The first trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin has a very unexpected guest

Netflix has released the first trailer for The Witcher: Blood Origin, a prequel series set 1,200 years before the Witcher saga we're all familiar with portrayed in Netflix's other Witcher show.

It's very much your typical Netflix fantasy trailer. Lots of sweeping shots to stir emotion, lots of quips during fights, and plenty of shots of the main villains doing villain stuff and/or standing there looking menacing.

One thing, however is kind of a surprise: A mud-spattered Jaskier, everyone's favorite bard, making an appearance alongside someone who seems to be the narrator. Perhaps he's been summoned to play alongside and write a ballad that tells the tale we're to see in Blood Origin?

Blood Origin will be the third show in Netflix's burgeoning The Witcher empire, after the first Witcher adaptation and Anime series The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. In Nightmare, they did put Vesemir in the tub, so I guess the real question is: Who's going in the tub in Blood Origin? Someone's gotta go in the tub.

Netflix's Witcher shows have been the subject of significant recent controversy. Many in the wider community around the show, both fans of the games and not, have been very disappointed to hear that the show's writers are reportedly not fans of the original stories. The trailer's YouTube comments were immediately flooded with comments to that effect.

Further, the announcement that star Henry Cavill will leave The Witcher after this season has hit many fans hard. The role of Geralt will now be taken by actor Liam Hemsworth.

Despite the drama, I'm still quite interested in Blood Origin because Michelle Yeoh is involved and I've got those few actors I'm loyal to unto death because... I just like 'em. Have a big Geralt to celebrate/jeer to.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.