People worry that Henry Cavill's Warhammer 40k series is in trouble, but there's no cause for alarm

Henry Cavill is one of the most beloved actors among fans of all things geeky. Maybe it's because he seems earnestly invested in stuff like The Witcher, where he played Geralt of Rivia before ceding the role to Liam Hemsworth, or that he takes videos of himself building PCs. And the jawline can't hurt. Sometime things are simple.

One of his next big nerdy endeavors is a TV show based on Warhammer 40,000, the most popular miniature wargame in the world. Set in the far future, Warhammer 40k involves the human race fighting against all manner of extraterrestrial and supernatural foes. "I have loved Warhammer since I was a boy, making this moment truly special for me," Cavill said in a statement when the project was first announced. "The opportunity to shepherd this cinematic universe from its inception is quite the honor 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."

The only issue is that, if Games Workshop is going to let Amazon make shows and movies based on Warhammer 40k (and maybe the original, fantasy-themed Warhammer game if things with 40k go well), the two companies have to agree on "creative guidelines." So said Games Workshop near the start of this endeavor, adding that the parties had until December of 2024 to reach an agreement.

According to Collider, Games Workshop reiterated this in a recent annual financial report, again saying that a Warhammer 40k show would only go forward if they and Amazon could agree on "creative guidelines."

Collider is interpreting this in what seems like kind of an alarmist way to me, saying that the Warhammer 40k show is in "big trouble" since there are only five months left to come to an agreement. But I dunno: five months seems like long enough to smooth something out, even with a world as complicated and dense as Warhammer 40k. And who's to say that a lot of progress hasn't already been made but Game Workshop just doesn't feel it worth mentioning in its latest financial report? Or that they couldn't extend the deadline if they wanted to?

That said, Amazon does have a bit of a spotty reputation when it comes to adaptations. Their wildly expensive Lord of the Rings show The Rings of Power is a fun time, but plays very fast and loose with the mythology and world built by author J.R.R. Tolkien. Games Workshop might not be as willing to tolerate that kind of flexibility, although then again, piles of money can go a ways towards changing minds.

And it's not like Amazon always goes its own way with adaptations. The first season of the Fallout TV show, based on the long-running video game series from Bethesda, got rave reviews from fans and newcomers alike.

So I think it's too early to panic about Warhammer 40k. If all goes well, they'll hammer out a deal by the December deadline and announce the show as a Christmas present.

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