Due in large part to its hefty budget, The Witcher has become one of Netflix’s latest high-concept smash hits, and was no doubt worth how much it cost to produce. Although Netflix is looking for its own bankable original franchise, live-action adaptations of already established properties are still a lucrative option. The Witcher is a prime example of this, with many fans and critics equating its high production value with the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. While a faithful devotion to the core qualities of the source material and an evident passion from the cast and crew are essential factors in its success, it’s undeniable that a generous budget grants the production more opportunities to create a compelling series that succeeds on all fronts.
Henry Cavill stars in The Witcher as Geralt of Rivia, a superpowered monster hunter who exterminates the fearsome mythological creatures that nobody else dares, or is able, to confront. He’s joined by the sorceress Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) and Princess Cirilla of Cintra (Freya Allan), two powerful characters who face their own adventures in different points in the timeline. The show builds upon the narrative that Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of books and the popular video game franchise of the same name have established. Although it can become a bit hard to follow for the more casual viewers, this extensive universe makes Netflix’s The Witcher an incredibly immersive experience — one which requires a matching budget to get right.
To bring the world of The Witcher to life, Netflix spent around $70-80 million in the first season. For the first eight episodes of a new series, a budget of around $10 million per episode is quite robust. But considering the popularity of the source material and the inherent appeal of Henry Cavill slaying monsters with a sword, such an ambitious move is a reasonable risk to take. The impressive set design, VFX, and fight choreography all prove that every cent the streaming giant spent was worth it, and Cavill himself justifies his $3.2 million paycheck — a salary that makes him one of the highest-paid TV actors — with the substantial boost of star-power that he brought to the blooming franchise.
By comparison, the early seasons of Game of Thrones cost around $6 million per episode, which rose to $8 million in seasons 4 and 5 as the show grew in popularity and only got to $10 million per episode by season 6. The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones cost roughly $15 million per episode, for a total of $90 million for a single season. It took HBO a few years to match The Witcher‘s first season budget, but higher funds don’t always entail a guaranteed success. For instance, Netflix’s failed original series Marco Polo was once one of the most expensive TV shows ever produced, with a budget of $90 million per 10-episode season, but it was canceled after only two.
Other shows have been well-received by fans and critics but failed to manage their copious budgets. Such is the case of Sense8, which couldn’t make use of its $108 million budget to get past its second season, to the dismay of its loyal followers. The Witcher seems to be doing well, despite initially mixed reviews; the show’s buzz suggests it succeeded in drawing in casual viewers along with the franchise’s existing audience. Hopefully, The Witcher will join the ranks of other consistently successful franchises like Stranger Things (which had a $48 million budget for its first season) and will escape the Netflix’s tradition of canceling popular shows after only two or three seasons.
Streaming services depend on the massive earnings and devoted fan followings that thriving shows bring to the table, but their budgets for new projects also reveal a very important factor: how much faith there is in an idea. If Netflix’s The Witcher is anything to go by, successful franchises need just that to flourish. This can be vital for future hits, whether original or derivative from an existing property.
