Some fans were worried about the fact that both The Witcher and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker were set to release on the same day, but apparently, Netflix and showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich didn’t share these concerns.
As is the case with every year, this holiday season was packed full of many entertaining releases across theaters and in the world of television. But the release dates of two highly anticipated features coincided, and many fans wondered if The Rise of Skywalker would impact Netflix’s live-action adaptation of The Witcher saga or steal the attention in favor of a galaxy far, far away. Well, considering the overwhelming audience reception to the latter, and the last movie in the Skywalker Saga bringing in a considerable amount of money on opening weekend, it’s safe to say that these worries were unfounded.
Even Netflix didn’t have concerns about the release date, and showrunner Hissrich has claimed in a recent interview that there’s always time to enjoy multiple projects over the holidays, saying:
“You know the other big thing that happens around the holidays that people have now come to love and look forward to is big movies premiering. Obviously, we dropped the same night as Star Wars came out, and that was a question too, but the truth is that I’ve watched both. I watched Star Wars and then obviously I sat down with my family and watched The Witcher as well. There’s room enough for a lot of entertainment over the holidays, and I think that’s one of the things that we really wanted to grab onto.”
It makes sense too, as fans can’t get enough of Henry Cavill’s Geralt of Rivia, and the series debuting during the holidays has allowed many viewers to rewatch the first season multiple times. Obviously, though, it’s not really a question of whether people will choose one over the other, but if it’s worth their time, and considering the unanimity with which The Witcher has been positively received in the fanbase, Netflix’s gamble ultimately paid off.
In any case, if you haven’t already watched the series, do just that and join the rest of us as we patiently await the second season, currently in development and slated for release in 2021.
