Oscar-nominated director and animator Tomasz Baginski has confirmed that he is working on a film based on Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher fantasy novels.

Tomasz Baginski. Photo: Polish Radio

Tongues were set wagging when a note appeared on the web site of the Polish Film Institute (PISF) about the prospective film.

The information was confirmed by Platige Image studio, of which Baginski is creative director, on Facebook.

Although Platige Image has stated that the film will involve actors, it did not specify the extent to which the project will be animated.

Platige Image has created special effects for major Polish productions such as Lars von Trier’s Antichrist (2009), Jerzy Skolimowski’s Essential Killing (2010) and Andrzej Wajda’s Katyn (2007).

Baginski's animated short film The Cathedral was nominated for an Oscar in 2003, and he created the intros for the computer games The Witcher 1 and The Witcher 2.

Sapkowski's tales follow the adventures of monster-slayer Geralt with his trusty companion and bard Jaskier.

A live-action Polish feature film based on Sapkowski's Witcher stories was released in 2001, under the English title of The Hexer, but it did not meet with favourable reviews, and it was disowned by Sapkowski himself. (nh)



