Many people were drawn to the Netflix adaption of The Witcher because of its dark and gripping nature. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is set in the same fictional universe as The Continent and tells the narrative of Vesemir, a swashbuckling young witcher who fled poverty by slaying monsters for coin. Whether you’re already a part of the fandom, or new to The Witcher universe, you’ll definitely be captivated by this animated world full of thrills, action and
romance.
Here are 5 reasons why you have to catch the anime film on Netflix when it premieres on
August 23!
1. An anime brought to you by best-in-class creators
Image courtesy of Netflix
Studio MIR, an animation studio most known for creating Avatar: The Legend of Korra in 2012, as well as Voltron: Legendary Defender in 2016, joins the brilliant minds behind The Witcher series, creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and Producer Beau DeMayo, to bring audiences The Witcher origin story imagined in the form of anime. Lauren Schmidt Hissrich is the renowned creator, showrunner, and executive producer of The
Witcher live-action series. Prior to that, she worked on series such as Marvel’s The Defenders and Marvel’s Daredevil. Beau DeMayo, who first served as a writing-producer on The Witcher and the anime film, wrote for CW’s The Originals, and oversaw projects such as Gravity Falls and Atomic Blonde.
Image courtesy of Netflix
On working together with Studio MIR, creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said that it was “a great partnership” and that it was “fun to bring in someone whose speciality is anime” to guide the project. She also commented on how “Director Han was incredibly immersed in this world and he and Beau DeMayo were constantly working together to improve things”. With this acclaimed trio at the helm, be prepared to expect storytelling of epic proportions and intricate visuals that will transport you to the world of the witchers.
2. It’s bigger and better, visually and emotionally
Image courtesy of Netflix
Action-packed with thrills and chilling monsters, magic and mystery, and just a dash of touching romance, the show definitely checks all the boxes! Producer Beau DeMayo shared that the anime adaptation helped “open different doors” and enabled the team to explore “a story that really took advantage of what animation can do both visually and emotionally”.
Image courtesy of Netflix
One of the opportunities included telling a huge story without the budget constraints that typically come with filming a live-action series, something unfamiliar but exciting to creator Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. She said,
“What was wild is that Beau had these wonderful pictures about huge monster battles and my brain is like, prosthetics, VFX, how do we, I can’t – we can’t. And it was like, oh no, no. We can do all of that”.
Director Kwang Il Han and his team were also able to let their imagination run wild, as they “took every opportunity in the details of the scenes to bring creativity and enjoyment to the vast world of witchers”, capturing the rich geographical elements portrayed in the novel. Besides being a complete visual feast, Producer Beau DeMayo shared how it was important for him to “focus on a story that was very personal to the witcher world and its history” and making sure that it felt “very human despite the fact that we would have all these fantastical elements surrounding it”.
3. Dive deeper into the world of The Witcher to explore the lore and unravel the mystery around Geralt's master
Image courtesy of Netflix
The Witcher is a globally popular franchise with many adaptations, a testament to how rich and complex the universe is. Producer Beau DeMayo commented on “how versatile The Witcher is as a story”, and shared that the anime was created to “expand our understanding of The Continent and its history”.
.png)
Image courtesy of Netflix
Plus, we get to travel back in time to make sense of the present through the origin story of Vesemir, Geralt’s mentor, and his encounters as he finds his life intertwined with a noblewoman, a powerful sorceress, and a hardened warrior.
If you can’t get enough of magical history and want to get a glimpse of how Geralt came to be, you should definitely check out The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
4. It will tide you through the wait for The Witcher S2
Image courtesy of Netflix
For those eagerly waiting for the second season of The Witcher, this anime film is the perfect watch to tide you over the next few months. Just when you think you’re familiar with the original series, Producer Beau DeMayo tells fans to be prepared for a “unique experience” he hopes “makes them feel like they're coming to The Witcher for the first time again”. For newcomers, this hour and a half long film is an excellent and easy way to enter into the enchanting world of Witcherverse. However, when you do get hooked and start watching the first season of the live-action series, you’ll find yourself craving for more! Season 2 of The
Witcher launches December 17 on Netflix.
5. It’s relatable to anyone and everyone, even audiences new to The Witcher
Image courtesy of Netflix
Many have fallen in love with The Witcher series simply because of the highly-relatable aspects of each character’s journey. Director Kwang Il Han said,
“There are a lot of elements in the witchers’ story that I believe are relatable, in terms of what they emotionally go through and struggle in life. I’m excited for the fans and the world to enjoy not only the rich world but also the rich characters that ask some interesting questions for us to think about our lives”.
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf will be premiering exclusively on Netflix, August 23!