Summary
Henry Cavillhas been a part of several big projects in the past decade, but he’s set to move on to other films and shows, including one adaptation that, by taking into account one previous box office bomb, could encounter some difficulties.Cavill’s most iconic roles were undoubtedly as Clark Kent in the DC Extended Universe and as Geralt of Rivia inThe Witcher.The actor played Superman in fourDCEU movies—Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League,andZack Snyder’s Justice League— six if you count Cavill’s uncredited cameos inBlack AdamandThe Flash.
After James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, reports claimed they were bringing Cavill back to play Superman in their rebooted DC Universe.Cavill then exitedThe Witcher, allegedly due to creative differences, the demanding production schedule, and a desire to focus on Superman. Unfortunately, it was later announced that Gunn and Safran would go in a different direction regarding the Superman role (which would eventually go to David Corenswet), and Cavill was left to his own devices. He got to work quickly, though, andfound himself a new franchise to devote his time to —Warhammer 40,000.
Henry Cavill’s Warhammer Franchise Will Face Similar Challenges As Warcraft
Warcraft Was A Critical & Commercial Failure
Henry Cavill is executive producing and starring in anadaptation ofWarhammer 40,000,which was established in 1987 and soon became the most popular miniature wargame in the world. Due to its popularity, the franchise has expanded with various spin-off media, including video games and, now, a TV show or a movie. Amazon MGM Studios acquired the TV and film rights toWarhammer 40,000in late 2022, with Cavill attached to produce and star. Although the upcoming adaptation is exciting and highly anticipated,it might run into the same problems thatWarcraftdid in 2016.
The action fantasy filmWarcraft,based on the video game series of the same name, premiered in June 2016. Many had high expectations for its critical and commercial performance, but both were major letdowns. Despite the fact thatWarcraftis one of the highest-grossing video game franchises,the 2016 movie was an overall disappointment as it received negative reviews and failed to break even at the box office.Given the similarities betweenWarhammer 40,000andWarcraftand the high hopes for both adaptations,Cavill’sWarhammer 40,000franchise might not workand could face the same fate asWarcraft.
Is Warcraft Worth Watching? Breaking Down The Reviews & Rotten Tomatoes Scores
The 2016 Warcraft movie is currently trending on Netflix nearly a decade after its original theatrical release – is it worth watching or not?
Why Warcraft Never Got A Sequel (Was It A Box Office Flop?)
Warcraft Grossed $439 Million At The Box Office
Thanks to the source material, the possibilities for aWarcraftsequel were endless. However,Warcraft 2never happenedbecause of the first film’s critical and box office failures. The 2016 movie’s reviews claimed that it contained impressive visuals and did a great job building its world. However, many critics pointed out thatWarcraft’s story was convoluted, and the characters were severely underdeveloped and lacking substance.Warcraftevidently focused too much on exposition and perfecting its special effects,resulting in poor reviews.
Warcraftgrossed around $47.4 million in the United States and $391.7 million internationally, bringing its worldwide earnings to a little over $439 million.
Ultimately,Warcraftgrossed $439 millionagainst its $160 million production budget and $110 million in promotional spending. Consequently, the 2016 movie failed to break even, meaning it was a box office bomb. It would have had to accumulate at least $450 million to $500 million to break even, and while its international gross was impressive, it wasn’t enough. However,Warcraftstill became the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time with its $439 million earnings.Pokémon Detective Pikachustole that spot a few years later, though, whileThe Super Mario Bros. MoviesurpassedPikachuin 2023.
What To Expect From Henry Cavill’s Warhammer Universe
Warhammer 40,000 Is Games Workshop’s Miniature Wargame
Unfortunately, not much is known about the upcomingWarhammer 40,000adaptation.Henry Cavill and Amazon MGM Studios reportedly plan to create aWarhammer 40,000franchise featuring both movies and TV series.But the medium of the first installment in the planned franchise is unknown, with many speculating it will be a TV show. It could still be a movie, though, since production is still in the early stages and Cavill and Amazon are seemingly keeping their cards close to their chests. Cavill’s role is unknown, and the adaptation’s story is a mystery.
[Warhammer 40,000] fans want to see a faithful adaptation of the wargame’s rich lore, stunning visuals, engaging action, well-developed characters, and more.
Nevertheless, many have awishlist of what they want Cavill’sWarhammer 40,000franchise to include. For example, fans want to see a faithful adaptation of the wargame’s rich lore, stunning visuals, engaging action, well-developed characters, and more. Only time will tell if all these demands are met, or if theWarhammer 40,000adaptation will result in anotherWarcraftsituation. However, withCavill, who is known to be a hardcore fan ofWarhammer 40,000,at the helm, the outlook on the upcoming franchise’s future is optimistic.
Henry Cavill’s $60 Million Action Movie Is Better Than Him Playing James Bond
Henry Cavill has been a fan-favorite choice to play James Bond for years, but his most recent movie proved how much a role like that would limit him.
Video Game Adaptations Have Changed A Lot Since Warcraft
Movie & TV Adaptations Of Video Games Have Been More Successful In Recent Years
One of the most positive signs that theWarhammer 40,000TV show or movie will succeed is the track record of recent video game adaptations. Even thoughWarcraftwas a flop, it debuted eight years ago, and since then, other video game films and series have seen great results. 2019’sPokémon Detective Pikachureceived mostly positive reviews and took overWarcraft’s title asthe highest-grossing movie based on a video game. A few years later, the animated filmThe Super Mario Bros. Movieeasily surpassedPokémon Detective Pikachu’s record as it earned $1.36 billion at the box office.
$450 million
68%
79%
$319.7 million
64%
93%
$407 million
40%
90%
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
$405 million
96%
$1.36 billion
59%
95%
$297 million
32%
87%
Other recent successful video game adaptations includeUncharted, Five Nights at Freddy’s,andSonic the Hedgehog, which has perhaps been the most triumphant. Paramount Pictures has produced threeSonic the Hedgehogmovies(with the third one premiering in December 2024) since 2020 and released a spinoff TV series,Knuckles,which was a hit among critics. Meanwhile,The Super Mario Bros. Movieperformed so well that a sequel and several spin-offs are reportedly in development.So, ifHenry Cavill’sWarhammer 40,000franchise is anything like these adaptations, fans have nothing to worry about, despiteWarcraft’s shortcomings.
Warhammer 40k
Cast
Based on the extended universe of the popular board/miniature game series, Warhammer 40K is a sci-fi action/war series in development for Prime Video. Helmed by and starring Henry Cavill in collaboration with Games Workshop, Warhammer looks to bring the gritty futuristic war series to the small screen sometime in 2025.
