Lauren Schmidt Hissrich to develop Netflix's The Witcher

luca · Dec 9, 2017

Variety has learned that Lauren Schmidt Hissrich will adapt the fantasy saga into a series for Netflix.

Hissrich will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Her writing and co-executive producer credits include Marvel-produced superhero dramas "The Defenders" and "Daredevil" for Netflix and Starz's "Power."

Sean Daniel will executive produce "The Witcher" together with his "Sean Daniel Company" partner Jason Brown. Tomek Baginski and Jarek Sawko of "Platige Image" will also exec produce.

Back in May Netflix announced that they would adapt The Witcher into a TV series.

"We couldn't be more excited about bringing The Witcher saga to Netflix members around the world," said Erik Barmack, Netflix Vice President, international series.

"The Witcher stories follow an unconventional family that comes together to fight for truth in a dangerous world," said Sean Daniel and Jason Brown. "The characters are original, funny and constantly surprising and we can't wait to bring them to life at Netflix, the perfect home for innovative storytelling."

"The Witcher" has also had a hit trilogy on PC and consoles with the latest installment "The Witcher III: Wild Hunt" having enjoyed great success.

Altazor · Dec 9, 2017

I hope it's good. Started reading Time of Contempt today after reading the two short story ones plus Blood of Elves and it has the potential to be quite good - especially the short stories.

Man, A Shard of Ice and Something More are emotional as fuck.

Officer Big Mac · Dec 9, 2017

This doesn't sound like ThevWitcher I'm familiar with.

JonnyDBrit · Dec 9, 2017

Teh Hamburglar said:
This doesn't sound like ThevWitcher I'm familiar with.

It's in line with the short stories that started things off. Riffs on Fairy Tales where Geralt and co have to realise there's more to the situation than it seems.

johancruijff · Dec 9, 2017

Unconventional family as in the witcher school?

Officer Big Mac · Dec 9, 2017

JonnyDBrit said:
It's in line with the short stories that started things off. Riffs on Fairy Tales where Geralt and co have to realise there's more to the situation than it seems.

Altazor · Dec 9, 2017

johancruijff said:
Unconventional family as in the witcher school?

As in Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri.

No Depth · Dec 9, 2017

johancruijff said:
Unconventional family as in the witcher school?

Probably means Geralt, Ciri, and Yen as the unconventional family. Or the Kaer Morhen clan.

luca · Dec 9, 2017

So will Netflix's show be based on the short stories?
And the games adapted and developed the larger trilogy right?

TheLetdown · Dec 9, 2017

Forgetting Dandelion when mentioning the members of the "family"

Edit: forgot that emojis don't work here. I gave you all the steaming mad face emoji.

Yorxor · Dec 9, 2017

Everything about this sounds terrible to me.

JonnyDBrit said:
It's in line with the short stories that started things off. Riffs on Fairy Tales where Geralt and co have to realise there's more to the situation than it seems.

No, it's not. Geralt was never part of "an unconventional family" in the short stories. He was a single Witcher on the path, solving people's monster problems (that were mostly riffs on classics and fairy tales).

Luxorek · Dec 9, 2017

Pachimari said:
So will Netflix's show be based on the short stories?
And the games adapted and developed the larger trilogy right?

No. Games are their own thing and take place after the novels. For a very good reason.

JustinBB7 · Dec 9, 2017

Pachimari said:
So will Netflix's show be based on the short stories?
And the games adapted and developed the larger trilogy right?

Games are continuation of the books. Though not officially canon to the books I suppose. Since the writer didn't work on the games.

Pilgrimzero · Dec 9, 2017

First read Blood of Elves and while I liked it, it didn't really have a plot or a climax. It was mostly "Ciri goes to school". Felt like I read half a book.

Now I'm reading Last Wish, the first book of short stories and it's really good.

Altazor · Dec 9, 2017

Pachimari said:
So will Netflix's show be based on the short stories?
And the games adapted and developed the larger trilogy right?

AFAIK, the games were basically "sequels" to the books that contained loose adaptations from moments and instances contained therein.

Moff · Dec 9, 2017

not a huge fan of those marvel shows

and the unconventional family is ciry, geralt and yen, is that confirmed? and not new characters?

Patapuf · Dec 9, 2017

Yorxor said:
Everything about this sounds terrible to me.

No, it's not. Geralt was never part of "an unconventional family" in the short stories. He was a single Witcher on the path, solving people's monster problems (that were mostly riffs on classics and fairy tales).

The unconventional family is Geralt, Yen and Ciri.

