A new rumor claims that Amazon MGM Studios and Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40k live action project from Henry Cavill might be “shelved.”
Warhammer 40,000 Guilliman vs. Black Legion
This new rumor comes from YouTuber Arch of The ArchCast channel. He explains, “Right now, the agreement in principle between Games Workshop and Amazon appears to be in effect. This means that a team at Amazon a team of writers is right now trying to write out a story that is going to be turned into the Warhammer 40k television show. They have, I believe, a few more months on this deadline for this project and they have to hand it in and then it either has to be greenlit, or they have to have their writing date further postponed in the hope that they can produce something better further down the line, or the entire project will be shelved.”
He adds, “Those are the three opportunities. Either they’ll have a project they’ll go ahead with, they’ll shelve the whole thing, or they will extend the deadline to try and get a decent product going. In other words nothing is finalized yet. Absolutely nothing. There isn’t even any money for the project allocated as far as my insider can tell on Amazon’s behalf. No writing staff has been truly hired. No money has been truly allocated. No plans have been truly made.”
Games Workshop shared in a blog post in the middle of December 2023 that the company had come to terms with Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios to have an adaptation of Warhammer 40k brought to both the big and small screens.
The company shared, “Back in December last year we announced Games Workshop and Amazon Studios had signed an agreement in principle to work together to bring the Warhammer 40,000 universe to screens, big and small.”
It added, “Well, today we have an update, and it’s one we’ve all been longing to hear. We’ve now signed the full agreement and the next stage can begin!”
An image of the XV Legion from Warhammer 40,000
The company also shared, “All we can tell you right now is that an elite band of screenwriters, each with their own particular passion for Warhammer, is being assembled to help bring the setting and characters you love to the screen. This illustrious group will be championed by Henry Cavill, who stands ready to take his place as executive producer – bringing his pen, sword and/or spear to the project.”
As for when the first project might arrive, Games Workshop detailed, “TV and Film production is a mammoth undertaking. It’s not unusual for projects to take two to three years from this point before something arrives on screen. Still, things are now properly rolling, and you can bet we’ll bring you all the latest updates and cool snippets as soon as we’re able.”
Space Marine units from Warhammer 40,000
Henry Cavill announced he was helming the Warhammer cinematic universe shortly after he announced he would not be returning to play Superman in James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.
He shared to Instagram in December 2022, “For 30 years I have dreamt of seeing a Warhammer universe in live action. Now, after 22 years of experience in this industry, I finally feel that I have the skill set and experience to guide a Warhammer Cinematic Universe into life. Partnering with Natalie Viscuso at Vertigo has been a blessing beyond words, without her we might not have found the perfect home at Amazon. And having a home like Amazon will give us the freedom to be true to the massive scope of Warhammer. To all of you Warhammer fans out there, I promise to respect this IP that we love. I promise to bring you something familiar. And I endeavour to bring you something fantastic that is, as of yet, unseen.”
He added, “Our first steps are to find our Filmmaker/Creator/Writer. Watch this space, my friends.”
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Since then he’s provided brief updates on the projects. In February, while promoting Argylle he told the Happy Sad Confused podcast, “It is the greatest privilege of my professional career to have this opportunity. I can’t say too much again. It’s early days still, but to have this opportunity to bring it to the screen and be at the tiller so it can be faithful is key.”
He continued, “This is the stuff I’ve been dealing with since I was a kid. This is sort of is the stuff I spend my free time daydreaming about. As an adult as well. And I get to bring it into life, and there is no greater reason than I join the industry than doing something like and I’m very happy to be here.”
He also teased he might team-up with director Matthew Vaughn when host Josh Horowitz asked, “Have you tried to get Matthew into Warhammer or gaming at all?”
Cavill responded, “No, not yet.” However, Vaughn retorted, “Gaming? I love gaming. What do you mean gaming at all? But we’ve spoken.” Cavill added, “Yeah.”
Vaugh continued, “Yeah, listen, I said I’d work with Henry in lots of different ways.” Cavill concluded with a grin, “Yeah, watch the space.”
Cavill previously told Collider, “Warhammer is progressing very well. Big things are happening, and we are very excited.”
Henry Cavill speaking at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con International, for “The Witcher”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
What do you make of this rumor that the Warhammer 40k show at Amazon MGM Studios might be shelved?
Sad, but not unexpected when Warhammer became Woke.
Wouldn’t surprise me if Jennifer Salke interfered too much.
[…] However, the moment this announcement was made the internet and YouTube became inundated with countless claims regarding the status of the show, from possible storylines and characters that would be adapted to if Henry Cavil would even be part of it at all as his time with the Witcher and the ever-mind-numbing culture war wages on at the fingertips of very energetic persons. As a Warhammer fan of over 20 years, I’ve worked out the 3 rules Amazon needs to follow to make a great Warhammer TV show | PC Gamer , Is the Warhammer 40K Show Canceled? Henry Cavill’s TV Series Status , Rumor: Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40k Show At Amazon Might Be “Shelved” […]