Netflix's The Witcher TV show has been renewed for season 2 ahead of its upcoming premiere, with more episodes on the way in 2021. Based on the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, the series stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a genetically-enhanced monster-slayer who comes to play a pivotal role in the politics and power struggles of the fantasy world he inhabits.

Created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich (Daredevil), The Witcher is set for a December 20 premiere on Netflix. Though Cavill is easily the biggest star in the show, fans of the novels (and the video game series by CD Projekt Red) can expect to see some familiar characters, including Princess Ciri (Freya Allen), powerful sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra), and clever witch Triss Merigold (Anna Shaffer). Also in play is Geralt's faithful horse, Roach.

Netflix announced the news of The Witcher's season 2 renewal on Twitter with an image of Geralt's twin swords: one made of steel, for killing humans, and one made of silver, for killing magical creatures. The tongue-in-cheek tweet references that fact that, in Sapkowski's novels, Roach typically carries the silver sword, while Geralt wears the steel sword on his back.


Hissrich also reacted to the news on Twitter, saying, "I could not be more proud of what the amazing cast and crew of The Witcher have accomplished, and can’t wait for the world to dig in and enjoy these stories with us." While Netflix releases a lot of original shows, The Witcher is one of the biggest releases this year and appears to have a relatively lavish budget. The streaming service typically waits a few weeks after a show has premiered to announce a renewal decision, so the fact that The Witcher has already been given the go-ahead for season 2 indicates a lot of confidence in the fantasy series.

Of course, having a major star like Cavill attached to play the lead probably helped The Witcher secure a second season. The actor has said that he was extremely keen to land the role once he heard a TV show was being made, as he was a big fan of the video games. He was attached to the show before any of the other cast members, and in fact met with Hissrich about the role before she'd even finished writing the script. Unless his enthusiasm wanes, Cavill will likely stick around for as many seasons as Netflix is willing to green light.

The Witcher premieres December 20 on Netflix.