Frame by Frame Analysis of The Witcher’s Trailer

The trailer for Netflix’s The Witcher is finally here! After a long time of waiting it dropped earlier today during a panel at Lucca Comics and Games, including showrunner Lauren Hissrich and lead actresses Anya Chalotra (Yennefer) and Freya Allan (Ciri). While it’s going to take some time to make sense of everything that’s been shown, we would be remiss in our duties if we wouldn’t bring you a shot-by-shot breakdown of the trailer as early as possible. Let’s dive right into it…

The trailer opens with what looks like the aftermath of a massacre. Dead soldiers in bloody armor are spread all over

Next we get a brief look at Geralt’s sword. Judging from the surroundings, this shot is likely from the witcher’s fight with a group of murderous ghouls, shown further down

Yennefer opens her eyes

I’ve heard tales of your kind, witcher

Blaviken

Geralt fighting Nilfgaardians at Cintra. This confirms he will play a part in the show’s version of the Sack of Cintra

Aretuza, School of Sorceresses

You’re a mutant, created by magic, roaming the Continent, hunting monsters for a price

Yennefer of Vengerberg, seductress

Geralt enters Blaviken wearing a cloak, which we will next see inside a tavern in the town

Potionmaking

Geralt opens his eyes

The view from Roque de los Muchachos, in the Canary Islands

What appears to be our first look at Geralt and Jaskier (also known as Dandelion). This was filmed in Fatagas on the Canary Islands

RELATED ARTICLE: Behind the Scenes of filming in Gran Canaria Island

A return to Blaviken. Here, Geralt casts the sign of Aard on three of Renfri’s thugs, pushing them backwards

We don’t want your kind here

Next we see the character Nohorn (played by Packy Lee) from Renfri’s band of thugs approaching Geralt in a tavern in Blaviken

Geralt walks through a dark forest and is suddenly surrounded by ghouls. This is the same location where we will see Ciri, Cintran soldiers and Nilfgaardian soldiers later in the trailer. It seems that Geralt has arrived too late, and only ghouls and corpses remain

RELATED ARTICLE: Spoiler report of The Witcher filming a Geralt fight scene and Battle of Sodden

Back to Blaviken, Henry Cavill shows his excellent stunt fighting skills. Quick reminder – Cavill refused having a stunt double, and did all of his own stunts. Everyone associated with the project insists he did a marvelous job

I thought you’d have fangs or horns or something

Next, we return to a familiar scene from the teaser showing Geralt and Yennefer in what appears to be the show’s version of the festival of Belleteyn. This festival celebrates love and, well, sex. That is why so many people behind Yennefer and Geralt are going at it. Presumably, the show’s stars would follow suit, but the trailer cleverly (though regrettably) omits what happens next

I had them filed down

A Netflix Original Series…

This following photo seems to be our first look at the show’s adaption of The Bounds of Reason. If you look closely, you’ll notice a group of dragon hunters walking in line (including dwarves, Reavers, Geralt, Yennefer and Jaskier)

Getting curious? Here is a zoomed-in and labelled version courtesy of u/dtrillaa from reddit

Just another handsome mugshot of Henry Cavill

A man walks through the ruins of a camp, covered in snow. There appears to be a trail of blood on the ground

Back to Blaviken, Geralt has defeated Renfri and her crew – killing most of them in the middle of the town. The people of Blaviken are not happy, and begin pelting him with stones

Next is our first shot of Emma Appleton’s Renfri, who is wearing the same broach seen earlier in the trailer. In the other shot, Geralt was holding the broach in his hands after defeating Renfri. Geralt adds this broach to his sword, so he will never forget

People call you a monster, too. Why not kill them?

The wig did improve considerably!

Because then I am what they say I am

Geralt talking to Renfri

Queen Calanthe the Lioness of Cintra (Jodhi May) fighting Nilfgaard in the show’s version of the Battle of Marnadal

All of our choices draw our destinies closer

In the next two shots, Yennefer is seen breaking Geralt’s heart on top of the Canary Islands’ volcanic plane Llano del Jable. This is a scene from episode 6’s The Bounds of Reason sequence

BEHIND THE SCENE: Llano del Jable and other locations on La Palma island

Go. If he is out there, there is still hope.

In two shots familiar from the first trailer, Calanthe is seen on her deathbed – bidding Ciri to “find Geralt of Rivia”. Following the panel at MCM earlier this week, we’ve learned that this scene will happen in either the first or the second episode (with the first being far more likely)

RELATED ARTICLE: Recap: The Witcher’s Panel at MCM London Comic-Con

Geralt’s icy-cold stare. No wonder cats don’t like him

Next, we see Geralt and group of soldiers. The location is Kreuzenstein Castle, we previously believed to be the show’s Vizima. Since we now know that Geralt plays a part in the sack of Cintra, we’re not entirely sure whether we’re looking at Cintran or Temerian soldiers here

RELATED ARTICLE: New report and photos of January filming at Austrian castle Kreuzenstein

Here we have a beautiful shot of Ciri on the edge of a huge forest

And now it appears she is speaking to Dara (Wilson Radjou-Pujalte), though it could also be a dryad. There are dryads holding spears nearby and the lighting is similar to the first teaser’s shots of Brokilon

I have to find Geralt of Rivia

Next, we go backwards in time to the feast in Cintra, where Geralt (being Geralt) is clearly unimpressed by court etiquette and banquets

Once again Henry Cavill shows off his amazing fighting skills, sclicing effortlessly through the ranks of the Cintran guardsmen

Don’t judge me

Geralt spending quality time with Roach

The eerie sight of Tata Castle in Hungary, where a scene involving Geralt and Jaskier was filmed. This time there is only a single moon

BEHIND THE SCENE: The Witcher filming scenes this April with a surprising character at Tata Castle

They say witchers can’t feel human emotions. What do you think?

