Do you think a Warhammer 40k Dawn of War movie could be successful?

[God_Of_Scots]

The guy that made 300 should make a movie on the horus heresy.

[Cynyr]

if they made 40k movies they would have to do like 50 to describe the relationships between all the races and show all war stuff

i would go see every single one

[retroholyfire]

No they wouldn't. I don't think people will be that bothered about the history. Most people will go there to see some amazing non stop politically incorrect massacring based in the future.

[Zir]

I can't pretend to appreciate the hardcore fans' desire to see the franchise made into something like this, but personally, I really, really think that in the context of a movie it would come across tacky. I can't see a film that takes itself seriously (enough to do justice to the subject) managing to portray goofy Ork's going WAAAAGH!! without it being a comedy. They'd have to use artistic license and change things, which is when the tears of despair start.

[ChaosReigns]

Remember the Battle of the Last Alliance in LotR? Can you believe that there were several major wars with Sauron prior to that one? Did anyone give a damn? No.

All they would need to do would be to give a very brief summary of the Horus Heresy/Great Crusade. Just give the most important points.

Ideally I think that the movie should either be Imperial Guard-Tyranids or Inquisition-Chaos cult. This would give a chance for escalation, epic battles, good plot and character development. It would also be hardcore and dark. Who says the movie has to have the Orks?

[Malarky]

managing to portray goofy Ork's going WAAAAGH!! without it being a comedy.

Ya, it would appear a little goofy at first. Orks charging in 'WAAAAAAGH!!' you might even chuckle a little and think 'wow, what the hell is...' then youre jaw would drop as an ork chops a guardsman in half with an axe and shoots the screaming corpse with 2 or 4 slugs leaving a mushy, gurgling paste and two legs in the dirt etc. etc.

I don't see why so many think getting back story and fluff will kill it. Chaosreigns bring sup a good point. Besides, the way I see it, even if you can't work in something important through the story, the WH40k universe has enough pompous windbags to spell it out for people... and pull it off.

[HM_Cassius]

Listen, the Horus Heresy is more perfect than you all seem to be ignorant to.

During the Horus Heresy, the human race not only was in galexy wide civil war but was also coming into contact more and more with orks, tyranids, eldar, and maybe the other 3. What I am saying is that throughout the movie, kind of like the lord of the rings, there would be a smaller sub plot that explains the races in a little more detail, cultures, warfare, ect. all the while focusing on the human race and the conflict within the human empire.

I not only say that the Horus Heresy would be the next huge movie but it might, just might be a powerful new branch of advirtising for the TT game, and if all else fails, the money coming in from the movie would more than make up for the sponsorship coming from GW. If they make the movie with maximum visual and mental quality, than it will be a hit anyway!

I just hope I get to see one in my lifetime, I would love to direct it because I know exactly what a real good movie is made of, I am gonna major in it in College, could be my ticket to fame if I were to direct a WH40K movie of this magnitude.

[God_Of_Scots]

And you can make a series out of it like star wars. Like a 3-4 movie series.

[Malarky]

Dear God please no prequels... anything but that.

[God_Of_Scots]

Not prequals. Im just saying that it would be like the star wars series in the fact that there where alot of movies.

[TankHunter678]

Malarky thats why you would start with Horus Heresy, its pretty much the start of everything major.

I myself do not know much at all about W40k, seeing it in a movie would be grand and could get me to decide whether or not to look into the history of teh Imperial Guard and read books with their battles and heroes in them. Perosnally I do not want to go out looking for these books and wind up spending 40k trying to get everything in TT or background of W40k.

[RaySkull]

Its amazing it hasn't been made already. Unfortunately you have to really hope that a director will have supreme respect of the material, use very little CGI (miniatures would be perfect for this movie), aaaaaand fully construct believable space marine armor. If it dotted those "i"s we'd all be pleased. If they decided to go and do whatever they wanted like in Transformers, well you know how that is... (Transformers wasn't bad just no classic like the original)

The books are great: would love a Dune like series of "Einsenhorn"

I've an idea, make the Horus Haressy First and later several HBO series that go into more detail on other characters!

[Silveressa]

Personally I'd prefer to see it done entirely CGI in the same style as FF Spirits Within. It'd be a heck of a lot cheaper budget wise, and give a much freer hand to the producers/developers as far as reproducing some of the Chaos and Tyranid armies without having to struggle blending cgi with non cgi in a smooth and believeable manner.

Failing that, a well done anime style movie would be an (almost) acceptable alternative imho.

[RaySkull]

anime would be good

[Vexing_Jester]

No way, anime would completely destroy it and nobody would see it. To do a proper 40k movie it needs to be gritty and real, maybe even in the style of those classic WW2 movies. Live action is the only way to effectively convey the feel of the warhammer universe imho.

[TankHunter678]

It should be a mix of live action and CG, have a director such as Spielberg take it. Someone who knows the importance and limits of CG.

If the movie can combine CG and live action like the recent Transformer movie and others then we will have one hell of a movie.

[Zir]

Spielberg? O_o

I think some people get confused about this guy, seeing him as "the all round grade A director". He makes morally correct, wholesome family movies full of feel good moments. His trademark is using kids to be the focus of attention as they see the world with a sense of "wonder". The most gritty film he's done is Saving Private Ryan, He'd be the last person I'd recommend besides Uwe Boll. A romantic 40k film, with a sweeping and majestic score and an optimistic, touching finale. :moefixed:

I've changed my mind since my previous post, it would potentially be an orgasm on screen in the right hands, it'd probably be really hard to keep badness to a minimum though. Theres something about DoW that niggled me, it's to be expected but it just wasn't quite the same as the perception of W40k I had in my head from my limited witnessing of the tabletop game. I think the universe loses a little something when it's "brought to life", the characters seem less all-powerful and mythical and become more human. Just hearing them shouting in plain American is depressing.

I second the thought that it'd work well as a 300 type movie. I completely disagree on the lack of CGI, I have no freaking idea how its expected that they render thousands of firing future-weapons without using post production imagery. It'd look truly ridiculous if they wandered around a static, real-life world with minimal eye candy. Warhammer 40k - The Theater Play, anyone?

[Silveressa]

I never really cared for Spielburg as a director, he was a little too unrealistic. Especially in Jurassic Park, Raptors, which were hyped up through the first part of the movie, as being smart, intelligent killers who out witted a professional game hunter; are unable to even injure a couple of kids?

[Slow_Runner]

Thread merged with the previous movie thread.

[Goko]

The problem i have with making the idea is the story line ... we've seen video games go to movies and well flop bad.... cause the storyline wasnt long enough in game... with Warhammer there's just so many storylines and to pick maybe a handful to work with would be a uphill struggle for a choice.. then when they got the right one's they have to make sure they balance the action with the plot otherwise it oculd just turn into a hour plus of just shooting and speacil effects and no one knowing what the hell's going on....

