Henry Cavill has been the talk of the town this week, for better or worse. A few days ago, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shocked the world, announcing the actor would not return as Superman as the new DC Universe presumedly heads towards a massive reboot. The news came just mere months after Cavill announced his exit from The Witcher and his return as the Man of Steel after a post-credits scene in Black Adam.
However, it didn’t take long for everyone’s favorite Hollywood nerd to find his next gig, and it just so happens to be a passion project for him, Warhammer 40,000.
HENRY CAVILL IS LEADING WARHAMMER INTO THE FUTURE
Not even 24 hours after his official exit as Superman, Amazon Studios swooped in and snagged Henry Cavill off the market, signing him on to guide their upcoming Warhammer cinematic universe. The actor will star in an upcoming project and serve as an Executive Producer as the studio looks to make a franchise rivaling that of Marvel and DC. Henry Cavill quickly confirmed his involvement on his Instagram.
It remains unclear if these projects will be theatrical releases, Prime Video’s latest hit series, or a combination of the two. The Hollywood Reporter points towards a series, while the official Warhammer Community suggests the franchise will cover both film and TV, with Amazon acquiring the global rights to all forms of entertainment.
RELATED: JAMES GUNN REVEALS SUPERMAN REBOOT STORY APPROACH AND WILL SCRIPT NEW FILM
Either way, Henry Cavill will have his hands full with Warhammer for the foreseeable future, and we honestly couldn’t be happier for him. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the British actor is a massive fan of the tabletop game, vocalizing his love for all things nerdy, including the highly-successful fantasy wargame.
Regarding his involvement with the cinematic universe, Cavill said the following:
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. 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 Studios will be partnering with Vertigo Entertainment to bring the Warhammer franchise to life on screen. The production company is currently working on live-action adaptations of Bioshock, God of War, and Horizon, so they’ve got some experience bringing games to the screen.
WHAT IS WARHAMMER 40K?
Warhammer 40,000 (also known as Warhammer 40k) is a miniature tabletop wargame produced by Games Workshop. It’s probably the most popular wargame worldwide. Players use small models (miniatures) of warriors and vehicles to enact massive battles against each other, with players having armies of these tiny pieces. The battles are fought in turns, with players trying to gain a strategic advantage over the other, using dice to determine the outcome of the fights.
Many Warhammer fans, including Henry Cavill, take the time to craft the minis themselves, painting every detail onto the models. The hobby is quite impressive. Not only do fans put forth the time and effort to build numerous armies, but they’re also familiar with the Warhammer universe’s extensive history and lore, which spans books, video games, and board games.
The official Warhammer 40k synopsis reads:
Warhammer 40,000 is set in the far future, where humanity stands at the edge of what might be its brightest future, or its darkest age. The threats to humankind’s empire are many — traitors driven by the fires of ambition, alien empires sworn to reclaim the stars, and the corruption of reality by malevolent gods.
Probably the easiest way for a newcomer to get into the Warhammer franchise would be through their critically-acclaimed video games unless, of course, you know someone dedicated to the tabletop game. The Total War series is particularly popular amongst fans. Henry Cavill vouches for the series, admitting to spending days playing the real-time strategy game.
RELATED: GOD OF WAR SERIES BASED ON THE SMASH HIT GAMES COMING TO PRIME VIDEO
Needless to say, Henry Cavill and Amazon’s upcoming Warhammer 40K projects will bring the vast fantasy universe to whole new audiences. This writer, in particular, is beyond excited to see what they cook up. All we need is actor and Warhammer fan Rahul Kohli sharing the screen with Cavill somewhere in the cinematic universe.
What do you think of the news about Warhammer 40K and Henry Cavill? Are you excited to see the world brought to live action? What other games do you think could make the jump? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, and check back with The Illuminerdi for more movie and gaming news!
KEEP READING: EDITORIAL: HENRY CAVILL LEAVING SUPERMAN WAS A NECESSARY EVIL
SOURCE: Warhammer Community
