The single most suitable game franchise for film or TV is finally getting its spotlight moment! Yes, Warhammer 40K is getting its own show!!
The announcement was made yesterday by Games Workshop, owners of the Warhammer Universe. Within the statement, they revealed that Frank Spotnitz and Big Light Productions are creating a live action series based in the exploits of Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn. It's this team that created Man in the High Castle, the Amazon Prime series based on Philip K. Dick’s alternative history novel set in Axis occupied America.
Spotnitz will act as both show runner and executive producer on the series. The show will be based on novels written by New York Times best-selling author Dan Abnett. Originally published in 2001 by Black Library (Games Workshop’s publishing imprint), the books have been reprinted in multiple languages and sold over half a million copies globally.
Speaking about the new show, Spotnitz commented:
"We are delighted to collaborate with Games Workshop to develop the beloved visionary world of Warhammer 40,000 into a TV series. Warhammer 40,000 is steeped in rich and complex lore, with a myriad of traditions and stories that have accumulated over time in this thrilling and complex world, making it one of the most exciting properties to adapt for television audiences and the franchise’s loyal global fanbase.
"There is nothing else like it on television, and we are incredibly excited to tap into our own experience creating imaginative, complex and compelling worlds to bring this incredible saga to the screen.”
Though Eisenhorn, created by author Dan Abnett, isn’t a ground pounding Space Marine, he is one of Warhammer’s most beloved characters and a kick-butt daemon and alien investigator and hunter to boot, saving the universe from the scum of the otherworld and beyond – be prepared for plenty of Xeno and body horror action (it’s gonna get icky).
Warhammer 40K's universe is host to:
- Demons.
- Aliens.
- Orcs.
- Elves.
- Dwarves.
- Huge robots.
- Gothic space fleets.
- Power armoured knights.
- Mutated, plague-ridden rebels.
- Decadent perverts,
As a result, it's possibly a universe that could give twin behemoths Star Wars and Star Trek a run for their money and, if it’s done right, could be bigger than an Adeptus Titanicus’ MOT invoice.
No date has been set for the launch of the Warhammer TV show.