[Inquisitoriae]

There's a lot of movie potential in the 40k universe. The trick is avoiding the cheese.

I think a script with an every-day character that somehow gets involved with the imperium and chaos could be an instant hit. I'm thinking a bit of the (original) Star Wars, where the main character is the plain young boy Luke Skywalker. The main character somehow gets involved in some major chaos taint and cue the Inquisition and some marines and off we go... :)

[Victus75]

I think a movie would be interesting. Not sure if it has been mentioned before (too many pages to thumb through, so I just read the first) but another actor who would make a good Ork is Ron Pearlman. I mean, he has the huge jaw, squinty eyes, and grit needed. Overall I don't think you can have a lot of A-list actors, as most of the budget would need to go to special effects.

But perhaps to make it easier to follow, IG/SM versus Chaos might be the best way to go. Maybe some Eldar thrown in for additional flavor, as long as it doesn't bog the storyline.

~Victus

[Solo4114]

CG animated direct-to-DVD release is your best bet. Theatrical release would be pointless. You'd save money that way and could do things up properly. A live action film would tank at the box office. It doesn't have the broad appeal to warrant the budget necessary to make it anything other than cheesy crap.

I think a serious CG or simply animated DVD would do reasonably well, though, and might warrant a televised broadcast on Cartoon Network or something. As long as Gennady Tartakofsky has nothing to do with it, of course.


You could even do a series of DVDs or a televised animated series. If done right, with the right level of violence and gravitas, I think it'd do pretty well. The danger, of course, is that it becomes "kiddie" oriented or is edited for TV. On the other hand, the anime thing has been picking up in recent years, so there's likely more of a market for something with the same seriousness in tone that 40K has (even with the Orks as "comic relief").

However, I hope the writing is better than the one 40K book that I read (Fifteen Hours), which was pretty weak in terms of the writing style and characterization. The plot wasn't great either.

[Inquisitoriae]

Hmm... I think that would be a disaster. The 40k universe is meant for adults and would not do well with the target audience that you have in mind. I think it has to have something more than the average series to ever be something different. You could never convey the intolerance and dogmatism of the Imperium or the pleasure-seeking Slaanesh-cultist in a series on Cartoon Network.

Read some more books or fluff and learn more about the nightmarish future that is 40k. ;)

[Solo4114]

I dunno. They've run some definitely non-kiddie anime stuff on Cartoon Network. There's a fair bit of stuff in the Gundam series that's relatively adult. High main character body-counts, pain of war and such. It'd be more for something like Adult Swim than the 4:00 afternoon block, of course, and it'd likely be edited for television, but it could work. If not Cartoon Network than just a straight-to-DVD release.

But theatrical release is absolutely out of the question. There's just no way to make that commercially viable and no distributor would touch it because of that.

I know the universe is dark and in many aspects pretty nightmarish (IE: a lot of the Chaos stuff), but you could always focus on, say, an IG/Eldar vs. Orks conflict or something. Hell, you could do a series about the Horus Heresy and that'd be fairly compelling without requiring a ton of background/exposition.

Although I do think the SM armor from that era is pretty butt-ugly. :P

[SenisterDenister]

If they did it it would have to be on Adult Swim, because for it to do justice it would have to be violent, vulgar, bloody, gory, and full of foul language. If it had to be a cartoon I'd prefer it done on paper to give it a dark, gritty, americanized look and should also be styled like the violent comics of the 1980's.

I'll be damned if someone has the nerve to make 40k an anime, because if they did I'd start fires.

[Solo4114]

I don't mean actual anime drawing style. I mean not a "kiddie" cartoon. Some anime stuff can be fairly dark, or at least not bright and happy crap.

I'd prefer a more realistic style of art myself.

[Johnny_5]

Ok first hello to everyone as this is my first post. I think a movie based on WH40k can be done and can be successful. But for this to happen you need an amazing story and IMO the Horus Heresy is that story. The only problem i see with it is that it would have to be three films and it would cost well over the £200mill mark. Also the only person i see who could do this right is Peter Jackson. People said that Lord of the Rings could not be made into a film and look at what a great job PJ did with that. Sooooo anyone know Peter Jackson's e-mail address?

[Immortal]

52 pages of reading...God-Emperor give me streinght!
First hello to all :wave: 1st post!
Now on topic: There were some very good points & ideas in the...previous pages( god so many).
But i want to give my share. First: Space Marines are NOT emotionless! The only chapter that has the "Love the Emperor , purge the deamon!" thing are the grey Knights , becouse they have their personalities & memories wiped to prevent corruption.
Second: A IG main character is NOT a good idea. You can't really think it's real for a IG to survive long enough to make a main character.
Now on my movie ideas: I think it should be abaut the Black Templars . They are what SMs were originaly created to be: Conquerors of the galaxy in the name of the Emperor. Before you start the whole "They ain't human enough" , i disagree they are infact very human like. The whole Initiate/Neophyte relationship is a good example. They also form their squads out of kinship rather than being assigned to one , bringing a feel of brother in arms.
As far as fluff goes...heck Black Templars are perfect for a movie! Only a small , if not insignificant part , of their crusades are described , meaning the movie can start from scratch without violating the fluff & at the same time be understandable by the masses.
IG could be trown in for good measure but should not be the central plot.
And finaly abaut the Horus Heresy/Intro: It should start at the Siege of Terra. How champions arose from the Chaos army , & how Sigismund was tasked to be the Emperor's champion. Maybe show how he banishes a Chaos or two. Then show Rogal Dorn putting the Emperor in the Golden Throne (maybe explain the battle with Horus). After that we see many SMs with diffrent armors & a short story of the 2nd founding. Then showing Sigismund & the new Black Templar vowing to forever crusade in the name of the Emperor. Then you switch to the present (40k) & show the Templars renewing their vows on the eve of battle.

Well that's abaut my idea for today. I promise you i will think of more , but it's 3 am & i can't( forgive the heretical language) fucking stand awake anymore.*Cralws back in to the tomb :tomb: *

[Zir]

Hmm... I think that would be a disaster. The 40k universe is meant for adults and would not do well with the target audience that you have in mind. I think it has to have something more than the average series to ever be something different. You could never convey the intolerance and dogmatism of the Imperium or the pleasure-seeking Slaanesh-cultist in a series on Cartoon Network.

Read some more books or fluff and learn more about the nightmarish future that is 40k. ;)

By adult, I assume you mean simply violent. In the same way Halo, or Bruce Lee are adult. I hate to break it to you, but the vast majority of Warhammer demographic is young men. The same demographic that almost every video game or popular movie is aimed at. Warhammer 40k is not intelligent, it's just well developed and fully realised. It's an insult to claim it has some sort of high intellectual value. At least admit the truth, that you're attracted to a world filled with intense violence, war and testosterone. When you take a step back and look at it, none of it is especially original. It's the kind of thing you come up with in your head as a kid, it's just fleshed out really well and comes with a mass of polished information to bury yourself in."Blood for the Blood god" and "For the Emperor" are not original or clever in any way whatsoever.

