Published 15:34 IST, June 15th 2020
'The Witcher' season 2 script to change due to government guidelines over resuming shoot?
The Witcher season 2 was under six weeks filming when the shoot was stopped. It is said that the new government guidelines will impact its story. Know more.
- Entertainment News
- 3 min read
The Witcher is a fantasy drama series starring Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, and Anya Chalotra in the lead roles. Streaming on Netflix, its season 1 was highly praised by the audiences. Its season 2 was under development but the work was halted amid the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. It is said that the guidelines to resume shoot will affect the script.
The Witcher 2 script to be affected due to new guidelines
Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich talked about the work on the upcoming season of The Witcher to a news publication. She said that they were shooting in the United Kingdom and were about six weeks into the second season when they shut down. She mentioned that they were in the middle of a “big sequence” which they had been preparing for months. Lauren stated that they had a very international crew and it was not just about the health of the crew and cast, but also getting them back home to their families. It was at the forefront for them.
The Witcher creator mentioned that they had a cast member, Kristofer Hivju, who was diagnosed with coronavirus. Hivju is a new member on the show and is popular for playing Tormund Giantsbane in Game of Thrones. Lauren added that they first obviously wanted to make sure he was okay. She explained that he was tested as he flew back into his home country of Norway, and he was completely asymptomatic at the time. He had no idea he had it. They had to follow up with everyone who came into contact with him and let them know what they should do if they start feeling sick. She later expressed relief thanking God as no other person was affected with the virus, spiralling that instance.
When asked about when the shooting on The Witcher season 2 will resume, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said that right now, it is a lot of production meetings, a lot of talking about how to keep people safe. She stated that a lot of it is just about flexibility, not just in the planning phases but when they get back on sets. She stated that it is about personal comfort and personal safety. The show creator mentioned that the government may say it is “OK to do X or Y”, but an actor might say they do not feel comfortable doing that. And the actors are always going to be her team's first concern.
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich added that they are making all sorts of plans and accommodations and waiting for various governments to weigh in with their recommendations. It also includes film commissions and Netflix. She stated that it is going to impact the story. However, she noted that one of the best things about being a writer onset is that she is there to make those changes as they need them. Lauren revealed that in terms of writing, they have just been “honing a lot” over the last eight weeks. They are really “digging back into scripts, making some big shifts”, especially in the emotional journeys of the characters and making sure that everything they are writing feels really grounded and true.
Updated 15:35 IST, June 15th 2020