Warhammer 40k is a space opera set in the far distant future, with unending lore and worldbuilding potential that has been wasted for over a decade in the movie industry. The colossal tabletop franchise produced by Games Workshop is so incredibly detailed that there are full YouTube pages dedicated to explaining the ever-expanding universe and its intricate lore. Within this universe loom incredible figures of immense prowess that would easily captivate audiences for the length of a feature-film, like the Corpse Emperor of Man. The dystopian Empire of Man, its Chaos enemies, and the horrors they commit upon each other are essentially the scariest sci-fi horror movie never made.

Besides a 2010 straight-to-DVD sci-fi movie series release titled Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie, this treasure trove of a potential franchise has remained untouched. Games Workshop has never been shy of video game collaborations, but they’ve yet to pen another film deal. The endless potential of the Warhammer 40k universe has spawned numerous gaming titles since 2010, including the upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Darktide. With the popularity of Warhammer tabletop games and video games - and dystopian sci-fi reboots like Dune generating acclaim - a live-action film adaptation with a proper budget could do exponentially well with those same audiences.

Why The 2010 Warhammer Movie Was Forgotten


The one and only current movie adaptation, Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie, released in 2010 on DVD. Much like the Matrix sequels’ “bad” CGI, the animated sci-fi movie is bound by the limits of the technology of its time. The CGI animated film fails to capture the finer details of the coveted marines’ armor that gives them their “Angels of Death” title within the lore. Instead of battle-scarred and blood-blessed armor, the marines almost look clean while fighting the forces of Chaos. The grit and nightmare of fighting the legions of Chaos is also lessened by the poor graphics used to tell the story.

The film’s plot is narrow in focusing on one singular mission when considering the grand scale that the Warhammer 40,000 lore covers. A movie franchise or series detailing the dystopian futuristic Imperium of Man, would cinematically prove to be essential sci-fi TV show or movie franchises, like Cyberpunk or Dune. It’s hard to look past the dated technology, which explains why it’s been forgotten, but it remains surprising that no studio has attempted a fresh take.

Why Warhammer Is The Perfect Future Sci-Fi Movie Series


Warhammer 40k looks like a high-fantasy adventure in space that's been dragged through Hell - and indeed this is roughly the method through which warp drives transport their ships, going almost literally to Hell and back. Planet side warriors clash with psychic magic, advanced weaponry, and legendary medieval arms alike against Chaos demons, Orks, and space elves. While in orbit, fleets of battlecrusiers that resemble gothic palaces tear each other to shreds. Warhammer 40,000 provides both endlessly dramatic and engaging visuals and concepts, and the plots and lore to back them up - creating the perfect potential for a proper sci-fi movie series.

The only live-action sci-fi movie to also warp through Hell, and possibly a secret prequel to Warhammer 40k, is Event Horizon. With Paul W.S. Anderson’s film gaining a cult following in the past couple decades, there’s evidence of an audience for a grand, gruesome, space epic about the Empire of Man and their struggles with the forces of Chaos. Games Workshop would do its audience a great service by finally bringing Warhammer 40,000 to the big screen - bringing the world and its story to potential new heights.