As for anime, no. Just no. Anime is better for portraying zippy weightless characters. A lot of the motion and pretty much everything else is implied through quirky art style. Warhammer involves a lot of massive, meaty warriors going at it. Anime would not do it justice, the weight and power of such a clash would take a hell of a lot of skill on an artists part, and to be a decent first sighting of 40k on screen it'd have to be believable. Anime is an abstract art form, it'd split an already niche market in two. It wouldn't sell, and wouldn't be remotely high profile.

[Immortal]

Are you people out of your mind!? WH40K can not be made anime or anything! It would totaly ruin the feel of a "grim dark future". As many before have posted if it will be done CG it must be done by Blur Studios.

p.s.What can i say, those damn neighboring Tau have a party. *get's guass flayer* Time to put them to sleep...permanently! :borg:

[Thead]

The more 40k books I read, the more I realise that there are some pretty good stories out there already. I was pretty suprised when I first read the first Gaunt's Ghosts novel, I reckon it'd make a pretty awesome film. And focus on the fighting force of the Imperium that actually does all the work.

[Solo4114]

>sigh<

I didn't say it should be done in anime style.

I said it could be done with the same kind of gravitas that some anime has. Gravitas meing seriousness there, folks, not animation style. I fully agree that anime style animation (IE: the drawings themselves) would be TOTALLY inappropriate to 40K, but an animated film cuts your budget down considerably, lets you do a ton of stuff you wouldn't otherwise be able to do, and could allow for a much longer/broader story than a short 2 hour live-action film with crappy effects, lousy actors, and a direct-to-the-Sci-Fi-Channel's-Saturday-Afternoon-Lineup budget.

The point about anime was that an animated film could still be dark, could still be serious, and could still be "non-kiddie." That's it!

[CPK]

Why not make it on the Horus Heresy or based in a different time during the 41st. Maybe make the movie though it was looking through the eyes of a space marine. base it on apocolypse or something. Make gory and awesome like 300.

[Arinax]

There is a WH40k film out, but GW does not allow it to be shown to public(www.damnatus.com)

but it looks kinda cool

[scoiatollo]

There also exists a crappy Hollywood movie iirc ;)

btw.: what about a movie based on a necron "live" ^_- Don't you think that would rock in black and white?! ;)

[Vargo22]

Definately, with the console hide command and a movie editor you could put the 2 'movie bars' at top and bottom and put your own voice in maybe with text ;) .

:corn:

[under_score]

'Children of men' type cities and main character, city on some planet doesn't matter where, two months until chaos invasion ++Will all men between 18-50 report to recruiting thing++ main character becomes guardsman. Flash fowards, a week to invasion, hectic preparations for war, week to develop company of guardsmen and characters, any background.
(In the distance we see an inquisition ship arrive but don't pay any attention to it for now)
Massive visual with chaos space ships breaking the sky. Preparation over
-battle scene-
IG losing, retreating to walls of city (Minas Tirith)
Main character starts losing squad members (commisar is Eric Bana or Daniel Craig) when drop pods appear, space marines attack a flank, taking advantage of the diversion main character flees to find his family.

-Home scene-
Main character emotinoal scene, Badly injured person turns up, actually chaos and corrupts main character. Character returns to battle kills commisar

-Battle is won-
Titan or some other juicy visual brings battle to an end with fully one half IG dead, Main character found alive in rubble, taken to hospital in a frodo like scene from FOTR

Something to do with the inquisitior, who can only be Morgan Freeman killing main character, his children and wife, then ordering a purge of the city.

Of course this will never happen but it could be done. People have pointed to the fact that W40k has many other spin offs, books etc. but these are only moderatley successful (despite the fact the books should be given to teenage boys to re-engage them with reading) and are only read by fans, the samer goes for a movie i should think. Companies really don't want to spend money these days unless on some formulaic drivel.

[Quietus Legion]

Are you people out of your mind!? WH40K can not be made anime or anything! It would totaly ruin the feel of a "grim dark future".

There is plenty of "grim and dark" anime, such as Hellsing, Angel Cop, D, etc.

Personally I'd be intrigued to see how such a combination would work out.

Complete computer animation might work too, depending on what sort of subject the movie would use.

[Garbitrel]

yes yes i know some anime are grim and dark but WH40k has a special feeling to it its something that could not be portrayed in a cartoon it is something that should rather be left with live action rather than cartoons. Im not saying it couldn't be made as a cartoon im saying that it will severely ruined.

p.s. FIRST POST YAY :D

[Solo4114]

No, not computer animation. I find that actually looks worse than drawn animation. It just looks...off, but not in a stylized way (unless it's stylized computer animation like Pixar stuff, and then it'd be too kiddie).

As for the plot, after having read Fifteen Hours, I'd say don't bother with the IG. They'll bore audiences, they'll seem cliche'd, and it'll just turn into a "guess who dies next" film.

I think the Horus Heresy probably provides some of the best material for a compelling story, focusing primarily on the primarchs and the Emperor, rather than the grunts. You could, of course, add in other characters, but I'd keep it rather tightly focused to avoid folks getting confused. Unless, of course, it's a TV series, in which case you could expand the character base.

Basic concept for actually telling the story could be a young SM initiate being indoctrinated about the Horus Heresy from his chapter Librarian or records-keeper. That way you get to keep the WH40K branding, without confusing people by saying "Wait, so, it's Warhammer 40,000, but the story takes place in 31,000 A.D.? WTF?"

[Zir]

It only looks "off" if the animators have created it "off". It is completely possible to make animation that looks exactly like, or somehow better than real life. 300 is an example of the same kind of styled story being animated well. It wasn't perfect, but it looked better than some I, Claudius style tv-theatre.

People seem to assume CGI just rolls off of a production line. Individual artists have different styles, it's a very broad medium and can range from completely horrible to mindblowingly artistic and real.

[Solo4114]

My point is that most of what I've seen with CGI looks fakey. For example, think of that Final Fantasy Spirits Within movie that came out a few years ago. While everything looked pretty if it was standing still, when the characters moved, they just looked....fake.

Even Gollum, in LOTR, as much as he was a technological marvel, still looked kind of...fake at times. It's tough to put my finger on, but a lot of times, living creatures just don't look present with CGI the way, say, scenery or mechanicals do. In large scale, yeah, it's great. The CGI opening battle in LOTR is a perfect example. The large Clone battle at the end of Attack of the Clones is another great example. But a lot of CGI just looks fake.

I'd rather have good animation -- which seems easier to do -- than bad CGI.

[Quietus Legion]

or example, think of that Final Fantasy Spirits Within movie that came out a few years ago.
Few years ago? Try six.

