As previously reported, the Witcher crew is wrapping up its final weeks of filming for season one. Many cast members have already announced that they have finished filming their roles, and several key crew members have joined them this week as well. Whether there is one week left or perhaps more, one thing is clear: the news drought is coming, and it will arrive very soon. But fear not! In these dark times, Redanian Intelligence will keep digging.

This next report will cover the show’s filming in the second week of May. Read more for insider information and pictures taken on location of The Witcher’s first season!

Part 1: Reshoots at Mafilm Studios

The set at Mafilm, as seen from outside

May’s second week of shooting opened with the filming of scenes to be used in the show’s Pilot episode. As reported, the show is reshooting scenes for this episode following at least two major recastings (for the roles of Renfri and Marilka). These are scenes taken directly from the pages of short story The Lesser Evil (which the Pilot episode will adapt). A key fight scene from this story was likely reshot early this week, as a stuntman and martial artist involved with the show has posted a video from a very familiar, very muddy set at Mafilm studios, which we suspect to be the town of Blaviken.

A sword thrown into the mud at the Mafilm set, full clip linked above

As you can see, the stuntman tags this video with the title “ready for battle”. We believe that the battle he refers to is the iconic fight scene in the Blaviken marketplace involving both Geralt and Renfri which ends in tragedy. Aside from this picture, we were able to place other stuntmen on set (including one stuntwoman who may well be stunting for Renfri). Make sure to read our detailed reshoot report as well as an article about the show’s Pilot recastings.

Donkeys at Mafilm Studios, possibly used in reshoots

Part 2: Two Forests

As the week carried on, the show’s crew moved on to two beautiful Hungarian forests. The first forest, near Pilisszentivan, is one we have mentioned before (as it was likely used in reshoots for the Pilot a week earlier). Interestingly, a producer linked to the show also shared an image from the set on his Instagram account and wrote: “Shooting in a magical forest with incredible humans and non humans alike. What more can you ask for?” In The Witcher’s universe, the term non-humans usually refers to elves, dwarves, dryads and other races who are, well, not human. However, in this case, he may have referred simply to horses- as a horse emoji was also included in his post. Scroll down for a look at a few pictures taken on-location.

A nightshoot near Pilisszentivan, Hungary

A beautiful picture taken on location

Some frames used before filming

Another forest was used for filming, as first seen on showrunner Lauren S. Hissrich‘s Instagram page. This forest lies in the outskirts of Visegrad, Hungary and is perhaps even more beautiful than Pilisszentivan. Here are some images taken on location.

Planks laid out to prevent the crew from trodding in the mud

Part 3: Blood at Egri Var

A new look at the set built on top of Egri Var masolata, Hungary

In addition to reshoots and forest scenes, The Witcher crew also resumed filming for its big mage sequence at the ruins of Egri Var masolata. Though some cast members—including Therica Wilson-Read who plays sorceress Sabrina Glessivig—have already wrapped on this sequence and the show as a whole, the crew completed its third week of filming for this sequence without them. As a reminder, these are scenes from the season one finale and quite possibly even the opening sequence.

Egri Var masolata, sunset

Actor Mahesh Jadu, who plays mercenary-turned-mage Vilgefortz has filmed scenes this week and is now apparantly wrapped, as he is no longer in Budapest. Other actresses likely involved in this week’s filming for the mage sequence include Mimi Ndiweni, who plays sorceress Fringilla Vigo, and possibly Anya Chalotra and MyAnna Buring who portray Yennefer and Tissaia respectively.

Buckets of fake blood used during filming at Egri Var masolata, confirming that this particular sequence will feature death and carnage

Fans have long been waiting for news of the show’s adaption of the Battle of Sodden Hill, and though this is clearly not a hill, the picture linked above implies it may indeed be a battle (as do others). The fact that this sequence has taken over three weeks to film, making it the longest-filmed sequence in the show by far, leads us to believe that this scene is long and complex to shoot, as any battle scene should be. We should not, however, expect a Game of Thrones scale battle, as that can take up to 55 days of filming.

Could Egri Var be transformed into Sodden Hill with the powers of VFX? Or does this sequence, perhaps, serve as a replacement for Sodden Hill? Time will tell, and Redanian operatives will keep watching.

But that is not all…

Redanian Intelligence operatives are currently working on another interesting article which will be released very soon. The coming article will cover the show’s fourth and final location for the week and present never-before-seen images, courtesy of a newly recruited (and excellent) spy. For now, we’ll leave you with a little tease.

Something is coming…

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