Sorry Cavill: Hemsworth's Geralt Looks Surprisingly Great
Liam Hemsworth's performance may be almost indistinguishable from Cavill's.
Deepfakes are an inherently dangerous technology. You never know when your face, body, or voice will fall into the hands of unscrupulous people who will exploit them for profit without your consent. And yet, in the right hands, deepfakes can be a lifesaver and a very effective tool. For example, when it comes to getting a sneak peek at an actor who may or may not be right for a particular role.
Unfortunately, when it comes to a performer's participation in a project, it's rare that fans get a chance to see audition tapes, so we're often left wondering if they'll nail the part or not. But guessing is no longer necessary, because deepfaking allows us to visualize it!
In particular, AI-generated media technology could come to the rescue when it comes to replacing Henry Cavill in Netflix 's The Witcher. For all the controversy, it was Cavill who was the show's magnet. Not only did the actor radiate charisma despite the character's perpetually cold grimace and sparse lines, but he himself showed great respect to Andrzej Sapkowski's novels, giving us one of the best non-book versions of Geralt of Rivia. But now Liam Hemsworth is set to fill his shoes. Only time will tell if the Australian actor will be able to pull it off, but until then his deepfake shows a pretty good first look.
Liam Hemsworth Replacing Henry Cavill
Last October, fans of The Witcher saga were faced with disappointing news. Netflix announced that one of Hollywood's biggest geeks, Henry Cavill, would be leaving the project after the third season, and that one of the main candidates previously considered for the role, Liam Hemsworth, would replace him.
The third season was not the best, to say the least. While it was definitely more faithful to the source material than Season 2, it was still a mishmash of poor script adaptation decisions, not the best CGI execution. Moreover, Season 3 lacked the same spirit as Season 1, leaving Cavill as the main reason why viewers continued to stick with the show.
Therefore, Liam will have a very difficult task, as he will not only have to step into a very complex role, but also be a very convincing replacement for another actor.
Fans Imagined Hemsworth as Geralt via DeepFake
Luckily, video editor and VFX artist Stryder HD came to the rescue by posting a video on his YouTube channel featuring Hemsworth in the body of — literally — Cavill's Geralt. Using deepfake technology and footage from previous seasons, the youtuber presented a very convincing first look.
In the video we see Geralt, 'played' by Liam, having his first dialogues with Stregobor and then attending a feast at the palace of the Lioness of Cintra, Queen Calanthe. Yes, in this version, Geralt not only has fewer wrinkles than his book prototype (Sapkowski described his Witcher as not the most conventionally attractive man), but also than Cavill. However, if the Australian actor is up to the task of conveying a bit of taciturnity combined with the deep, melancholy look of the witcher's yellow eyes, many may not even notice the change!
Some Actors May Also Be a Good Fit
Whether Hemsworth is right for the role of The Witcher or not is up to you, of course, as it's still a subjective matter. However, the actor is reportedly taking a very responsible approach to preparing for Season 4, reading the books and consulting with Cavill himself.
However, Netflix should definitely have considered other options for the role of Geralt. For example, another Stryder HD clip suggests that Mads Mikkelsen could have been an equally successful Monster Hunter.