Latest Warhammer 40K Update Proves Cavill Fans Were Right All Along
It's time for Netflix to finally listen to its fans and creators.
Summary
Speaking of all kinds of tabletop RPGs and wargames, while the most popular representative of the fantasy genre is D&D and its Forgotten Realms setting, fans of science fiction prefer Games Workshop's space opera Warhammer 40,000, which has spawned an entire hobby of assembling and painting miniature models. And one of its most prominent fans is none other than Hollywood's biggest geek, Henry Cavill.
No longer just a wargame, 40k has spawned an entire media franchise of books, comics, and video games. The only thing fans have never seen are the live-action adaptations. Cavill has been fighting for this opportunity for years, and finally the WH40k movies and series are coming, as Amazon has finally closed the deal with Games Workshop. However, this news proves that fans were right that Netflix should not have cut ties with the actor, as his initiative could make Bezos' rival company a lot of money.
Rejoice, Warhammer Fans!
It's not even Christmas yet, but fans of one of the most popular tabletop games have received an incredible gift. Amazon has finally closed the deal with Games Workshop for the rights to adapt the series. It was announced a year ago that the companies would be working together, with the British miniatures wargame maker announcing that Henry Cavill would serve as executive producer and star in several projects.
But now the future of Warhammer has reached the next level (no, not 50k) – on December 18, 2023, a full agreement was signed allowing Amazon to begin production on movies and TV series (both animated and live-action). It's also worth noting that while the contract allows them to work on the setting's fantasy predecessor, the equally acclaimed Fantasy Battles and its prequel reboot Age of Sigmar, the news only covers the sci-fi iteration.
Amazon will work with film production company Vertigo Entertainment (of which Cavill's girlfriend Natalie Viscuso is vice president) on the adaptations.
Netflix Made A Big Mistake By Letting Cavill Walk Away
While Netflix has been on the mend lately, releasing highly successful and faithful series like the recent One Piece, fans continue to be outraged by the number of changes made to The Witcher that denigrate Andrzej Sapkowski's work. The same sentiment was shared by Henry Cavill himself, who, as a fan of the Geralt of Rivia novels, was rumored to have left the project due to creative differences.
But Cavill's love for the franchise was key to The Witcher's popularity, and his departure not only turned many fans away from the series, but also cost Netflix the potential millions, if not billions, as they could have made by keeping the actor on board at all costs. If not for this conflict, the rights to Warhammer might have ended up with the streaming service instead of the company owned by Jeff Bezos.
'I have loved Warhammer since I was a boy, making this moment truly special for me. The opportunity to shepherd this cinematic universe from its inception is quite the honour and the responsibility,' Cavill shared in 2022. 'I couldn't be more grateful for all the hard work put in by Vertigo, Amazon Studios and Games Workshop to make this happen. One step closer to making a nigh on lifelong dream come true.'
Joining Henry as executive producers are Max Bottrill, Games Workshop's director of global IP and product design, and Andy Smillie, Games Workshop's EVP of digital and community and author of several novels set in the setting. In other words, unlike Netflix's The Witcher, we should expect movies and TV series that are faithful to the source material, as the creative process will be led by people who know the lore.
Source: Warhammer Community, The Hollywood Reporter.