Anyhow as I said, the comp animation could work depending on the subject. Meaning that if you do a film entirely about races with full body armour with very few face shots, then it the "off" factor is greatly reduced. Besides the "off" factor is greatest when you mix comp graphs and "real" film.

The biggest problem with computer graphics however is that they tend to look too clean, which is the one thing that would not suit the wh40k universe (in my opinion at least).

Still animation has it's hitches also, which would surface mostly with space ships. Making an impressive animation of a gothic battle ship without "perspective" problems is an immense job unless done with a computer and then again things may end up looking too clean.

In the end what I'd be interested to see is

Computer animation about SM/CSM, maybe Tau and Eldar too

A drawn animation about an inquisitor

A "real" movie about IG/chaos/tyranids (commissar must be included :) ) with a massive space battle

[Flagg]

A movie like that COULD be awesome if handled just right.

A movie about the Horus Heresy imo is not needed, just a 5 or 10 minute intro in the beginning of the film about it to give the viewer a quick debriefing about the Imperium and the Emperor and Chaos and you're away.

The first film needs to feature the original races, Imperium, Chaos, Eldar and Orks and there is a wealth of good actors from all countries who could play the parts.

If the film is a success they could do a trilogy, the second film bringing in the threat of the Tyranids and rising of the Tau and saving the Necrons for a climatic trilogy final.

On the other hand a manga version of a film could work.

[GJTFM]

It would be best without well-known actors, like Lord of the Rings, who knew about Orlando Bloom before those movies? Yes, I know Sir Ian Mckellan and some others were well known before that, but you need some big names to anchor the cast.

[Vargo22]

Easy, cheapish movie start - act out the beginning movie of Dark Crusade :D.

[Zir]

Mmmm Event Horizon. One of those films that I love but that has moments I can't stand. The airlock scene is too tense and painful to watch, and the whole "oh noes its hell!" thing was shockingly lame. Such an amazing atmosphere though I love it.

As for staying true to the original concept, I'm stabbing wildly in the dark here but is it not something to do with IP? I mean, aqcuiring the name brand license is one thing but is it not harder to get the rights to the storyline of an existing game?

I think LOTR is an anomaly, I didn't think for one second about the cast, except that Orlando Bloom is a complete idiot and I wish he wasn't in it. His acting was so bad that he stood out though so he doesn't count. Those movies were well made to the point where the story and atmosphere transcended things like "acting" and other critiques. It was far too easy to just get lost in the movie and forget about that kind of thing. It's only recently I've acknowledged the cast was unknown, because as far as I was concerned the characters were the characters. Gimli was Gimli, etc. I agree though, less known actors = better. They always work better because they become their characters more easily in your mind having never seen them or associated them with anything before, and they don't try too hard. Well known actors have this habit of "ACTING!" and it just looks self aware and obvious.

[Vargo22]

I mean, aqcuiring the name brand license is one thing but is it not harder to get the rights to the storyline of an existing game

You need the rights of the existing game? Weird, i've made movies on other online games and they don't care if i give credit or not :) they know the people watching it will know.

[Skynet-Online]

if warhammer 40k was to ever be a successful film it would have to be cgi computer generated like final fantasy spirits within tbh.
that way the vast scale of of things would be affordable.
and not only that the technology believable than left up to real life props.

[Vargo22]

-Skynet;
?, hide everything with the hide console command and then film, i know it'd be pretty iffy to put voices in if you haven't got voices to work with apart from yours and you can always record the space marine voices and put them in like relic did;

And i quote;


Yes my lord

From a cutscene in the first dawn of war where a squad of space marine scouts spoke, obviously it was just a record and paste into it.

[Kolea]

@Vargo22: WTF are you talking about? Read the thread - it's about a REAL movie, not one recoreded from a computer.

[Comander.c]

yea, go full cgi.
the intro movie to dawn of war proves this could be done, best ever intro. and it doesent have to be all mesesd up by making it beter for non fans, look again at the final fantacy'z.
full cgi 40k movie ftw.
btw, just on a side note, watch the final liberationcut scenes, RL actors in the 40k universe, old, and the commisar is taler than the SM, but still. for those that dont know, final liberation is the old-old-old school warhammer 40k RTS

[Zir]

@Vargo22: WTF are you talking about? Read the thread - it's about a REAL movie, not one recoreded from a computer.

I don't actually see anywhere where it says "Strictly traditional film making". Some of the best movies of this type (LotR, Star Wars, etc) rely heavily on digital art. It's simply not practical to try and fabricate a completely fantastical world utterly different from our own using only the mundane resources available in every day life. A few painted costumes won't cut it when you're craving epic battle scenes and alien worlds that have to be rendered in your "LOL COMPUTER RECORDINGS!".

Edit: I get it now.

[Solo4114]

Here's the thing, though. Full CGI doesn't work. It looks "fakey" to me but "fakey" in a way that I object to more than even, say, matte paintings, stop-motion photography, and model usage.

Some CGI is great. Mechanical stuff usually works fantastically. Robots, spaceships, etc. Long shots of CGI where fine detail isn't as noticeable works well, too. For epic battles, this is great, although still, you can't beat live-action shots (if you don't believe me, go watch the 1970 film Waterloo and pay attention to the helicoptor shots of French cavalry charging British infantry squares).

[Skynet-Online]

check the quality of that cgi out
http://youtube.com/watch?v=t7-VZPn5wvs

[Zir]

We don't have the talent or time to make a human character look perfectly realistic. It's completely wrong to assume "CGI looks fake" without thinking about it any more than that. CGI doesn't all come from one place in exactly the same way that music or drawing doesn't. We have the technology and the software that emulates almost every single dynamic element of life and light to the very last photon and particle, the problem is that facial animation is so damn nuanced and deep that it's not cost effective to do it perfectly.

Go to CGI Society and look at some of the stills, those can be and very often are photo perfect renderings of the human form, but those are casual artists doing it because they enjoy it and it's done over a period of weeks. I get really disappointed in most omvies because they try and do "technically amazing" shots of things like Gollum and push themselves way too hard to show off current lighting and syncing ability while not realising that there are obvious seams and flaws and they will be noticed if the creature is flouncing about on screen 24/7. It's one of the most difficult forms of expression in existence, assuming you have the creative inspiration to do something, you have to fight with extremely complex geometric and mathematical problems, you have to constantly be thinking about the huge array of things that will go wrong, and that you may well not know how to fix at first, and rendering, one of the most important parts of the process, requires strong working knowledge of scientific light theory. Once you've fought with your computer for days you then have to see how your creation will render, which can take more than a day for a single frame even on tens of gigabytes of RAM. 99% of people don't see beyond "we throw money at geek, geek make pretty pictures that look off".

