Complex characters, intricate world-building, sword battles, and power plays- all underpinned the success of The Witcher. Although rooted in Andrzej Sapkowski’s book series, the show soaked up creative influences from a plethora of sources. To maintain an ongoing wellspring of inspiration, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, pinned all her ideas and references on the door. And a piece of that mosaic was also inspired by a superhero series based on Marvel Comics.

Post The Witcher’s second-round success, Hissrich sat down for an interview and spilled the secret sauces that flavored her show. 

The superheroine that influenced Henry Cavill’s Geralt in The Witcher

Covered by the New York Times, Lauren Schmidt Hissrich took her fans behind the scenes through a video from Los Angeles. Tracing her Netflix journey from Umbrella Academy to The Witcher, she offered a peek into the inspirations that breathed life into the Henry Cavill starrer. Among the extensive list was the superheroine Elektra, who was a part of the Marvel’s Daredevil series. Schmidt, who also wrote one of the episodes of the series, identified resonances between Elektra’s identity struggles and Geralt’s narrative.

In the showrunner’s opinion, Elektra served as a character who was compelled to strip away all other layers of identity and assume the role of a lone assassin. She equated Geralt to Elektra, highlighting the consequences of the crumbling of those constructed facades of the Witcher in the second season. Schmidt also went on to infuse choreographic elements inspired by Elektra into Geralt’s character. This can be seen in his Season 2 library brawl. 

Apart from Marvel’s Daredevil, two other blockbuster films played a role in lending certain elements to The Witcher‘s diverse influence. 

The Witcher’s inspiration in Goblins, Fairies and Witches

Critics have always aimed The Witcher for deviating from the source material, something that even the creator of the tale acknowledged. However, Hissrich intentionally broadened her show’s well of inspiration by drawing from cult classic fantasies. Among these influences is the 1986 Jim Henson film, Labyrinth. Schmidt marveled at the audience’s willingness to engage with the movie, despite knowing it is not real. This inspiration found a home in the scene where Ciri had to decide between the past and the future in season 2. 

Adding to Hissrich’s list of inspirations for The Witcher was the 2015 folk horror The Witch. The 45-year-old Television producer also found intriguing parallels between the film’s heroine, Thomasin, and Yennefer. She specifically explored the common thread of moral ambiguity between the characters, where the line between good and evil blurred. These elements from these popular films and shows deeply influenced the storylines of the Netflix original. 

What do you think about Lauren Schmidt Hissrich’s inspirations for The Witcher? Also, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!