Is 'The Witcher 4' Trailer Hinting at the Future of the Netflix Show?

The Witcher is due for a change, and the video game series by CD Projekt Red is getting a head start on introducing one. Thanks to a new trailer for The Witcher 4, the latest installment of the games is set to introduce a new twist to the franchise – Ciri is now the main playable character. Showing her battling a monster that plagues a village and defying the ritual sacrifice the locals attempt to make, the cinematic trailer for the upcoming game sets up this change, allowing Ciri to become a Witcher in her own right. While Ciri taking the lead is a recent addition to the games' story, the series should follow suit. Netflix's The Witcher is not based on the video game franchise, but Andrzej Sapkowski's novels inspired both. Certainly, there are marked differences, but the main characters remain the same.

Netflix's series focuses on the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill in Seasons 1-3 and played by Liam Hemsworth in the upcoming installment) and his mission to protect young Ciri (Freya Allan), who seems to be at the center of everyone's schemes. After three seasons, The Witcher is potentially heading towards a shakeup. Now that the role of Geralt has been recast and Ciri is coming into her own, it makes sense for the show to switch leads, just like The Witcher 4.

Ciri Has Proven Herself Capable in Netflix's 'The Witcher'

When The Witcher began, Ciri was largely helpless. After she was forced to flee Cintra, she struggled to find somewhere safe, and as intelligent and perceptive as she was, Ciri often relied more on the people she encountered than her own power. However, over three seasons, she has become much more independent. When the series left off with Ciri, she was no longer the little girl from the Season 1 premiere, having trained with Witchers and even faced monsters with Geralt. Ciri may not yet be the warrior that Geralt is, but she is well on her way. Beyond that, she has worked with Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) to control her magic, giving her another edge.

In Season 3, Ciri shows a fierce independent streak, proving how much she has grown, even slaying a wyvern and fighting an aeschna with Geralt. Yet her biggest trial comes near the end of the season in Episode 7, "Out of the Fire, Into the Frying Pan," in which Ciri is on her own in a desert without food, water, or supplies. Ciri survives through quick thinking and magic as she receives visions of the past and future. The Season 3 finale left Ciri in a precarious position, now hiding her true identity as she travels with a group of bandits called the Rats, who saved her from bounty hunters. Ciri's circumstances and the fact that Geralt is on his way to Nilfgaard to save the fake Ciri (believing she is the real one) means that the young princess of Cintra will have to continue looking after herself. Given Ciri's growth over the course of the series, however, she is more than capable of standing on her own. Alhough some of the most powerful people in this world have put a target on her back, Ciri has proven that she is far from helpless, and considering how often she is separated from her protectors, that is the best thing for her to be at this point in her story.

Ciri Is the Next Natural Choice To Take Over 'The Witcher'

The show's name may reference Geralt, but the overall story needs Ciri. She is the one who is the center of the major conflict, making her the next natural choice to take over The Witcher as its lead. Given her Elder Blood and the fact that it is her power that everyone is after, Ciri is the driving force of the story, while Geralt plays an important role because of his relationship with her and desire to protect her. The show has announced plans to end after Season 5, which only equals two more seasons to wrap things up, so now is the time for the story to delve deeper into Ciri's evolution before concluding.

It's no surprise that Ciri earned second billing to Geralt in the early seasons, as asking a young actor to carry a show is always a risk. However, with three seasons under her belt, Allan is a proven entity, not to mention a major player in the story. The Witcher's fourth season is set to continue where it left off, but there may be a bit of an adjustment period thanks to Hemsworth's recasting as Geralt. By focusing the story on Ciri instead, Netflix can ease that transition. It is a logical step for both the character and the story, and with the trailer for The Witcher 4 paving the way, Netflix has yet another reason to shift the show's main focus to Ciri too.

The Witcher is streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

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