Again, I'll reiterate 300, which uses human actors in a digital world, there is no imperfection there aside from the ever so slight "CGI look" caused by their low budget and time constraints. Sticking a man inside a digital armor would look amazing if taken care of well. Even the marines faces in the DOW intro were horribly out of place, they didn't have the time or resources to render it through a WETA sized pipeline over thousands of hours.

[Immortal]

The idea of an unknown cast ( plus 1-2 known actors) is very good. But it's prett clear that the film should be done mixed CG & live actors so that it feels real. & please no 300/ LotR
LotR is ..wel LOTR! & 300 was total crap. We want to show that no matter how grim & dark the future is humanity survives. Besides there aren't small forces getting wiped in 40k. Only large crushed by stronger &/or larger force.

[z0MBy]

hell fucking yea!
but not nessasarily a "warhammer 40k" film because tehre are to many armies..
perhaps somthing similar to "starship troopers" (for whoever has seen that it fcuking rocks!)
space marines vs tyranid battle for macragge..

[nick2512]

Perhaps a series like what the Star Wars did?, 1st film will talk about the Emperor and the creation of his Sons and the beginning of the Great Crusade.
Second film will tell the tale of how Horus fell to the ruinous powers and the Horus Heresy.
Third film will show the current state of the Universe right now or scrap that and tell the whole Horus Heresy in 1 or 2 films.

[Militaris]

In a word..... "YES."

The opening cinematic scenes for DoW and DC flat out rock. Would love to see a feature film of this quality, especial of the quality used for the original DoW and WA.

[Immortal]

Booo! No Ultramarines! They suck! Bring the Black Templars / Blood Angels / Blood Ravens / Imperial fists / ...anything that ain't ultramarine blue..please for Emperor's sake! As for Horus Heresy movie... it's gonna be really hard to make it unque so people don't say " LotR rip-off". And nothing like Star Wars! Can you imagine the whimpy Rebel Alliance in the 41 millenium? It'll be crushed like a bug ( As should've Lucas made the Galactic Empire do in SW!)

*Back to the tomb* :Skull: :tomb:

[nick2512]

oh no Star Wars theme. You know how episode 1 follow Anakin Skywalker, 2nd episode is about his jedi apprenticeship and 3rd episode is how he become Darth Vader?. Do something like that?.

How is the Horus Heresy gonna be the same as LotR?. I just don't see it


Recount the battle of Isstvan III and Isstvan V. How a few Loyalist were able to inflict heavy casualties on the Traitors. How they survived the virus bombing and the final moments of the before the orbital bombardment. I got a script for it right here, its called "Galaxy in Flames".
:nyah: :lol: :lol:

[Crazy_Goat]

I have to agree the poster above, you wouldn't be able to do the massive amounts of carnage justice, except maybe in the spce battles etc. Would probably be much more effective to focus on just one tactical squad in the usually way hollywood does these 'its a big war but we're only looking at this because' with some special mission or they've become isolated etc.

Some sort of heroic last stand against a horde of orks (bit zulu esk) couldn't make the movie involving tyranids, be way to many people shouting the normal crap like 'they've ripped off aliens'

As for doing the horus heresy, it'd be to big to do the story justice in just one movie.

[Solo4114]

I think it'd be better suited to a trilogy that focuses on one group's experiences within the scope of the war. Or that focuses on, say, the Primarchs with maybe a few trusted lieutenants to give you a reason to show the full battlefield scenes.

[Immortal]

How abaut if they made WH40K vs StarCraft? I'm selling my soul to see the StarCraft races either burned/slaughtered by Space Marines , or !Exterminated! in creative ways by Necrons. :cylon:

[R-A-B]

Making a good 40K movie would have to be CGI, its the only way to make it financially viable. Set design, costumes, effects in an actor environment would just cost too much for the amount of on screen action we would expect.

Also it the protagonist would have to be someone in Imperial Guard, only army we can moderately identify with.

[Lictor]

This would be great!
The Imperuim of Man should be attacked by all races, maybe even a three way war!
I'd love to see a Tyranid Invasion unfold, too.

[Lomax]

While I like the 40K universe, I don't think it's movie material. Too dark, too over the top totally fucked up.

[overmind2000]

lomax - consider that dawn of war has a mini story to it and it not too messed up.
RAB - no it would be the Space marines - why - because they are the (stastiscally) the most popular army to collect. Further when you mention 40K to a non-GW player they instantly think of space marines.

Personally I am surprised that one is not already on the cards, big action film with a huge array of possible enemies and story lines. Chances are that any film company would hack the origianl source material to pieces (esp an american one) and result in one of two different types of film: a dark and brooding one which aims at a more adult age group - more blood guts and chaos; or a film which would aim for a 15 or so rating which would be sightly less graphic.

[cmstophe]

While I like the 40K universe, I don't think it's movie material. Too dark, too over the top totally fucked up.

Too dark? We already have incredibly dark and grim movies, this is not a problem.

Too over the top? Only certain tiny aspects, like acid-spitting Marines. Stuff like that doesn't need to be shown.

Too fucked up? What's that supposed to mean? Too violent and too many daemons running around with heads on pokey sticks? All the better for movie material.

It's definately movie material.

[Lomax]

IMO there might be some small time movies or even a direct to DVD animated movie, but there is no way a big company will do that. Or the movie would suck balls...remember the D&D movies? Worse.

[Anubis]

I think there is a lot of great idea's for a 40k film only needs the right man and crew to do it, someone like peter jackson. It would have to be CGI, SM and CSM power armor would i think be impossible to do in live action and there are alot of good cgi movies out there now, advent children springs to mind, so i reckon it is possible.

Whether anyone or GW will let anyone do it, who knows.

[cmstophe]

Gimme a break. Nobody ever thought they'd make a LOTR movie and when they said they were doing it everyone was skeptical and thought it could never be done. Like Anubis said, they just need the right man to do it.

[Glubtrak]

I can't really imagen any other Warhammer movie except one about the Horus Heresy. It's there that it really becomes apparent what differentiates Warhammer from the next science-fiction universe. It's also a good story to tell with plenty of Drama and plot twists.
Also, I think that a movie with real actors would suit the universe better. I'm sure you can do the Space Marines justice with clever suit design but of course, plenty of special effects are a must.
A Peter Jackson approach to the movie would be nice but remember that changes to the original stuff have to happen in order to translate it to the big screen, and you may not like these changes.

[Ruckuz]

well I would never buy into. It would cost to much and you'll probably have to assemble it before anything.

[GRIM Ripper]

making the book "storm of iron" into a movie would be sweet too... i think it would be best to have IG as the main "good guys" with some SM support and then whatever enemy. would probably be best to see chaos bc they are a mix of "regular" looking humanoids and then you can throw in demons and that sort of thing to jazz it up.

i think a wh40k movie could easily be done well...

