The creators of new fantasy series The Witcher have shrugged off comparisons with HBO’s hit drama Game of Thrones.
The Netflix drama is based on a series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski and takes place in a fantastical world filled with monsters, sorcerers and royal houses.
It stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who defends the fantasy realm known as the Continent from evil creatures.
Early reviews have likened its epic battle scenes and its source material to Game of Thrones, which ran for eight seasons on HBO and was based on the saga of epic novels by George R. R. Martin.
However, the programme’s creators are keen to dismiss the ‘new Game of Thrones’ label, with executive producer Tomasz Baginski describing the two shows as “so different.”
““Yes, Game of Thrones was absolutely amazing,” he told Digital Spy.
“It’s amazing to watch, and a great TV show. But we’re doing The Witcher. It’s something else. There is not really a comparison.”
Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich told the publication that she had not considered the parallels between the two shows before people started questioning her about them.
“When people first started asking me, I hadn’t even thought about it, because I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones,” she said.
“I loved watching it. When people started saying, ‘Could you be the next Game of Thrones?’, it’s like, ‘What?!’
“I think what people are saying [is]: ‘Can you be as successful and popular as Game of Thrones?’ God, we hope so! I mean, why wouldn’t you want that?”
She also credited the award-winning drama for “kick[ing] open a lot of doors for fantasy on television.”
“I think fantasy used to be seen as for a very niche audience mostly male, mostly geeks and nerds,” she added. “That’s who fantasy was for.
“And Game of Thrones said, ‘No, anyone can find themselves in fantasy.’ Because, when done correctly, fantasy is a reflection of our real world.”
The Witcher is available to stream on Netflix now.