This aspect is much more pronounced in the books than in the games, also due to both Yen and Geralt being infertile (and Ciri being a kid).

Moff said:
not a huge fan of those marvel shows

and the unconventional family is ciry, geralt and yen, is that confirmed? and not new characters?

I was under the assumption the TV show was adapting the books.

Pilgrimzero · Dec 9, 2017

didn't mean to post here, can't seem to delete

Pagusas · Dec 9, 2017

Considering how horrible the later books are, I don't have High hopes for this. I think Ciri may be the single worst character addition in fiction, every chapter with her was horrible, especially in contrast to how damn amazing all the other characters are.

Mathieran · Dec 9, 2017

Pilgrimzero said:
First read Blood of Elves and while I liked it, it didn't really have a plot or a climax. It was mostly "Ciri goes to school".

Now I'm reading Last Wish, the first book of short stories and it's really good.

Yeah I didn't get into the later books, but The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny are pretty good. I hope the show uses these as an inspiration, with each episode being kind of a monster of the week kind of structure. They could weave an overarching narrative throughout the season.

Carn · Dec 9, 2017

That family blurb is old stuff. They changed that pretty soon but it seems to have stuck. If you look at the official Netflix description it now says:

The witcher Geralt, a mutated monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

Anna · Dec 9, 2017

We're in the golden age of tv fantasy, aren't we?

boxfactory · Dec 9, 2017

Looks like the rot is settling in for Netflix. Who looked at these people's imdb page and thought a good tv show could be made from them?

Pilgrimzero · Dec 9, 2017

Yorxor said:
Everything about this sounds terrible to me.

No, it's not. Geralt was never part of "an unconventional family" in the short stories. He was a single Witcher on the path, solving people's monster problems (that were mostly riffs on classics and fairy tales).

Having just read Blood of Elves, he is.

He and Triss and the other Witcher's at their castle. And later after he is away from Ciri, you are shown they care about each other. He is very much her father and her his daughter.

And later it shows Yen considers her a daughter.

I wouldn't be surprised if the show revolves around Geralt and Ciri and one or both women. And of course her weird Witcher uncles.

Yorxor · Dec 9, 2017

Patapuf said:
The unconventional family is Geralt, Yen and Ciri.

This aspect is much more pronounced in the books than in the games, also due to both Yen and Geralt being infertile.

But—unless I'm totally misremembering this, it's been years since I read all the books—that was not what the short stories were about at all, but the 5 book continued story that came after. That's the one that revolved around Ciri. But even there you could hardly describe it as "a family".

Mr_Black · Dec 9, 2017

A lord of the rings spin off and some witcher shit. Eugh. Game of Thrones set the stage for some questionable high fantasy.

Not to disparage the individual bodies of work they are derived from.

But no. I want a big deep gritty sci fi show. Not chasing after yesterdays trend.

Quinton · Dec 9, 2017

I'm on Sword of Destiny right now and liking the books overall but really not a fan of some of the stuff going on with the way female characters are depicted. It's not so much "it's a different [fictional] era" as it is, just, egh, they don't seem well-written at all. I hope the show improves upon this tenfold. I'll get to the games once I wrap the seven books.

Deleted member 8593 · Dec 9, 2017

Her writing and co-executive producer credits include Marvel-produced superhero dramas "The Defenders" and "Daredevil" for Netflix and Starz's "Power."

Talk about a huge gulf of quality.

Tovarisc · Dec 9, 2017

boxfactory said:
Looks like the rot is settling in for Netflix. Who looked at these people's imdb page and thought a good tv show could be made from them?

Depending on day you can hear here that NFlix hasn't produced any good OG series, even House of Cards is pure trash. So rot has always been there in that sense, while producing very solid TV they aren't producing anything world shattering stuff.

Mr_Black said:
A lord of the rings spin off and some witcher shit. Eugh. Game of Thrones set the stage for some questionable high fantasy.

Not to disparage the individual bodies of work they are derived from.

But no. I want a big deep gritty sci fi show. Not chasing after yesterdays trend.

GoT is high fantasy? ... ...... What? I have always seen it as more low fantasy.

Also go watch Expanse.

Pilgrimzero · Dec 9, 2017

Quinton said:
I'm on Sword of Destiny right now and liking the books overall but really not a fan of some of the stuff going on with the way female characters are depicted. It's not so much "it's a different [fictional] era" as it is, just, egh, they don't seem well-written at all. I hope the show improves upon this tenfold. I'll get to the games once I wrap the seven books.

Every girl wants to bang him.

