Netflix has officially chosen Henry Cavill to play Geralt in its upcoming television adaptation of The Witcher franchise. The actor has incidentally exited the DC Extended Universe as well, meaning that a new face will have to be cast for Superman in the future. Whether the move is devastating or not, it will undoubtedly allow Cavill to focus entirely on becoming the White Wolf in the time to come.
While this does bring an end to the long-standing debate about who is best suited to play the lead character, there is no harm in revisiting that wishlist and come up with names who were probably better picks.
Here are five actors in that regard who would have done justice to the role of the Butcher of Blaviken in The Witcher series — ranked in no specific order.
Mads Mikkelsen
If there is one name on the top of every list, it is undoubtedly that of Mads Mikkelsen. The actor is recognized for his phenomenal portrayal of Hannibal Lector and known for reshaping roles to serve his own eerily calm demeanor on the screen.
He also looks the part, as evident from his appearance in Age of Uprising. Suffice to say, he just needs to grow a beard and dye his hair white to become the White Wolf.
It should be noted that Mikkelsen is already working with Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding. Hence, the actor taking on a franchise like The Witcher would not have been surprising.
Jason Momoa
The one criticism that has often been levied against Jason Momoa, basically the actor being unable to give convincing dialogue deliveries, actually works in his favor for the role of the Witcher.
The fact is that Geralt is a protagonist with little to say. He lets his actions do all the talking, which adds with the rich lore to refrain the character from becoming too bland. Momoa, on the other hand, does not really fall short with speech problems. It is just that he has mostly been cast for his physical presence, something that fans still love to see on their screens. Case in point, his roles as Khal Drogo and Conan.
In addition, Momoa also has the right build for the job. He looks incredibly good for his age and still gives off an alpha male appeal. He could have given a marvelous performance as the Witcher.
Richard Armitage
Very few know that Richard Armitage is actually the voice of Trevor Belmont in the recently rebooted Castlevania animated series. It proves that he can sound and act, like he did with Thorin in The Hobbit trilogy, to pull off a dominating and commanding presence on the screen.
Armitage is obviously a bit too striking in appearance. Geralt is after all a mutant with scars in the Witcher franchise. The makeup team would have met that goal should he have been chosen as the lead actor.
Norman Reedus
It is a sheer coincidence but Norman Reedus is the second actor that has the looks to play Geralt, and who is also working with Hideo Kojima on Death Stranding. In fact, he was set to be featured in the rebooted Silent Hills as well before the Guillermo del Toro-led project was canned.
Reedus is already a pop culture phenomenon because of his Daryl Dixon character in The Walking Dead television and video game adaptation series. Being inducted into the gaming community has only helped his surging popularity. Should he had been cast as Geralt, not one fan would have complained.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Known widely as the Kingslayer Jamie Lannister in the Game of Thrones series for nearly seven years now, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has proven that he has the tenacity and will to give it all when a role demands it.
He has both the ruggedness and charm to carry Geralt, perhaps more so the latter than the former. The audience has grown accustomed to watching him perform in short hair, but growing out his strands will only make him a better fit for the Witcher cast.
Do you believe that there were other choices better than Henry Cavill? Let us know in the comments below.
Netflix has confirmed that it is focusing on sheer quality and hence, there will be just eight episodes in the first season. The worldwide premiere for The Witcher is suggested to take place somewhere in 2020.
