The Witcher: Blood Origin, the brand-new spin-off based on the wider Witcher books and serving as a prequel to the mainline series, has managed to earn the worst Rotten Tomatoes score ever. Yikes.
Launching on Christmas Day, the new mini-series takes place more than a thousand years before the Netflix show, the games and original books.
The expanded lore of the popular dark and gory fantasy world is vast and fiendishly studied by die-hards, so a show diving into that should be a no-brainer, right?
Well, sadly, through a combination of seemingly genuine bad reviews and people simply being outraged that the main Witcher series no longer features its star, it looks like the new show is being heavily review-bombed.
Despite being currently sat at 33% and 10%, its audience score dropped at low as 8%. (Credit: Rotten Tomatoes)
In case you were unaware of some of the latest blockbuster shenanigans happening in Hollywood over the last few weeks, Geralt of Rivia himself, Henry Cavill, recently stepped away from the show to reportedly prioritise on training for his return as Superman.
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However, shortly after, it was announced by new DC Studios chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran that they were dropping the 39-year-old actor as they hoped to pursue a new star to take on the role — you know, the same one he’d just stepped away from his reported £350,000-an-episode deal to focus on.
Yes, we know he’s a millionaire, but die-hard Henry stans obviously felt terrible for him, leaving one dream job for another beloved franchise that essentially helped put both himself and modern DC movies on the map, only to find out that he was no longer needed.
Furthermore, fans are now speculating that Cavill quit The Witcher after two highly-successful and well-paying seasons following disputes with the showrunners. A relative on-set expert as a genuine lover of the books and the games, Cavill is said to have struggled to “see eye to eye with the producers”.
Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, the Man of Steel and Mission: Impossible – Fallout star said “the toughest part for me was finding that balance between the showrunners’ vision and my love for the books”, even going on to add that “some of the writers were not [interested] or actively disliked the books and games, even actively mocking the source material.”
If this is to be believed then it’s no wonder that showrunner Lauren Schmidt-Hissrich, who is also overseeing the Blood Origin spin-off, seems to have annoyed not onlythosewho love Henry Cavill but now Witcher fans in general.
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While plenty of the Rotten Tomatoes reviews limit themselves to calling out those involved in the production for their ‘incompetence’ and ‘lack of respect’, the online consensus beyond the popular review aggregator seems to be that the writing simply isn’t up to snuff.
i wanted to at least give it a shot and i just… i know i've seen worse shows in my life but i can't think of many right now that are worse
The CGI looks hideous & cheap. Writing & dialogue is a mess. Acting isn't very good with Michelle Yeoh's talents wasted. The story is rushed into four hours. Netflix completely changed the origin of The Witchers.
This show is yet another slap in the face to longtime fans.
2022 really has been a race to the bottom when it comes to entertainment, especially the fantasy genre. First Rings of Power, then Willow, now Witcher: Blood Origin – each of them more terrible than the last.
As always, it’s worth watching and forming your own opinion before letting other people’s takes colour your own impressions but it’s fair to say it isn’t looking good for the future of the franchise’s TV adaptations.
Whether the negativity is being largely driven by review-bombing by the Henry Cavill faithful or not, it looks unlikely that there’ll be a resolution as Liam Hemsworth has already been named as the replacement for the main character, Geralt.
Moreover, since Cavill left/was dropped from both projects, he is once again being tipped to play an equally iconic pop culture protagonist in particular. Have a guess…
‘Grow up’ – Matty Healy urges Oasis to ‘stop messing around’ and reunite
Emily Sergeant
Matty Healy has urged Oasis to “stop messing around” and get back together in a new interview.
In a video that’s already amassing tens of thousands of views online, the frontman of Manchester-based indie pop rock band, The 1975, has made his thoughts on the feuding Gallagher brothers known during an in-depth interview with on Q with Tom Power from Canadian broadcaster CBC this week.
During the interview, the 33-year-old singer touched on everything from the process of making the band’s latest record, 2022’s critically-acclaimed Being Funny in a Foreign Language, to his onstage antics, and why he’s decided to embrace sincerity and being earnest – but that doesn’t seem to be the main take-away of Manchester music fans.
It’s his opinion of iconic Britpop band Oasis that’s really got people talking.
