Amazon inks deal to produce Warhammer 40,000 films and television starring Henry Cavill
Games Workshop signs over rights for “series, film and more”, while Cavill will produce and star in multiple projects.
Get ready for a lot more Warhammer on both your big and small screens, as Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar maker Games Workshop have announced a deal with Amazon Studios, signing over the rights to “series, film and more” to the entertainment and streaming wing of Jeff Bezos’ colossal corporation.
A full announcement from the UK-based tabletop miniature wargame company said Amazon Studios secured global rights to the Warhammer 40,000 universe - no word on the high fantasy Age of Sigmar or other offshoot settings. Superman and The Witcher actor Henry Cavill, one of the most high-profile fans and advocates for the hobby, will reportedly act as executive producer and star in multiple projects within what is already being called the Warhammer 40,000 franchise (writers note: you can’t call something a franchise if you haven’t created a single piece of media; words have meaning, dang it!)
The series deal was first reported back in December 2022, with Cavill already attached in an undisclosed capacity. At the time, Amazon was the frontrunner among several companies apparently vying for the rights to portray the Imperium of Man and its many, many intergalactic foes on streaming platforms and possibly cinema screens.
“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 said in the press release. “I couldn’t be more grateful for all the hard work put in by Vertigo, Amazon and Games Workshop to make this happen. One step closer to making a nigh-on lifelong dream come true.”
Amazon Studio will work with Games Workshop, Cavill and US-based production company Vertigo Entertainment to publish more than one creative endeavor, according to the language in the release, but all companies involved are mum on what exactly those might look like. Players and fans can likely expect a series that will premiere solely on Amazon Prime, and the studio has a track record with science fiction worlds portrayed in animation as well as live-action - essentially, there’s no way to know what we’ll eventually get beyond Cavill in Space Marine blue.
“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 Games Workshop.
The miniature wargame maker recently announced that it would give all of its employees a £2,500 bonus as part of its 2023 profit share scheme, riding high after the release of Warhammer 40,000’s 10th Edition ruleset, the accompanying Leviathan box set and the announcement that Warhammer: The Old World would receive a robust reboot in 2024.