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News had recently come out that Game of Thrones star Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane) was being eyed for Netflix’s The Witcher. What’s interesting is, it looks like he’s officially been cast.
According to Redanian Intelligence, Hivju has been cast as Nivellen, a character is said to be introduced in the first episode. His part is described as charismatic, witty, and funny and is also said to be ‘physically dmenading with a requirement for great emotional range.’
In the books, the story of Nivellen is heavily inspired by Beauty and the Beast. Nivellen is a wealthy man who was cursed to become a monster by a witch (but he managed to keep his sanity), and his servants fled leaving him alone in the mansion. At some point, Nivellen strikes a deal with a man who was trying to steal a rose from one of his bushes and he agrees to have Nivellen keep his daughter for a year; this lead to a string of young women who would stay in the mansion for a year with Nivellen, leaving with a heft reward afterwards.
We don’t know how they will change the story up for the series, but it’s a fun spin on the classic tale. It would be interesting to see just how Geralt factors into the story. Considering how beloved Hivju was on Thrones, I’m hoping that he gets to have some memorable moments with his new ‘Jon Snow’, Geralt.
The Witcher 2 is currently undergoing production, and is likely set to come out sometime in 2021. Catch the first season now streaming on Netflix.
