Netflix wants to make sure The Witcher fans have a constant dose of Continent bliss. Even if Geralt of Rivia can’t show up, his mentor Vesemir sure looks up to the task, as seen in the first official trailer for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf anime film.
Nightmare of the Wolf was first announced by Netflix at the start of 2020, confirming that part of the live-action series team would be heading the project with Lauren S. Hissrich and Beau DeMayo in executive producer and screenwriter roles, respectively. Since then the anime film has been constantly teased, especially during Netflix’s Geeked Week and the WitcherCon events.
Now the full trailer for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf has officially dropped and it looks like Studio Mir has done a fantastic job in bringing The Witcher's magic over to animated territory. This preview focuses mostly on the young Vesemir protagonist, who seems like he’s having a blast killing monsters and all kinds of otherwordly creatures for coin. However, it’s practically a given his luck will run out when Kaer Morhen suffers its unavoidable fate.
The Witcher’s Twitter page capped off the announcement with a screenshot of Vesemir in a bathtub, so it seems Geralt really takes after his mentor in many ways that don't involve combat. But that’s not all, as the news also revealed the main voice cast actors who will bring these characters to life, with Theo James as Vesemir (Hector in Castlevania) being joined by Lara Pulver (Tetra), Mary McDonnell (Lady Zerbst), and Graham McTavish (Deglan).
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf's runtime was previously confirmed to be 1 hour and 21 minutes, so there’s plenty of time to explain how Vesemir came to be Geralt’s wise father figure, what happened to Kaer Morhen, and why there aren’t any more Witchers out there. All these elements will be of vital importance when The Witcher's second season premieres on December 17 since Geralt will be training Ciri back in Kaer Morhen, where Vesemir will be waiting for him.
With CD Projekt Red’s upcoming next-gen upgrade for The Witcher 3 even crossing over with Netflix's show by adding content inspired by it, it's clear both parties are loving the effect both streaming content and games have in terms of boosting each other's popularity. Considering the massive success behind Castlevania's anime adaptation and its expected Rondo of Blood sequel, it's clear Netflix wants to lay out the best path possible for the rest of its video game-inspired content, especially with franchises as beloved as Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed, and Splinter Cell in its media portfolio.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf will premiere exclusively on Netflix on August 23, 2021.
Source: Netflix|YouTube