'The Rats: A Witcher Tale' Special Episode to Arrive with The Witcher Season 4
Fans of the sprawling Witcher universe have been eagerly awaiting news on the spin-off centered around the infamous 'Rats' gang, and it appears their patience will soon be rewarded. According to reports from What's on Netflix, a special episode titled 'The Rats: A Witcher Tale' is slated to premiere on October 30. This date is particularly significant as it's rumored to be the same day 'The Witcher' Season 4 kicks off, offering a double dose of Witcher content.
A Tumultuous Production Journey
The path for 'The Rats' project has been anything but smooth. Initially conceived as a full mini-series spanning six to eight episodes, its future became uncertain following the underwhelming reception of 'The Witcher: Blood Origin' and various other production challenges. The team behind 'The Rats' managed to complete filming in a surprisingly quick two months back in 2023, a fraction of the six months originally planned for a full series.
Netflix reportedly explored several options for the already-shot material, including integrating it as flashback sequences within 'The Witcher's fourth season. However, the streaming giant ultimately decided to reformat the project into a standalone special episode. This 'special' is said to be close to feature-film length, providing a substantial narrative experience for viewers. This means that while 'The Witcher' Season 4 is typically expected to have eight episodes, the addition of 'The Rats' effectively brings the total number of new Witcher narratives released on that day to nine.
What to Expect from 'The Rats: A Witcher Tale'
'The Rats: A Witcher Tale' will delve into the origins and adventures of the teenage gang of outlaws known as the 'Rats of the Borderlands' long before their pivotal encounter with Ciri at the close of 'The Witcher' Season 3. As such, Ciri herself will not be featured in this special episode. When the project was still envisioned as a mini-series, it was described as an ambitious heist story, focusing on the gang's intricate plans to pull off their biggest and most daring score yet. This special will explore their dynamic, their past, and the events that shaped them into the notorious group Ciri eventually joins.
Implications for The Witcher Universe
The release of 'The Rats' as a substantial special episode alongside the main series demonstrates Netflix's continued commitment to expanding the Witcher universe, even if the approach has shifted. For fans, it offers a deeper dive into characters from the books who play a significant role in Ciri's journey, providing valuable context and backstory. It also suggests a new strategy for spin-off content, potentially favoring focused, longer-form specials over multi-episode mini-series for future expansions.
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