022: The Witcher Blood Origin and season three details released at virtual festival

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The folklore behind The Witcher and the ancient Elven civilization look to be explored as The Witcher: Blood Origin prequel is announced.

Fans of The Witcher, the Netflix adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of novels, will be overjoyed with the announcement of not one but two shows from Sapkowski’s world of Elvens and Witchers.

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At Netflix’s annual TUDUM event held over the weekend, The Witcher season 3 was announced as currently in production with all signs pointing to the new series remaining somewhat faithful to the author’s works.

But perhaps the bigger announcement during the virtual fan event was that the mythology behind The Witcher would be explored in the prequel series The Witcher: Blood Origin.

With some heavyweight names already confirmed in the cast, including a BAFTA and an Academy Award nominee, it is certainly going to be a bewitching end to 2022 and a perfect set up for 2023.

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What is The Witcher: Blood Origin?

The Witcher: Blood Origin acts as a prequel to the main The Witcher series, set over a millennium before the adventures of Geralt of Rivia.

The six part series will take viewers back to a time in the history of the Continent and explore the origins of Witchers and the ancient Elven civilization before it fell.

The Witcher: Blood Origin will also explore The Conjunction of the Spheres; when worlds of monsters, elves and humans became one, and the creation of the first witcher.

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The story will follow Scian, the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. “No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart” Netflix revealed during the TUDUM event.

“When a chance presents itself to go after a stolen sacred sword, which was taken from her fallen tribe, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent."

Who will be starring in The Witcher: Blood Origin?

Michelle Yeoh attends the opening night premiere of Everything Everywhere All At OnceMichelle Yeoh attends the opening night premiere of Everything Everywhere All At Once
Michelle Yeoh attends the opening night premiere of Everything Everywhere All At Once | Getty Images for SXSW

Having dazzled audiences in her role in the hit films Everything Everywhere All At Once and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Michelle Yeoh has signed on to play the role of Scian -  the last of a tribe of Elven nomads.

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Yeoh is no stranger to historical action fantasies - having starred in 2000’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon that led to a BAFTA nomination.

Narrating the tale will be Academy Award nominee Minnie Driver, who will help guide viewers between the Blood Origin universe and the main series.

Yeoh will be joined by Giri/Haji and Marcella star Sophia Brown as Éile, described as "an elite warrior blessed with the voice of a goddess, who leaves her clan and position as Queen’s guardian to follow her heart as a nomadic musician.”

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Laurence O’Fuarain is no stranger to the fantasy world, having appeared in episodes of both Vikings and Game of Thrones.  He’ll play the character Fjall, who is “born into a clan of warriors sworn to protect a King, Fjall carries a deep scar within, the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him.”

“A scar that won’t let him settle, or make peace with himself or the world around him. In his quest for redemption, Fjall will find himself fighting beside the most unlikely of allies as he carves a path of vengeance across a continent in turmoil."

A full cast list is expected to be announced closer to the release of The Witcher: Blood Origin.

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What will the storyline be in The Witcher season 3?

The third season of The Witcher is based on Time of Contempt, the second novel in Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series.

Netflix’s official plot summary for The Witcher season 3 states “as monarchs, mages, and beasts of the Continent compete to capture her, Geralt takes Ciri of Cintra into hiding, determined to protect his newly-reunited family against those who threaten to destroy it.”

“Entrusted with Ciri’s magical training, Yennefer leads them to the protected fortress of Aretuza, where she hopes to discover more about the girl’s untapped powers; instead, they discover they’ve landed in a battlefield of political corruption, dark magic, and treachery. They must fight back, put everything on the line — or risk losing each other forever.”

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When will The Witcher: Blood Origin and The Witcher season 3 be released?

With Netflix releasing behind the scenes footage during TUDUM, showing filming for The Witcher: Blood Origin is well underway, the show is pencilled in for release on Christmas day this year. December 25 2022 release date.

The third series of The Witcher is earmarked for  release in the summer of 2023.

What is TUDUM?

Netflix described TUDUM as its “home for fandom” Inviting viewers to “Watch your favourite stars and creators from around the world on the virtual stage for an exciting day full of Netflix news, exclusives and first looks”.

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It also happens to be the phonetic pronunciation of the sound the streaming platform makes when you log in to the service.

How do I sign up to Netflix?

Netflix can be subscribed to on three different tiers:

  • Basic - £6.99
  • Standard - £10.99
  • Premium - £15.99

Netflix is advert free and can be cancelled at any time. For more information or to sign up, visit the Netflix sign-up page.

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

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