Really threw me when in one story he arrives at a nunnery (sort of) and just like immediately bangs one of the nuns. The head nun had to later explain to him who that Nun was and what her name is and why she took a vow of silence. Which Geralt apparently didn't know before banging her.

Also he just like immediately bangs that medical student girl. I forget her name she's in the games.
She's a girl he just met at the med school and banged on his way to an adventure.

Quinton · Dec 9, 2017

Pilgrimzero said:
Every girl wants to bang him.

Really threw me when in one story he arrives at a nunnery (sort of) and just like immediately bangs one of the nuns. The head nun had to later explain to him who that Nun was and what her name is and why she took a vow of silence. Which Geralt apparently didn't know before banging her.

Also he just like immediately bangs that medical student girl. I forget her name she's in the games.
She's a girl he just met at the med school and banged on his way to an adventure.

Yeah, it's just eh. Some of the women in the books from what I've read so far (especially Yennefer) really aren't bad on their own merits but I get this weird feeling like the author really needed to scribble in a bunch of women going nuts over his creation, heh. I could do without this, full stop.

Buuuut I'm liking the creativity on display in the stories themselves so I'll keep at it. I've gotta play The Witcher 3 someday anyway and I've gone on at enough length here and on the old site about putting it all off for too long. So I'll keep chipping away.

Looking forward to the show in any case.

Feral · Dec 9, 2017

to be fair, Heart of Stone would make for a pretty good show/season material. Never read any of the books, but I'd be interested in checking this show out

Pirate Bae · Dec 9, 2017

"The Witcher stories follow an unconventional family that comes together to fight for truth in a dangerous world," said Sean Daniel and Jason Brown. "The characters are original, funny and constantly surprising and we can't wait to bring them to life at Netflix, the perfect home for innovative storytelling."

All of this is making me increasingly nervous.

SageShinigami · Dec 9, 2017

Mr_Black said:
A lord of the rings spin off and some witcher shit. Eugh. Game of Thrones set the stage for some questionable high fantasy.

Not to disparage the individual bodies of work they are derived from.

But no. I want a big deep gritty sci fi show. Not chasing after yesterdays trend.

It's gritty sci-fi for days out there. And GoT ain't high fantasy.

Loganclaws · Dec 9, 2017

Yikes those are horrible credentials, too bad.

xrnzaaas · Dec 9, 2017

I'm not too excited, but we'll see :)

Illusion · Dec 9, 2017

Hopefully Lauren reads up on the stories and for the love of God someone send her a copy of Witcher 1-3.

Radogol · Dec 9, 2017

Illusion said:
For the love of God someone send her a copy of Witcher 1-3.

It's not like Netflix can adapt those.

Alt183 · Dec 9, 2017

Hopefully they start with The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. Plenty of good material asking to be adapted into a show.

Illusion · Dec 9, 2017

Radogol said:
It's not like Netflix can adapt those.

Not yet.

(Stares intently at computer screen with Netflix opened)

HStallion · Dec 9, 2017

Hopefully its far better than a lot of the stuff she's already worked on.

Flipyap · Dec 9, 2017

"The Witcher stories follow an unconventional family that comes together to fight for truth in a dangerous world."

It's more of an unconventional family that's torn apart before it really has a chance to form and would rather be left alone than fight for any "truth," but sure, close enough (?).

Pirate Bae · Dec 9, 2017

Alt183 said:
Hopefully they start with The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny. Plenty of good material asking to be adapted into a show.

There are a few stories that they can do without. Just include the ones that deal with Yen and Geralt as a couple and how Ciri comes to be destined for Geralt / how they meet and you've got a solid season one with a small, well-developed cast (hopefully).

HStallion · Dec 9, 2017

They should make it like Entourage and its just Geralt and his crew of idiot Witcher buddies going around doing stupid shit and occasionally killing a monster while also banging hot babes.

Kinthey · Dec 9, 2017

Her writing and co-executive producer credits include Marvel-produced superhero dramas "The Defenders" and "Daredevil" for Netflix and Starz's "Power."

That's... not bad but also not particularly great.

Please let this turn out to be good :/

code · Dec 9, 2017

the defenders is shit, im scared for Geralt :/

cj_iwakura · Dec 9, 2017

Make it an anthology show. The books went off a steep cliff after The Last Wish.

Ahasverus · Dec 9, 2017

Marvel credentials? No thanks.

Ithil · Dec 9, 2017

The video games are large improvements on the books, quite frankly.

HStallion · Dec 9, 2017

Geralt of Hell's Kitchen.

Lauren Schmidt Hissrich to develop Netflix's The Witcher

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