According to sources, a mini-room has been put together to chart a creative direction for the Warhammer universe. Based on the material produced by the writers, it has been decided to move forward with the development of a television series as the first project, the sources said. A showrunner has not yet been secured and a deal is still being finalized.
The timing is no coincidence. In its annual financial report filed in July, Games Workshop noted that the company and Amazon had until December 2024 to mutually agree on "creative guidelines for the films and television series to be developed by Amazon" for the streamer to to retain the rights, which were originally acquired in December 2022 and extended for a further 12 months a year later.
Cavill shared the new phase of the adaptation of Warhammer 40,000, a passion project for him, on Instagram.
“My incredible team and I, alongside the brilliant minds at Games Workshop, have been working away in concept rooms, breaking down approaches to the enormity and magnificence of the Warhammer world,” he wrote. “Together, we’ve been sifting through the plethora of incredible characters and poring over old tomes and texts. Our combined efforts have led us to a fantastic place to start our Universe, which has been agreed upon by those up on high at both Amazon and Games Workshop.”
Warhammer 40,000 is set in the distant future, where humanity stands on the brink of what could be its brightest future or its darkest era. There are many threats to the realm of humanity: traitors driven by the fires of ambition, alien empires vowed to reconquer the stars, and the corruption of reality by malevolent gods.
Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee and Natalie Viscuso worked with Cavill to secure the Warhammer 40,000 IP before bringing it to Amazon. Vertigo produces alongside Cavill and GAW's Andy Smillie and Max Bottrill alongside Amazon MGM Studios.
“I have loved Warhammer since I was a boy, making this moment truly special for me,” Cavill said at the rime of the initial Amazon announcement. “The opportunity to shepherd this cinematic universe from its inception is quite the honor and the responsibility.”
