The Witcher’s prequel show Blood Origin adds Michelle Yeoh as blade expert Scian

The Witcher Blood Origin
(Image credit: Katalin Vermes/Netflix)

The Witcher: Blood Origin prequel series may have fallen off your radar while you waited for The Witcher season 2 release date news, but big casting news just crossed the wire. And it has us even more excited about the upcoming series. 

In an email to the press, Netflix confirmed that Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Crazy Rich Asians) is joining the cast of The Witcher: Blood Origin. Yeoh's role is also confirmed, and she's playing a brand new character: Scían.

Netflix's description of Scían reads as follows: "Scían is the very last of her nomadic tribe of sword-elves. No one can come close to her artistry with the blade, and no one carries as much loss within their heart. When a chance presents itself to retrieve a stolen sacred sword, taken from her fallen tribe by nefarious means, she launches herself into a deadly quest that will change the outcome of the Continent."

Scían joins two other new characters, Fjall (Laurence O'Fuarain) and Éile (Jodie Turner-Smith) in the series. Fjall is, metaphorically, "haunted by the death of a loved one who fell in battle trying to save him" according to Netflix. Previously, Netflix has only explained that Éile is "a fierce warrior with the voice of a goddess."

The Witcher: Blood Origin: Michelle Yeoh cast

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Witcher: Blood Origin will take place 1,200 years before The Witcher timeline. It's going to take place in the elven world, and act as a sort of origin story for the universe of the series. 

Pivotal moments in the franchise mythos shown in the series will include the creation of "the first prototype Witcher," and the "conjunction of the spheres," that combined the realms of monsters, men and elves.

Netflix refers to The Witcher: Blood Origin as a six-episode limited series, which gives us reason to not expect it to lead to more. The "limited series" classification is often used to indicate that the show is created with an intention to not have a second season, and to have a firm end-date.

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.