In what he called a “public service announcement”, Healy claimed Oasis are still “the coolest band in the world” but questioned what the Gallagher brothers are playing at by continuing to fight with each other after all these years.
Telling them to “grow up”, Healy urged Liam and Noel to “get back together and stop messing around”.
Healy told the interviewer: “What are Oasis doing? Can you imagine being in potentially, right now, still the coolest band in the world, and not doing it because you’re in a mard with your brother? I can deal with them dressing like they’re in their twenties but being in their fifties, but acting like they’re in their twenties?
“They need to grow up.”
Matty Healy urges Oasis to ‘stop messing around’ and reunite / Credit: Tom Power & CBC’s Q (via Instagram)
Healy continued: “Stop marding. They’re men of the people, and they’re sat around in, like, Little Venice and Highgate crying over an argument with their brother.
“Grow up. Headline Glastonbury. Have a good time. Have a laugh.”
The Wilmslow lad also took a second to speak on the popularity of both the Gallagher brothers’ post-Oasis solo projects and endeavours, and claimed fans aren’t as interested in seeing Liam Gallagher or Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds live as they would be going to an Oasis gig.
“There is not one person going to a High Flying Birds gig or a Liam Gallagher gig that would not rather be at an Oasis gig,” Healy claimed.
“There is not one person.
“Not one person is there going, ‘you know what? I loved Definitely Maybe, but my favourite thing is f***ing Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’.”
“Do me a favour – get back together, stop messing around. That’s my public service announcement for today,” he concluded.
You can catch Matty Healy’s interview on Q with Tom Power in full on YouTube here.
Featured Image – CBC | Oasis (via Facebook)
TV & Showbiz
New TV series following on from smash-hit film Boiling Point begins filming in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The full cast for a brand-new TV series that follows on from one last year’s most critically-acclaimed films has been released.
And filming for it has already begun right here in Manchester.
In case you haven’t had the chance to watch 2022’s fast-paced and tension-filled Boiling Point yet, the film is set on the busiest night of the year at one of the hottest restaurants in London.
Written and directed by breakthrough British filmmaker Philip Barantini, the film stars beloved Northern actor Stephen Graham as charismatic and commanding head chef Andy Jones, who balances along a knife’s edge as multiple personal and professional crises threaten to destroy everything he’s worked for.
The film was met with huge acclaim from fans and critics when it was released back at the start of last year, and even went on to be nominated worldwide for over 30 awards in multiple categories, including clinching wins at the BAFTAs, BIFAs, National Film Awards, and more.
So it’s no wonder the BBC has scooped it up for a follow-up TV series, is it?
🍳 Yes Chef! Full casting's been announced for Boiling Point, as filming begins on the brand new BBC drama series – which picks up six months on from where the film left off…
Set to hit our screens soon, the series – which is also titled Boiling Point – picks up six months on from where the film left off, and, according to the plot teaser on the BBC website, sees Sous Chef Carly as Head Chef at her own restaurant, with many of Andy’s original team alongside her.
As the pressure mounts to keep the restaurant full, Carly begins to feel the magnitude of responsibility that comes with running her own place.
The series will see Stephen Graham, Vinette Robinson (Carly), and Hannah Walters (Emily) reprise their roles from the multi award-winning film.
The three leads will be joined by their co-stars Ray Panthaki (Freeman), Gary Lamont (Dean), Áine Rose Daly (Robyn), Taz Skylar (Billy), Daniel Larkai (Jake) Stephen McMillan (Jamie), Hannah Traylen (Holly), and Izuka Hoyle (Camille).
Several other newcomers are also joining the celebrated cast of actors.
New TV series following on from smash-hit film Boiling Point begins filming in Manchester / Credit: Vertigo
The Boiling Point series also reunites the film’s co-writer and director Philip Barantini, who will direct episodes one, two and five, and co-writer James Cummings, alongside the film’s producers.
“We are over the moon to get the band back together,” Boiling Point’s executive producers admitted.
“Not only that, we are excited to introduce new members to the Boiling Point family, and we are immensely grateful to the BBC for giving us this moment and we are all raring to get going on the series.”
No official release dates for the new series have been announced as of yet, but fans might want to keep their eyes peeled to see the show filming around the city centre.
Danny Jones -
28th December 2022 
