Henry Cavill Compares Starring On The Witcher To Being In The Military

Henry Cavill said he always wanted to join the armed forces because he loved the concept of the warrior brotherhood.

By Charlene Badasie | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

henry cavill the witcher

Henry Cavill has compared his role on The Witcher to his previous dream of being in the British army. The actor, who gained international recognition after being cast as Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, has always expressed his admiration for the British armed forces. He is an ambassador for The Royal Marines Charity in the UK, while his brother Nik Cavill serves in the armed forces in the Royal Marines.

Now, in an interview with Polygon, Henry Cavill has shared how his childhood dream of being in the British army is similar to being on the Netflix show. The actor said he always wanted to join the armed forces because he loved the concept of the warrior brotherhood. “I have the good fortune of knowing people who’ve done extraordinary things in the armed forces. The warrior brotherhood that I see represented in those people, you realize how soulful these individuals are – and the bond that they have with one another.”

The Justice League star would have signed up if acting hadn’t caught his attention. Henry Cavill also explained how his previous ambitions compare to his role as Geralt of Rivia who exists in a tightly knit warrior brotherhood of his own. “I was very keen on joining the armed forces when I was younger. And had acting not got me first and I would have joined. The opportunity to play a Witcher was similar in a sense. It’s a tightly knit warrior brotherhood, with an added element of intense sorrow.”

Although Henry Cavill’s childhood dream didn’t come true, he can’t be too disappointed with how things turned out. TheSuperman star is adored the world over for his work in movies and television. His sincere dedication to playing Geralt of Rivia and his passion for the source material doesn’t go unnoticed either. Based on the best-selling fantasy book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher became a massive hit when it premiered on Netflix in 2019. 

henry cavill the witcher season 2

Described as an epic tale of fate and family, the series was praised for its action sequences, world-building, and the stellar casting of Henry Cavill as the stoic series lead. The actor’s impressive physicality elevated many of the fight sequences to new heights. The first season ended with Geralt and Ciri (Freya Allen) discovering that they are linked by destiny.

The second season, consisting of eight episodes, was released on December 17 and begins with Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) taking Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen, where he will strive to protect Ciri from the mysterious power she possesses inside while the Continent’s kings, elves, humans, and demons strive for supremacy outside the walls of the castle, located within the Kingdom of Kaedwen.

While the action star will be returning to The Witcher for season three, Henry Cavill has a few other new projects in the works too. This includes a Highlander reboot, Matthew Vaughn’s new spy franchise Argylle, and Steve Falk’s The Rosie Project which is based on Graeme Simsion’s book of the same name. He will also be reprising his role as Sherlock Holmes opposite Millie Bobby Brown in the highly anticipated Enola Holmes sequel.

Meanwhile, Netflix is developing The Witcher: Blood Origin, a six-part prequel series set 1200 years before Geralt walked the lands of the Northern Kingdoms. Already available on Netflix is the spinoff movie, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an animated feature film centered around Vesemir, Geralt’s close friend and mentor.