It’s Michelle Yeoh’s world, we’re just living in it. Netflix has confirmed that the Star Trek: Discovery actress has been cast in one of the lead roles for The Witcher’s limited prequel series, The Witcher: Blood Origin, playing an elf whose dangerous quest may change the Continent as we know it.
In an emailed press release, Netflix shared that Yeoh would be playing Scían in The Witcher: Blood Origin. She joins the previously announced Laurence O’Fuarian as the warrior Fjall, and, presumably the currently unnanounced replacement for Jodie Turner-Smith, who had been set for the lead role of Éile, after she departed the production due to scheduling conflicts earlier this year.
The six-episode prequel, which takes place 1,200 years before the events of The Witcher, tells the story of the first Witcher and the events that led to the “conjunction of the spheres.” According to the character description, Yeoh’s Scían will play the last sword-elf in her tribe, who goes on a mission to recover a stolen weapon of great value to her community. Here’s the description:
Scían is the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent.
Blood Origin executive producer and Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich commented on the casting via social media, echoing all of our sentiments:
So thrilled that The Witcher: Blood Origin family is growing. Welcome, Michelle! Can’t wait to see you stab someone! ❤️⚔️????????♀️ https://t.co/xvOUZqd9HG
— Lauren S. Hissrich (@LHissrich) July 6, 2021
This is the latest in a string of fantastic roles for the equally fantastic actress. Yeoh has been a staple in key sci-fi and fantasy sagas lately, including playing Georgiou in Star Trek: Discovery — a role that was supposed to lead to a Section 31 spinoff, though that show’s been put on hold for the time being. She’s also set to appear in Marvel’s upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as a recurring role in James Cameron’s Avatar sequels (that are all totally still happening).
The Witcher: Blood Origin is a new story within the world of The Witcher being helmed by The Witcher and Iron Fist writer Declan de Barra, with the aforementioned Schmidt Hissrich serving as executive producer, and novelist Andrzej Sapkowski as creative consultant. The live-action prequel joins The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, an anime prequel that will tell the story of Vesemir, as well as season two of the Henry Cavill-led flagship The Witcher series.
No release dates have been announced, although those may happen during Netflix’s upcoming “WitcherCon” event on July 9.