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The Witcher: SDCC 2019 Trailer Brings Us Into The World Of Monsters, Magic, And Money

The worst monsters are the ones we create. 

After months of build-up and a long string of teases, Netflix has unveiled the first teaser trailer for The Witcher, its television adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's collection of novels and short stories. The drop happened during the show's 2019 San Diego Comic-Con panel.

Created for the streaming giant by Daredevil alum Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, The Witcher features Henry Cavill in the titular role as Geralt of Rivia — a silver-haired, yellow-eyed monster hunter (better known as a Witcher) who has trouble carving out a place of his own in a world where the beasts he bests are no match for the wicked humans who send him on his hunting missions. His life changes in a flash when destiny intervenes and sets him on a path that intersects with those of a powerful sorceress named Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) and a princess called Ciri (Freya Allan), who has a target on her back and a secret in her heart. 

The trailer for The Witcher does a remarkable job establishing the world of the Continent, explaining the lore of the property and the laws of the land, and setting up how Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri ultimately come together to navigate their increasingly dangerous reality. 

"I remember hearing stories about Witchers. Is it true what they say?" a man says in a voiceover. Another man answers, "Elves were the original sorcerers of the Continent. When humans and monsters arrived, elves taught the humans how to turn chaos into magic. And then... the humans slaughtered them." Chaos is what everyone fears most in the Continent, and everyone knows that "without control, chaos will kill you."

For Geralt, life is different — its all about the magic he possesses, the monsters he hunts, and the money he gets for both those abilities. A woman tells Geralt that there's more in the stars for him than that, and that "something out there waits" for him — that is, an extraordinary child (Ciri) and "the most powerful woman in the world" (Yennefer). 

While Geralt contemplates his fate, so too do Ciri, King Eist (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson), and Queen Calanthe (Jodhi May) as the Nilfgaardian Army spread across the Continent — who are apparently only doing so because of Ciri. A great terror is coming to everyone in the Continent, which is why no one can outrun their destinies simply because they're scared. A man makes that clear to Geralt, while an ailing Queen Calanthe tells Ciri that she must find Geralt of Rivia. 

The trailer ends on an ominous note: with Geralt saying that everyone will "come out bloody" no matter what they choose, and the famed Witcher facing off against an enormous arachnid monster, his face pale and his eyes black. 

If this footage doesn't get you keen as a bean for The Witcher, we don't know what will. It looks slick, spooky, and every bit as thrilling as Sapkowski's works (and then some). Plus, what the trailer shows of Cavill indicates that there's very little — if anything — to worry about when it comes to his take on Geralt. Many were initially skeptical of Cavill's ability to properly capture the attitude and presence of the stoic monster-hunter-for-hire, but here, it's clear he's slipped into the role with ease. 

The release of the first Witcher trailer should kick-start a stunning promotional cycle for the first season of the series, so keep those eyes peeled and those minds alert for more news in the future. In the meantime, mark your calendars for The Witcher to debut on Netflix this fall.