MOVIE NEWS – It’s hard to believe, but Cavill’s departure hasn’t saved Netflix any money; on the contrary, it’s costing them millions. The fourth season of The Witcher has turned out to be the most expensive yet, pushing the entire Witcher universe’s budget toward the billion-dollar mark. All this while Netflix seems oddly silent in promoting the show’s comeback.

We’re just a little over a month away from Netflix ushering in a new chapter of The Witcher without Henry Cavill, who embodied Geralt of Rivia until now. The role will be carried forward by Liam Hemsworth. Back when the recast was announced, speculation was rampant, but one thing is clear: saving money wasn’t the reason. Fresh reports confirm that season 4 has been more expensive than ever without Cavill.

Far Pricier Than Any Previous Season

According to Redanian Intelligence, a well-regarded source for Witcher-related updates, Netflix spent $221 million on the filming and production of season 4, averaging $27 million per episode across its eight-episode run. That’s substantially higher than both seasons 2 and 3, and miles beyond season 1, which came in at $92.1 million ($11.5 million per episode).

• The Witcher | Season 1: $92.1 million, $11.5 million/episode.
• The Witcher | Season 2: $176.3 million, $22 million/episode.
• The Witcher: Dawn of Blood: $51.5 million, $12.8 million/episode.
• The Witcher | Season 3: $175 million, $21.8 million/episode.
• The Rats: A Witcher Tale: $21 million so far (post-production ongoing).
• The Witcher | Season 4: $221 million, $27 million/episode.

Redanian Intelligence estimates that the full Witcher universe—covering its animated features and the upcoming fifth and final season—could surpass $900 million. That’s an eye-popping figure, underscoring Netflix’s commitment to Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy franchise, even though you wouldn’t guess it from the minimal promotional push the new season has received.

I had even started to think season 4 might have been scaled back to save costs, which would explain Cavill’s departure for something smaller. But apparently not—the budget has only gone up. Keep in mind, too, that season 5 was filmed almost back-to-back with season 4, which may help balance the production costs in the long run.

The Witcher season 4 drops on Netflix on October 30, bringing a story where Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri are separated by a brutal war, countless enemies, and even new allies. Time will tell if the series can recover from the ratings decline that plagued season 3.

Source: 3djuegos