[SandGoose]

A Dawn of War movie?
I personally don;t think so, not so much based off the game, but the series itself.
You know what I mean?
Not the Dark Crusade, but the Horus Herecy.

[Terrordar]

Well, its been a VERY long time since I last posted, so I just had to put my chips in.

If they were to do a Warhammer 40,000 movie. It should only have the history of the Emperor and Horus shown at the very beginning. Showing the Emperor conquering worlds, then the Heresy, then the final duel, all in under five minutes, before moving into "And in the 41rst Millennium, 10,000 years after these events. The Imperium still stands... But not without a world of horror... and war." And after that line, do a quick flash of each of their enemies, to keep the fans of armies that can't broadly appear in the movies content.

From Orks storming over an Imperial Position. To Tau Firewarriors securing a location from surrendering Guardsmen. To Necrons marching through a dead, and lifeless city. To Tyranids, devouring a lush, beautiful world. To Chaos, cutting through and destroying innocents before them. To Eldar, sneaking through the shadows, dozens of slain bodies left quietly behind them.

The movie's main characters should predominantly be Imperial Guard, however. Now, I believe Space Marines should be in the movie, but say there was only a limited number of them. An entire planet beset by war, defended by its people and Guardsmen, with only half a company of Space Marines there to assist them.

The enemies should be either Chaos, or Orks.

And more or less, start with 4 Imperial Guard characters who would be considered major. One space marine, but not one who takes up the bulk of the character development. The Marine is not there for the end of the movie. The movie and the final battles should be won by the Guardsmen, the common man overcoming the unspeakable horrors that have beset his world. And only one should be left alive by the end of the movie, the others dying horrible and grizzely deaths. The man himself though, should lose everything in the war, his family, friends, ect. Then the last part of the movie should be him doing a narrative, as if speaking to the past, as you see him hanging from the side of an Imperial Transport in Karsikan armor. Having signed on perminantly with his regiment, now being trained for killing and a hardened veteran, being sent off to the next hellhole to fight the enemies of man.

[Lomax]

Or he could wear a Commie uniform, delivering some inspirational ending speech that service in the IG made him a better person while occasionally shooting one or two of his men to keep up morale. I think I'd like that even better.

[Sixtus Salvatus]

Considering how many extremely poor game/movie conversions made, I tip it only a insignificant chance to succeed.

I honestly don't think GW will take the chance to make a grand scale movie project, they just seems too comfortable in their TT area, and only makes minor outsource projects with minor to soso results.

[DrChristmas3K1]

The thing about a Horus Heresy movie series is that it's nature as a prequel would be pointless to anyone who doesn't follow the game. The Star Wars prequels can't stand alone, but we can watch them because they shed light on a story. The Horus Heresy doesn't shed light on a story, it sheds light on some depressing stagnant facimile of one. In Star Wars, we get closure, and the prequels end with a hint of things to come. In the Horus Heresy, a good guy becomes bad because of magic, he makes everything crappy before he dies, and then everything gets crappier over the next few thousand years, with not a single sign of ever becoming less crappy for anyone. The end. There are plenty of great movies that end on bad notes, but they're relevant to something. The Horus Heresy is completely dependent on wacky magic for it's plot, aside from some Chaos Primarchs being sad that the Emperor is busy, or being pissed that the Emperor saved their life once. The Imperium didn't decline because of some system of belief, which doesn't appear until after the heresy, or government or because of some flaw in human nature, it fell because some guy got stabbed with a magic alien sword and was possessed by demons because he was unwittingly treated by witch doctors.

[SpArTy]

would then cast Al Pacino as
the Chaos Lord Bale
Say hello to my little... axe :S

[WraithLewd]

I think the movie should be done with puppets. Sorta like "Team America". Could you imagine a toy Rhino storming out of some fortified hold guns ablazin' mowin down Orks that were just milling about saying "Durka durka", music blarin in the back ground "Imperium! Fuck Ya! Were cummin to save the motherfuckin day ya!"

[CPK]

I would say make a trilogy
Episode one: Horus Heresy
Episode two: The Black Crusades
Episode three: The Tyrannic Wars

[Guardsman Yoshi]

My idea for a WH40K movie would probably be something like this.

Space Marines and Imperial Guard are defending a world against Tyranids or Chaos or something. In a distinct corner, a young boy or teenager is trying to escape from the whole thing. He meets a Space Marine who tries to protect him and in the end the Space Marine sacrifices himself so the boy can escape. Later on, the boy vows to become a Space Marine himself. Then it can have something like 10 years later, you see a much older version of that kid and he's donning Space Marine armor.

That's a very vague description, but it would have the formula for epicness though not very unique.

[holyknight]

You can't BECOME a space marine, you have to be born to be one.
He might become a very good guardsman or something.

I think the movie will be good if the director is good. Like Transformers, AVP, and all those other movies based on stuff. They'll be good when the director, producers, and actors work real hard on them. That's just the way it is. If they don't work hard on it, it might become just like AvP...

[Xaran Alamas]

Holyknight, whilst it's true you have to be BORN to be a Space Marine, Space Marines aren't some seperate species who breeds within itself (see the lack of female space marines).
Space Marines were normal humans who underwent extensive gene treatments and implantation which transforms them into a Space Marine. This process is best done when the subject is still young so Yoshi's suggested story would work quite well.

[toron]

I would like to see WH40K done in the style of "A Band of Brothers" mini series. Following a squad of IG through some conflict on a far away earth like world.

That is an excellent idea! But it will only work if it is done only CG like the intro movie of Dawn of War, no real actors!

[DarthLysis]

There are many levels of sucess. Will it make more money than any one of the Star Wars movies? No. Will it make a profit? Yes.

Will the fanboys of the 40k universe be happy with it? No. The same thing that happened with the Wing Commander movie from their fanboys will happen to a 40k movie.

Will I be entertained? Oh yeah.

Lets hope it happens someday.

[jpsc949]

Who cares about 40k? A plain Warhammer movie would be far more interesting, and perhaps more likely given how many film studios are now cashing in on the success of LOTR (and almost all are failing miserably, pick a good book to convert to a movie for goodness sakes!). Also Warhammer Online will be more popular than DoW ever was (mmorpg obsessions ftl) so there will be a bigger fan base there.

[Xaran Alamas]

Who cares about 40k?


Relic Forums > Relic Games > Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War >

Anyway as for a 40k movie not being widestream enough, what you need is for the 40k MMO to be a big success which would spread word of 40k to those who might not be inclined to bay the TT game or DoW. Any coincidence that the Warcraft movie was announced after WoW had been out for a while? I think not.

[toron]

I don't get people who think that following true to the Warhammer universe or just using Warhammer univeres-races, weapons, worlds...will make same crucial difference to the quality of the movie.

For a good quality movie you "just" need a good director, producer and a big budget, everything else falls into place.

