Netflix is preparing for the premiere of the new season of «The Witcher». Before the release of the episodes, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich commented on the criticism of the project.
The series is regularly criticized for deviating from the original: viewers note that many lines and characters differ from the books of Andrzej Sapkowski and the atmosphere of CD Projekt RED games.
On the eve of the premiere, Hissrich said in an interview that the pressure on the team is high, but the goal is clear — the series will not go beyond the books.
«I said from the beginning: we will not go beyond Sapkowski's material. We have an ending. Closer to the end, the books become truly crazy, but in a beautiful sense, and I really like that».
She added that the fourth and fifth seasons were filmed simultaneously and adapt the last three books: «Baptism of Fire», «The Tower of the Swallow» and «Lady of the Lake». This approach allowed us to create a well-thought-out ending, avoiding mistakes like the ending of «Game of Thrones».
Hissrich noted that the series is aimed at different audiences: fans of books, games, and those who are first introduced to the world through the show.
«We must remember that we are making a television series — this is a different form, and you can't tell everything according to the books. Adaptation requires changes for the story to develop. The first season is an example of this approach».
The showrunner also emphasized that different versions of «The Witcher» can exist simultaneously.
«The books still exist. No one will take them away. And no one will take away the games either. We are just presenting our version of the story. I think everyone can have their own version of "The Witcher" — and that's the beauty of it».
