Anna Daniels
Sapkowski did admit to having a bit of trepidation when he was first approached by the folks at Netflix about a new adaptation, perhaps because previous attempts to bring the material to the screen — the single-season Polish TV series The Hexer, which was condensed into a very poorly-received feature film — didn’t quite live up to the source material.
“I must confess I was reluctant at first. I have been approached before by many people, [many of them] far from being serious,” the author said. “So I practically lost hope and was difficult to persuade, when suddenly another offer appeared. But this specific offer was businesslike and the people behind it sympathetic. I had every reason to react positively.”
Asked if he fought for the inclusion of any of his plot elements or if any significant changes had been made from his novels, Sapkowski didn’t mince words. “I strongly believe in the freedom of an artist and his artistic expression,” he said. “I do not interfere and do not impose my views on other artists. I do not insist on anything and do not fight for anything… [changes from the books were] inevitable. The process of transforming words into pictures cannot be done without some losses. But I’d rather keep the details to myself.”
Sapkowski did allow that adaptations of his work always surprise him, for an interesting reason. “When I write I don’t see any pictures,” he explained. “It is not a visual process with me. I see letters only and I work with letters.” Asked if he thought any elements of his books translated poorly to the screen, he deadpanned, “I would have to be an idiot to say. My name appears in the credits.”
Written by: Looper
