Im Excited That A Forgotten The Witcher Spinoff Might Finally Happen (But Not As You Expect)

The universe of The Witcher will continue to expand thanks to Netflix, and I’m excited about one spinoff in particular which might finally happen, though not as initially planned – and that’s what’s exciting. Netflix’s The Witcher has been one of the most divisive TV series in the last few years. The Witcher started strong and became one of Netflix’s top shows, but the second season deviated too much from the novels of Andrzej Sapkowski, which earned the show a lot of criticism. Despite the backlash, The Witcher has continued its course, and it has also branched out with spinoffs.

The Witcher is currently preparing for its fourth season, which will see a major change as it’s the debut of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia after Henry Cavill’s departure. In terms of story, The Witcher season 4 will see a big change in Ciri and her story as she will join the controversial gang “the Rats”, which will bring out a completely different side of her. In addition to season 4, The Witcher will continue to expand with spinoffs, and one, in particular, has my attention as it might finally happen, though not as initially planned.

Netflix Was Developing A Witcher Spinoff Focused On The Rats

The Rats Were Going To Get Their Own TV Series

The Rats already made their debut in The Witcher season 3, although briefly, with Mistle showing up while Ciri exposed a con artist in Gors Velen and later robbed her. Mistle and the rest of the Rats returned in the final episode of season 3 as they saved her and one of their fellow Rats from bounty hunters. Ciri was last seen introducing herself to them as “Falka”, and season 4 will see her as part of this group. The Rats is a group of criminals known for stealing from the rich to satisfy their own material wants.

Each member of the Rats comes from troubled backgrounds, and they stand out for their lust for murder. The Rats killed for the thrill of it and shared the goods with the impoverished citizens of the area, which also gave them some safety from the authorities, as the citizens would give false information on their whereabouts and even shelter them. The Rats met during the Festival of the Harvest in Geso, as they shared interests in fancy outfits and horses and they had all gone through unfortunate experiences due to the rebellions.

A spinoff prequel series focused on the Rats was first reported by Redanian Intelligence in November 2022, with What’s On Netflix later reporting that sources had confirmed the project was in development. In April 2024, the Rats’ spinoff was said to have been scrapped, but in July 2024, a new report (via ComicBook) claimed it’s being reworked as a special, standalone episode of The Witcher season 4.

The First Witcher Spinoff Series Didn’t Succeed

The Witcher: Blood Origin Was Disappointing

The Rats wouldn’t be the first spinoff TV series of The Witcher, but that isn’t exactly an encouraging thing. The Witcher has expanded so far with a spinoff prequel animated movie titled The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which tells the origin story of Geralt’s mentor, Vesemir. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf was a big success, leading to the production of another spinoff animated movie, titled The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, based on the short story “A Little Sacrifice” from Sword of Destiny.

The Witcher has also expanded with a prequel miniseries titled The Witcher: Blood Origin, set 1200 years before Geralt’s time, to explore the origin of the Witchers. As promising as the premise was, Blood Origin was a huge disappointment, being called “a mess”, “unnecessary”, “boring”, and a “spectacular misfire”. Netflix’s The Witcher doesn’t have a good track record with prequel TV shows, which is why I am relieved that the Rats’ spinoff has been reworked.

Why The Rats Works Better As A Special Episode Than A Miniseries

The Rats Will Be Key In Ciri’s Season 4 Story

A spinoff focused on the Rats is not a bad idea – what was not a good idea was making it into a miniseries. Surely, the Rats’ origin story gives enough material for a miniseries (and a very tragic one, if I may add), but Netflix only needed one miniseries to prove it doesn’t really know how to handle spinoff TV shows of The Witcher. Although a standalone episode about the origins of the Rats would have to leave many details out, it would work a lot better than a miniseries as it’s the format Netflix The Witcher is used to.

A standalone episode focused on the Rats’ past also makes it easier for the audience to connect their story with Ciri and the present day in The Witcher, rather than covering a lot in the past to later have viewers catch up in the main series. A look into the Rats’ backstory is key to their understanding and their dynamic with Ciri, and I really hope that special episode will happen in season 4.

Sources: RedanianIntelligence, What’sOnNetflix, ComicBook.

The Witcher

Based on the novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the video games, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. “Ciri” Cirilla is the Princess of Cintra, who has magical abilities and whose fate has been linked to Geralt’s. Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress who trains to become a mage before deserting her duties and going solo, is also a main character in the Netflix series. The show’s storylines are intertwined but told throughout different timelines, all of which eventually catch up to Ciri’s, whose timeline of events is the most recent. Set on the Continent where men, monsters, and elves exist together, the characters all have separate journeys, though their destinies bring them into each others’ orbits.

Cast

Tom Canton , Maciej Musial , Björn Hlynur Haraldsson , Anna Shaffer , MyAnna Buring , Lars Mikkelsen , Royce Pierreson , Eamon Farren , Wilson Radjou-Pujalte , Joey Batey , Jodhi May , Therica Wilson-Read , Anya Chalotra , Mimi Ndiweni , Henry Cavill , Freya Allan , Adam Levy , Amit Shah , Liam Hemsworth , Laurence Fishburne

Release Date

December 20, 2019

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