Netflix Scraps ‘The Rats’ Spin-Off, Incorporates into Season 4
Netflix has reportedly abandoned plans for a prequel spin-off series titled ‘The Rats’, which was set to follow the group of misfits that Ciri joins at the end of Season 3. According to Redanian Intelligence, filming of ‘The Rats’ was cut short by several months and will likely be reworked into Season 4 flashbacks instead.
The spin-off was originally intended to be a six to eight-episode series focusing on the characters before they meet Ciri. However, reports indicate that only two months of filming were completed, resulting in only one or two episodes of footage being secured. Redanian Intelligence claims that Netflix scrapped plans for an independent season after reviewing early footage, opting to incorporate the story into Season 4 or release it as a short.
This decision follows Netflix’s recent announcement that the final three seasons of the Witcher saga will be condensed into two. Seasons 4 and 5 will be filmed back-to-back, while Netflix is also working on a family-friendly Witcher prequel series titled ‘Blood Origin’.
Season 4 will see Geralt searching for Ciri following the events of the Season 3 finale. The official Netflix synopsis reads, “After the shocking, Continent-altering events that close out Season 3, the new season follows Geralt, Yennefer [played by Anya Chalotra], and Ciri who are faced with traversing the war-ravaged Continent and its many demons apart from each other.”
Critical Reception and Cast Changes
Critical reception of The Witcher has been mixed so far, with IGN awarding Season 2 a score of 8/10, but giving Season 3 a lower score of 6/10. Henry Cavill’s departure from the show after Season 3 has also raised concerns, with the actor yet to provide an explicit reason for his exit. Liam Hemsworth is set to take over the role of Geralt in Season 4.
