By In March 2019, Netflix’s The Witcher filmed on a rocky trail on the island of Gran Canaria. Present for filming were director Alex Garcia Lopez, star Anya Chalotra (Yennefer), and a number of mystery cast members. As time went on, eagle-eyed fans identified Marcin Czarnik as “the hooded figure in black” and Isobel Laidler as “the woman holding a baby”. However, nothing more was known. The teaser released and more of that sequence came into focus, though not in a way that told us something meaningfully new.
Today, that’s changed. Thanks to Laidler’s official CV, Redanian Intelligence can confirm that the actress is set to play Queen Kalis of Lyria. While Alik Sakharov is listed as the director on her CV, we know she filmed with Alex Garcia Lopez, who will be tackling episodes three and four of the upcoming series.
In our recent analysis of Yennefer’s season one arc, it was noted that the Roque Nublo filming pictures were related to a key sequence shown throughout The Witcher’s Comic-Con panel. In this sequence of clips, Yennefer is shown protecting a woman, first in a wagon cart surrounded by fallen soldiers with the Lyrian crest on their shields, then later in a rainy town and the aforementioned rocky trail, until finally, the protector is alone on a beach. What happens between is anyone’s guess. However, it’s clear now that she is protecting Queen Kalis of Lyria from the sinister figure played by Czarnik.
Related article: Here’s How The Witcher Will Adapt Yennefer’s Story in Season One
As for Czarnik’s mysterious hooded figure, we don’t know who he is beyond speculating that he’s a mage stalking the Lyrian queen and her baby due to the curse of the Black Sun. What we do know, however, is how he might come into the picture. Executive producer Tomasz Baginski posted a collage of sketches on his Facebook, and three of these sketches seem to be connected to the wagon massacre from the teaser.
The sketches depict a man and his monstrous hounds coming upon two figures, one holding a baby, near a wagon. The wagon in the sketch looks similar to the one from the teaser and the two figures near it are unmistakable. From the teaser and filming descriptions, we know Czarnik’s character is chasing Yennefer and Queen Kalis. Could this be the start of that chase?
When we find out more, you’ll be the first to know.
