The showrunner behind Netflix’s The Witcher has said that audiences do not want to be shocked by violence and nudity anymore.
Lauren Schmidt Hissrich said viewers were now looking for the story behind the “hot-button” issues of the day.
Fantasy shows such as Game Of Thrones have become notorious for their explicit portrayal of sex and violence.
Speaking on the red carpet at The Witcher’s premiere in London, she said: “For me, with all of those hot-button issues, with violence, with sex, with nudity, it all has to be about story.
“Audiences are too smart. They don’t want to be shocked anymore. They want to believe that those things are being used to push a story forward.
“So it is one of those things that is like, whenever you see a battle, it’s not just for blood and guts.
“We don’t just want to cut off someone’s head for sake of it.
This place isn't safe if you're alone. Brace yourselves, Witcher family. pic.twitter.com/QuzZ9Ghrn9
— The Witcher (@witchernetflix) December 12, 2019
“What we want to do is to understand why people are fighting and what they are fighting for, and what happens when they win or lose.”
The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, a travelling monster hunter for hire, and co-stars Anya Chalotra as Yennefer and Freya Allan as Princess Ciri.
The Witcher airs on Netflix from December 20.