Henry Cavill is no stranger to larger-than-life franchise endeavors, having behind them the backing of legacy-enduring, reputed source material. Be it his DCEU Superman stint, which remains among his fans’ most beloved but met an unhappy conclusion in late 2022, or his reign on The Witcher as Geralt of Rivia, which subsequently concluded with the third season, leaving behind some big shoes for The Hunger Games alum Liam Hemsworth to fill in.
There have also been memorable outings in Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Enola Holmes, taking some precedence in his filmography amid the other endeavors he has committed to over the years. However, despite having headlined initiatives that only a few could fantasize about, there’s one particular project—namely, the on-screen adaptation of renowned miniature wargame Warhammer 40,000—where Cavill deems his participation the “greatest privilege of his career.”
And it’s only in the beginning stages of its conception.
But boy, is it a dream-come-true moment for the 40-year-old actor. Talking on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused, where the former DCEU alum graced the podcast with filmmaker Matthew Vaughn to promote their latest release, Argylle, Cavill revealed why the prospects of bringing to life a Warhammer 40k cinematic universe are significant to him!
Henry Cavill Is Excited About Bringing To Life The Upcoming Warhammer 40,000 Franchise
Henry Cavill cannot say much about his passion project yet, but one couldn’t capture with words the excitement he exudes over the potential of bringing it to life. In late 2022, the actor’s exit from DCEU in the role of Superman, accompanied by his departure from a fan-favorite starring role in The Witcher, was making rounds on the internet.
At the time, these developments troubled fans of the star, who had long appreciated Cavill’s reign in both endeavors. It also raised several eyebrows, compelling people to speculate what the gifted talent who found a solid footing in Hollywood would do next. And amid a reality where donning the legacy-enduring red cape was snatched out of his reach, the actor stumbled upon a silver lining and landed a spectacular opportunity!
Henry Cavill soon became attached to executive produce and star in live-action related projects to Warhammer 40,000. Amazon Studios’ acquisition of global rights to the tabletop game from Games Workshop led to this development (via Deadline). This proved a significant move for the Enola Holmes alum, as he previously demonstrated his inclination toward Warhammer as a fan.
No wonder he deems the opportunity to carve a cinematic universe out of his favorite game series the “greatest privilege of his career.” Following was his statement on the Happy Sad Confused podcast after Josh Horowitz asked about the project:
“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 to me.”
He went on to discuss the initiative’s significance to him because his love for the beloved role-playing game is intricately rooted in his childhood:
“This is the stuff I’ve been dealing with since I was a kid. This is the stuff I spend my free time daydreaming about as an adult … And I get to bring it to life. And there is no greater reason that I joined the industry than doing something like this, and I’m very happy to be here.”
Bringing such an endeavor from one format to another can be a strenuous, challenging task. The actor, therefore, intends to put tremendous effort into remaining faithful to the material.
Although specifics about the projects planned to hit the screen remain scarce, Amazon Studios’ agreement reportedly encompasses rights to the Warhammer 40k universe across initiatives like TV series and films.
This suggests much more can be done to extract the essence of the miniature wargame.
Henry Cavill Commented On The Progress Of The Warhammer 40K Project
Talking to Collider recently, Henry Cavill, who understandably cannot unveil too many details yet, revealed that the Prime Video-championed Warhammer 40,000 adaptation is “progressing very well. Big things are happening, and we are very excited.” It is unknown what the project slate consists of, including whether the first initiative will be a TV series or film.
On the subject of how matters will move in motion and which stories of the expansive universe get adapted in the first place, the official Warhammer blog had an important aspect to emphasize:
“All we can tell you right now is that an elite band of screenwriters […] 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 … spear to the project.”
The post continued:
“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 [soon].”
It could take some time before the eagerly awaited project takes tangible form. Nevertheless, star and executive producer Cavill harbors a strong appreciation for Warhammer. He once said in an Instagram post he had dreamt of “seeing a Warhammer universe in live-action” for thirty years. Then, he assured fans that he possessed the knowledge and expertise necessary to lead the creation of a Warhammer Cinematic Universe.
Like-minded fans are undoubtedly cheering on for Henry Cavill!
Though what the star’s future brings remains to be seen, you can, for now, catch him in action in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle, presently in theatres worldwide.
