'The Witcher' creator says COVID-19 impacts Season 2 story, filming

Both the actual filming and the storyline for "The Witcher" Season 2 are going to change in order to abide by the new safety guidelines set by the U.K government amid the COVID-19 pandemic

"The Witcher" showrunner Lauren Hissrich talked about the script changes and the filming process that will take effect once production resumes on the upcoming season in Arborfield Studios and in other parts of the U.K. She explained that because of the guidelines, she and the writers have been in a lot of meetings to discuss safety measures once the camera starts rolling again on August 3. She also stressed the importance of everyone's health and safety.

"Right now, it's a lot of production meetings, a lot of talking about how to keep people safe... A lot of it is just about flexibility, not just in the planning phases but when we get back on sets," Hissrich said in an interview with The Wrap, adding that the actors' decision is going to be a priority because they may not be comfortable filming just yet amid the pandemic.

"So, the government may say it's OK to do X or Y, but an actor may say they don't feel comfortable doing that. And that's always going to be our first concern," she said.

"The Witcher" Season 2 started production early in February, but stopped in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Hissrich said when they stopped, they were in the middle of shooting "a big sequence" that they have been preparing for months. But, they had to let everyone go to their respective homes and be with their families to quarantine and stay safe because it was more important.

It remains to be seen whether fans will see that sequence come to life in the upcoming season. Hissrich said that because of the pandemic, Season 2 will have major shifts in storytelling and filming.

"It's going to impact story. It will have to. But one of the best things about being a writer on set is that I'm there to make those changes as we need them," Hissrich explained. She and the writers have been "digging back into scripts, making some big shifts, especially in the emotional journeys of our characters and making sure that everything we're writing feels really grounded and true."

In the same interview, Hissrich also confirmed that "The Witcher" Season 2 will no longer have multiple timelines given how the characters are already on the same timeline when Season 1 ended. Instead, Season 2 will use flashbacks and flash-forwards.