It’s easy to find connections between Netflix’s The Witcher and HBO’s Game of Thrones, since both shows take place in a medieval setting full of monsters and mythological creatures. But still, one unexpected link between the two fantasy series is surprising many fans.
The new live-action adaptation was poised to become the next big thing in television and if the overwhelmingly positive reaction from viewers is any indication, The Witcher is indeed a worthy successor to Game of Thrones. People simply love the new series by Netflix, and even though some fans criticize the plot for drifting away from the source material, all the signs suggest that Henry Cavill’s Geralt of Rivia is here to stay for a while.
But the fact remains that Game of Thrones did a lot to pave the way for fantasy to be taken seriously again, and many felt The Witcher was going to fill the space left by HBO’s universally acclaimed show. And if not for that, Westeros and the Continent share many similarities, both depicting a grim world where the innocent lives are always a trinket to political games of powerful individuals. So, finding connections is ultimately inevitable, especially as Netflix’s adaptation delves deeper into the fictional world of Andrej Sapkowski’s novels.
Yet, there’s already a link between the two that will surprise many people. Fans recently realized that Vladimir Furdik, who in Game of Thrones portrayed the villainous Night King, has served as the fight choreographer for the first season of The Witcher when he shared a picture of himself and Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) on set:
With Anya on set, great time. Good person with a big heart. #Yennefer #TheWitcher pic.twitter.com/7kubrE8nWD
— VladimÃr FurdÃk (@VladimirFurdik) December 28, 2019
Apart from lending his face and acting skills, Furdik also worked behind-the-scenes as the stunt coordinator on Thrones for the first five seasons and has now provided his notable experience to choreograph the fight scenes for The Witcher. Except for the Blaviken Fight, which was coordinated by Wolfgang Stegemann.
The fight scenes in the first season were done superbly, too, both featuring Geralt’s prowess as a Witcher and Netflix’s capacity for spectacle. Unfortunately, though, Furdik won’t return for season 2, revealing his departure to a fan on Instagram. As such, it’ll be interesting to see whether Netflix manages to keep the choreography as strong as it was throughout season 1 of The Witcher now that Furdik’s gone.