[Fightingfirst]

No a warhammer would not be good, firstly because anyone who is not socially retarded would not want to be going to see the film because you would just look like a geek. Secondly it would probably be to violent for the little kids to watch who actually collect the models, so the only audience they would get are adults who are aneracs and collect the models.
The only way they could atract any audience is if they took away the fluff completely and made a real crappy action movie and we really dont need anymore of those.

[xenos182]

This has probably already been mentioned but i think a horus hersey might be the only way it could work because of the whole good verse evil in a mixed type storyline.

[Shakrith]

I get the impression that a 40k movie would be 300 in space. And I really hated that movie. You'd really, really need to do it well, and there are many stories to tell which don't involve gung-ho space marines attacking chaos citadels:

1) The Imperium is a nutty place. Crazy, psycho religion. People who worship machines and a messiah who didn't have the good grace to go and die, but instead is in an eternal life-support machine requiring the souls of his adoring worshippers. A repressive, evil society in decline arrayed against things even more evil and depraved. If anything cries out for a movie about the Inquisition and chaos cults, it's this.

2) Getting inside a Space Marine fortress-monastery would be brilliant. A Warp Storm would be even better.

3) Space Marines may be popular, but if you wanted to make a movie, somehow after seeing 300 I don't think having a couple of hundred invincible superhuman war fanatics on screen for 3 hours is very entertaining. You get some pretty sweet fight sequences but absolutely zero character development. What this really means is you want the Imperial Guard... versus Chaos Space Marines, putting the bad guys as your superhuman war fanatics. You could make a story out of that.

4) The Horus Heresy?

The problem is, if you were making a 40k movie and wanted to make a profit, there'd always be the temptation to have it be the big battle for absolutely everything, which wouldn't fit the fluff at all. What would be a better movie is say this:

The Imperial Guard are defending an ordinary, unremarkable hive world against the Word Bearers Legion until the Blood Angels can come and relieve them. They're holed up in a gigantic hive city surrounded by void shields, trying to defend it from the invaders, but inside, there is cult activity - that's why the Word Bearers got to the world, they were summoned by native Chaos cults opening a Warp portal. An Inquisitor, already on the planet at the time of its being attacked, is investigating this and traces it all the way to the top - none less than the Planetary Governor, who secretly dreams of daemonhood. The protagonist would be a middle-ranking IG captain, who is trying to do his best to save the world - and he doesn't just come up against Word Bearers, but also cultists - and the Inquisitor is both paranoid and has a squad of Grey Knights with him, who are keen to prevent the world falling to Chaos at all costs. After a few adventures, plenty of action, importantly, DIALOGUE, you have the culmination: the void shield is about to fall to the Chaos bombardment, there's rioting in the streets, and the Grey Knights have executed the governor and are preparing to purge the hive and its millions of population before the Word Bearers can get to them. The IG captain is forced to commit treason against the Imperium, everything he believes in, in order to save all these lives: he storms through the city, and with a crack squad of storm troopers, assassinates the Inquisitor and takes out the Grey Knights through some spectacular means. The Blood Angels arrive, storming on jump packs down into the burning hive and driving the invaders off the world. Being the Imperium, our hero doesn't get away with it, and is executed before his men and the whole population as a traitor, presumed heretic. No happy ending, just the relief of the might of a Space Marine chapter coming down in fury on the Chaos Legion, and setting everything right - everything right according to their zealous and fanatical sense of right.

You see, what would make a few million would be a combat spectacular with space marines and daemons and blowing planets up. What would be much more interesting and make a lot more money is presenting the fantastic sci-fi world of religious lunacy, Inquisition, industrial serfdom, and normal human beings caught up in struggles between aliens and gods.

It'd be kind of like the siege of Minas Tirith in the Return of the King movie, how instead of launching into the impressive battle sequence right away, they had a long period of dialogue, of tension, of small battles and character development, and during the attack the action was broken up by scenes such as Gandalf talking to Pippin about going into the West. You'd have big scenes of the industrial nightmare of techpriests and sullen workers. You'd have the Inquisitor going paranoid, and the cold and silent Grey Knights following him. And you'd get big and small battles - cultists and the occasional Word Bearer infiltrator, even daemons, inside the city, and then the big one when the void shield goes down and the Raptors glide in amongst the buildings, with the poor IG trying to defend against vastly superior troops with more resources and the advantage of having no morals at all. And you'd have the question: is there really any difference to the ordinary people between the Word Bearers fighting in service of their dark gods and the Grey Knights in service of theirs?

[DougyM]

So you want LOTR in space?

And i personaly couldnt stand the cuts away from the battles so that we were forced to watch a midget trying to climb a hill.

[nick2512]

Mate, what is with LotR things?, I'm not a big fan of LotR in fact, I personally hated it.
Whats wrong wit the Horus Heresy?, Garviel Loken, Saul Tarvitz or Nathaniel Garro?.
Perhaps the siege of the Imperial Palace through the eyes of a Admistratum adept or a Imperial Fists battle brother?.
Watching the Sanguinius fighting the Bloodthirster in the sky up to Sanguinius's death at the hands of Horus. The titanic battle between the Emperor and Horus would get my money anyday. $20 isn't that much of a deal to see my favourite universe.

@Fightingfist I don't care what people think, If i get to see a movie set in my fav universe than its fine with me. You wouldn't look like a geek anyway, normal people might just pass W40k movie as an action movie.

[Nerdinheimer]

Well, I work in the movie business (I'm a writer, although direct a bit of tele too)

And I can answer this with 100% accuracy:

If they did make one it would suck. Why? Because there would never be enough guaranteed fan base for the studios to spend enough money on it to actually make it good.

Seriously, if they did make it any real fans would hate it because either:

1. It would appeal to the fan base and the studio would say no because they wouldn't be assured of getting their money back (and they'd probably be right).

2. the studios would get scared and want to change it all to appeal to people who didn't know the 40k universe, and almost certainly be written by a hack writer/director team who had done Doom or Starship Troopers2 or something and generally didn't give a shit. So it would immediately turn into a mess of boring exposition, lame characters and some guns going off. And even then it would still be cheap as hell.

All you'd get is a 40k version of Doom. And think of how bollocks that was.

The only chance there is, is if someone made a really fucking fantastic graphic novel that worked well, made the universe work in a movie length version, had a great standalone story and character that didn't rely on knowing anything about 40k, and someone could use it to convince the studio people to throw in enough money to make it decent.

Otherwise... you're better off hoping they don't make anything, because 99% it'll suck.

Hell, look at the issues getting Halo off the ground and that's way more known to people, and features standalone story-telling that would work into a film much more easily.

PS, this made me LOL:


For a good quality movie you "just" need a good director, producer and a big budget, everything else falls into place.
pretty funny the writer didn't get mentioned... I guess inventing the story, characters, dialogue is a minor technical detail...