Yennefer and Geralt sharing an intimate conversation about witchers’ feelings. This looks like it might be a scene from the short story A Shard of Ice

We’re not quite sure what we’re looking at in this shot. The dry suroundings make it look like this scene was filmed on the Canary Islands, but we can’t say for sure. Is this the original hunting party that sets out to find a certain Golden dragon? Nilfgaardian soldiers on the march? Refugees fleeing Cintra?

Coming up, a fight between Nilfgaardians and … other off-screen soldiers

Another look at Queen Calanthe on her deathbed

And … our first look at Eamon Farren’s character, Cahir. We must say we’re quite surprised to see him wearing the same armor chestpiece as standard Nilfgaardian soldiers

Here’s the Ciri scene mentioned earlier. We can see Nilfgaardian soldiers raiding a camp of what appears to be Cintran survivors. It’s the same camp where Geralt fights the ghouls later in the show’s chronology. The scene is from one of the season’s final pair of episodes, and it was filmed towards the end of the show’s production

RELATED ARTICLE: Redanian Intelligence Exclusive: An Inside Look at Two Sets Used in The Witcher’s First Season

Adam Levy, who plays the druid Mousesack, wearing a fancy doublet

Magic, conjured by a mysterious sorceress. Could this be Geralt’s mother Visenna? Or is this one of the Nilfgaardian sorceresses lighting up the trebuchet during the Sack of Cintra (shown below)?

In the next shot, Geralt’s hair is as disheveled as we’ve seen it in the first teaser, when he was shirtless and talking to Triss

We get another glimpse at Farren’s Cahir. While he’s chasing, Ciri a ravine opens between them, blocking his passage and ensuring Ciri’s escape. Is this a dream sequence, or did Ciri herself open the ravine with the powers of the Elder Blood?

Evil is Evil. Lesser, Greater, Middling. It is all the same.

Geralt of Rivia in full armor

Next, we get a beautiful glimpse at the Sack of Cintra, which is likely to bookend the show’s pilot episode. The city is burning following a trebuchet attack led by Nilfgaardian sorceress Fringilla Vigo (Mimi Ndiweni)

A closer look at the trebuchet that was first seen in May, following GoTlike Locations’ visit to the set of The Witcher

BEHIND THE SCENE: Redanian Intelligence Exclusive: First look at a Nilfgaardian set!

This line cannot be stressed enough

Here we have Chalotra’s Yennefer and Isobel Laidler’s Queen Kalis of Lyria in a desert, trying to escape an unknown mage (Marcin Czarnik). The mage appears to set a spider-like monster on them (or perhaps a sandcrab).

Back to Blaviken, we get a glimpse of Geralt and Renfri’s showdown and it’s quite spectacular. The agile princess proves to be more than a match

In Cintra, Ciri, Calanthe, Eist and Mousesack watch dancers while eating. This happens before the city is burned

Maciej Musiał’s Sir Lazlo leads a cloaked Ciri through a passage in Cintra. The knight is given the mission to escort the princess out of town during the siege

Another look at the battle in Cintra. Townsmen are getting slaughtered by Nilfgaardian raiders

Princess Cirilla is your destiny

Geralt and Mousesack competing in a staring contest

In Aretuza, a transformed Yennefer dances with King Virfuril of Aedirn (Ben Lambert)

Several shots of Ciri running through the forest

I can’t protect her

Better not get in his way

Next up, a fight between Geralt and the Crinfrid Reavers led by Boholt (Steve Wall). This is another scene from The Bounds of Reason, and was filmed in Hungary’s Szelim Cave

BEHIND THE SCENE: Szelim Cave

If you dismiss it, you’ll unleash true calamity upon us all

Another shot of Geralt, probably in Cintra

Mousesack in an underground passage

Ciri in a swamp. This scene was filmed towards the end of the show’s production, in a lake near Gyarmatpuszta Hunting Lodge

MyAnna Buring’s Tissaia de Vries, likely preparing for the climactic Battle of Sodden from the season finale

Ciri in a red world, covered in blood. This is almost certainly a dream sequence

The Battle of Marnadal, Cintra versus Nilfgaard

Yennefer and Queen Kalis in the snow, the soldier following the attack of Czarnik’s mage

RELATED ARTICLE: Isobel Laidler’s The Witcher role revealed

Geralt with smoothly combed hair

Ciri in tears

The ruins of Egri Var light up with magic in the show’s adaption of the Battle of Sodden

RELATED ARTICLE: Everything we know about the Battle of Sodden

Geralt clashes swords with Renfri once again

Yennefer, wearing the same dress as in the scene with Queen Kalis, appears to be teleporting to a flower field. The scene was filmed at Tejeda, Grand Canaria

BEHIND THE SCENE: Redanian Archives: Behind the Scenes of The Witcher, Part VIII

Ciri, cowering behind someone

Yennefer at the Battle of Sodden

Another look at Geralt’s fight with the ghouls in the abandoned campsite

I’ll take that chance

And finally a shot familiar from the teaser trailer, this is Geralt showing the kikimora (aka giant spider) his mean face. It’s hard to tell who is uglier

Notice the runes on the letters…

And that’s it. The show’s release date is confirmed to be December 20, a date which lines up with a leak previously shared by NSFW website Reccaped