David Farnor | On 16, Dec 2022

Henry Cavill is teaming up with Amazon to bring Warhammer to the screen.

Cavill, who has made no secret of being a fan of Warhammer in the past, has cemented his genre credentials in recent years with his starring role in Netflix’s The Witcher. Earlier this year, though, he announced he was departing the show, just as Warner Bros announced that it was signing a new deal with Cavill to continue playing Superman in its DC cinematic universe.

This week, however, new DC Studio heads James Gunn and Peter Safran confirmed that Cavill would actually be hanging up his Man of Steel cape – and, with Liam Hemsworth already cast as Cavill’s replacement in The Witcher, the world was robbed of enjoying Cavill in a leading genre role. Amazon’s Warhammer 40,000 project, then, couldn’t have come at a better time.

The sci-fi fantasy game, from Games Workshop, began in the 1980s and sees players move miniature figurines across board acting out a never-ending war with aliens, humans, magical beings and more. Set 40,000 years in the future, the conflict is between the Imperium of Man, the androids known as the Necron, the elvish race the Aeldari, Orks, the alien race Tyranids and the blue-skinned T’au.

“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,” said Cavill in a statement. “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.”

Cavill teamed up with Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Natalie Viscuso to secure the rights to the game, with Vertigo executive producing alongside Cavill, GAW’s Andy Smillie and Max Bottrill and Amazon Studios.

“It’s great news and we’re absolutely thrilled; we’re working with a fantastic triumvirate in Henry, Vertigo, and Amazon. Henry’s well-known love of Warhammer 40,000 — and his passion as a world-builder and storyteller — will serve us all well in the coming years. Finally, Warhammer will make it to the screen as the fans have hoped, and as they deserve. Exciting times!” said Andy Smillie, creative director of GAW.

The project, which could be a film, a TV series or both, follows in the footsteps of Amazon’s adaptations of The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time, as it continues to build a stable of epics that it hopes will emulate the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

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