How ‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’ Turned Geralt of Rivia Into an Epic Animated Character

We have seen Geralt of Rivia go on myriad adventures in different media, from his days as a literary monster slayer to becoming a video game icon and making the jump to live-action — while never losing his quiet, grunt-heavy demeanor. Now, the titular Witcher is becoming something new: an animated character in “The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep.” This is the first time the character stars in a feature animated film, and for director Kang Hei Chul and studio MIR, it was an exciting challenge to reconcile the different portrayals of the character.

“The real task was capturing these characters’ unique charms and identities,” director Kang told IndieWire via email. “We carefully studied each character’s mannerisms by examining the existing novels, games, and series. Our goal was to faithfully portray Geralt’s cynical and tough persona while also hinting at his inner struggles.”

Part of what makes this take on Geralt unique is that his appearance seems based on Henry Cavill’s take on the character from the live-action Netflix series, but he’s voiced by Doug Cockle, who voiced Geralt in “The Witcher” game series by CD Projekt Red. Studio MIR and director Kang kept the essence of the character’s appearance and design while looking to capture Cockle’s performance and expressions in the animation. 

“We wanted the characters to remain the same familiar individual the audience knows while showcasing deeper emotions and broader actions that animation allows,” Kang explained. “We hoped the audience would see the animated Geralt and other characters as integral parts of this world rather than strangers in a different medium.”

“Sirens of the Deep” is based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s short story “A Little Sacrifice” from the collection “Sword of Destiny” and follows Geralt and Jaskier (Joey Batey) as they stumble into rising political tension between merfolk and land-dwellers, sparking from a romance between the local duke and the royal mermaid. The film shines a light on a previously unseen part of the world of “The Witcher,” an underwater realm beautifully brought to life in animation. For Kang, it was important that the creatures and environments served as more than just set dressing. “We carefully considered each ecosystem and habitat,” Kang said. “We paid attention to every detail of the merpeople’s appearance and movements to make them feel both mystical and alluring, yet menacing.” Likewise, the sea environment needed to evoke both vastness and reclusiveness to highlight the isolated and tense mood of the story. 

Of course, “The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep” is full of stunning action scenes. It was important for Kang and his team to accurately portray the legendary fighting skills of the titular Witcher in a way that fans would expect from the franchise, showing the dynamic and compelling swordsmanship Geralt is known for while taking advantage of the medium of animation. Geralt’s movements are bolder, with stronger impacts and broader gestures, and with the new underwater environments, the character looks more mythical at times to. The animation team’s aim was “dramatic movements and intense staging that would be hard to replicate in live action.”

Before directing “Sirens of the Deep,” Kang worked as a storyboard artist on the previous “Witcher” movie, “Nightmare of the Wolf.” According to the director, this was a big help for the new movie. His experience experimenting with pacing and building suspense and emotion as a storyboard artist was a big part of the foundation for his work as a director. “It deepened my understanding of the Witcher’s world and helped me capture the same mood and tone in ‘Sirens of the Deep.'” 

‘The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep’Courtesy of Netflix

Mood and tone were essential to Kang’s vision for “Sirens of the Deep.” As dark and gloomy as the world of “The Witcher” often is, it is also one of lightheartedness and humor. Thankfully, that’s where Jaskier comes in. Fans of the live-action series know all too well that the character (especially as portrayed by Joey Batey) is responsible for the funniest parts of “The Witcher” series — and its most musical moments, too. In animation, Kang wanted to explore more comedic and exaggerated gestures for Jaskier that could enhance the comedic relief. 

“Given the animated format, we felt we could incorporate more comedic scenes,” Kang said. “We hope to include humorous and witty moments while ensuring they don’t detract from the overall mood. We believe that the epic, dark atmosphere of ‘The Witcher’ is iconic and valuable, but by adding some comedic elements, we aim to make the audience immersed in this world even more.”

Ultimately, Kang emphasizes how important it was to approach the project not as a spin-off but as a part of the live-action show cut from the same cloth — just in a different medium. “We wanted to create something that naturally expands the franchise,” Kang said. “While staying true to The Witcher’s DNA, we aimed to showcase rich visuals and staging through animation.”

“The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep” is now streaming on Netflix.