[SenisterDenister]

I say HBO make a Horus Heresy Mini-series that would follow the Horus Heresy novels in work verbatim. Each part would be about and hour or so and it would be within 12 parts. That would give around 12 hours to cover it, which might work. If not, it'd still be really cool to watch on television, and I bet the DVD box set would sell like hotcakes.

[Shakrith]

I wouldn't think anyone would watch a movie which was just eight foot tall genetically enhanced superwarriors shooting and hitting each other for three hours straight. I can't see any movie being made which doesn't include the space marines, they're that iconic, but only the Guard would be suitable heroes. Gaunt's Ghosts?

[Melissia]

LotR is the precursor for Warhammer fantasy, and the likely inspipration for many of the key elements, so don't bash it TOO much :P

And that means it's at least in part the inspiration for WH40k, as well. Don't base your judgements entirelly off of the movies.

How would you feel if they made a crap movie of WH40k and a bunch of people went around saying "WARHAMMER SUCKS!!!!"?

[Shakrith]

It's true, I would really hate if they made a Warhammer 40k movie and made it badly. I'm no longer into the TT, but it would be an annoyance if they ruined it.

They just can't try and do some big, world-defining movie where everything in 40k appears in some colossal battle, because it would just suck. They need the more personal approach, I think.

[here2destroy]

If they do end up making a warhammer 40k movie.. it better be like a 3 parter or something... and it better the THE HORUS HERESY.

[Chicken_Fodder]

wow long topic.
I would not like to see it because the would ruin it but if they were to try and be successful I think Armageddon would be the way to go the horrus heresy while a good story I think has the flaw of the primarchs and the emperor just being to unbelievably bad ass for most people not into the game.

[Avatar of War]

Saying this like that gets a post locked Chaplain.

As to it becoming a movie, good idea, but the implementation would be impossible, you would either piss off the hardcore or the general publc.


Look at the Transformers movie by Micheal Bay, technically a success, but a lot of the hardcore fanatics have many many grudges against the movie: (Frank Welker not being used as Megatrons voice, Bumblebee not being a VW Bug, Jazz [the only ethnic transformer] dying for no reason other than being the only ethnic transformer)

While you could make a movie the general public would adore the hardcore fans would cry for years about not being represented, and a movie made for the hardcore would probably not be adored by the general public

[Dark_Avenger]

doesnt have to be about Dawn of war, 40k in general.

although I did think of this, I don't think that you could pull it off well.

you would have to focus on the space marines because they are "humanities finest". What else would you put in, you dont have enough time in a movie to reperesent the aweosmeness of Warhammer 40k

[Shakrith]

I think if you focussed on the Imperial Guard, with, say, a heretic commander facing the Inquisition and the poor troopers stuck between a Chaos/Xenos invasion of their world and the ruthless and over-zealous efforts of the Inquisition to purge their regiment it would be great. 40k isn't about the space marines, it's about the wildly dystopian Imperium and its oppressive state religion, in a conflict with even nastier aliens.

Here's how it could go. The Tau are invading a planet (why Tau? No good reason, it could be anything but Chaos). The Imperial Guard are holding them back from the planetary capital until the Blood Angels can arrive to save them (why Blood Angels? Because they're instantly recognisable, and they represent at the same time the nobility and the savagery of the Space Marines). Meanwhile the IG commander, despairing, turns to the Ruinous Powers for help, hoping that if he consorts with an Alpha Legion Lord and hands over the planet he might save it not for the Imperium, but at least for the human species, and hang onto power himself and win the favour of the Chaos Gods.

An Inquisitor is on the planet with a retinue of soldiers (Grey Knights or Sisters would be equally fine) and is more concerned that the planet might fall to Chaos than to the xenos invaders. He starts purging the Imperial Guard defenders, just when they're most needed, ruthlessly executing members of the Imperial hierarchy and torturing innocents to find the source of the Chaos conspiracy.

Our heroes are a squad of humble Imperial Guard. They fight the xenos in some scenes, they have perhaps civilian family they try to protect and help out, et cetera. But as the Inquisitor's purge heats up the Imperial defence starts to flag, losing men and commanders from internal fighting.

Eventually the commander's plan comes to fruition and the Alpha Legion storm out of the Warp onto the planet. Cue a two-fronted war: Xenos fighting the Imperial and Chaos sides, Chaos fighting the Xenos for the commander as they said they would and sacking the human cities as well, and the poor Imperial Guard trapped in the middle with the Blood Angels about to arrive and sort the whole mess out. The increasingly paranoid Inquisitor, upon seeing proof of the Chaos conspiracy - Chaos Marines! - starts killing people left right and centre. Our heroes are forced to fight their way through the burning city to stop the Inquisitor from inflicting Exterminatus - and they do.

The Blood Angels arrive, wipe out the Chaos taint, and massacre every human on the planet who had contact with Chaos.

The End.

[Avatar of War]

Well you would if it was a "Lord of the Ring-esque" epic trilogy, but those are rather hard to pull off, let alone get someone sit down a two and a half hour movie the first time.

[The Witchking]

I think it would be awesome! I have been thinking about this same question for a while and I'm glad you brought it up

[Makenshi]

Screw movies. I love cinema, but it's not the right way to catch big huge universes like W40k. TV series is the way to go!

I mean, take Stargate for example: the movie Stargate was a cool one but without a huge impact, as there was no space to expand the lore; the Stargate SG-1, on the other hand, is the supreme and ultimate TV series, beyond the realm of legends like X-Files. Stargate Atlantis is kicking ass right now, and Stargate: Ark of Truth is finally coming to seal what SG-1 left open (thought it should either have ended in Season 8 or continued until at least Seaon 15). The franchise is nowhere as big as W40k, yet has been enduring for more than 10 years!

Sincerely, people, would you like a 3 hours W40k movie, or a 10 years TV series showing with details the dark and grim future where there is only war?

A trilogy like Lord of the Rings would be nice to introduce the lore, but only the TV series would make the trenched warfare... err, I mean... the job. :D

[NightBringer]

the problem with creating a TV series is the broadcasters... for example, when it was on sky one, i watched Friends religiously and wa always up-to-date o what went on. then when E4 bought the rights to it, i missed about 4 entire seasons because i didn't have E4 to watch it on.

more recently, with, using your example, i have missed the last 2 seasons of SG1 and the last 3 seasons of Atlantis because 1) i dont have cable or digital in my house and 2) i dot watch TV anymore.

at least if it were in a movie i know there would be nothing (except lack of money) to stop me watching it, or buying the DVD.

personally i would love to see GW follow peter jacksons example and cinematise some of not all of the black library novels (man seeing Esienhorn, Revanor or the Horus Heresy on the big screen would be a dream come true!(and i'm sure many others would love to see the gaunts ghoss novels although i havne't read them))

[Joseph]

We have the technology and creative skills that a Warhammer 40k movie could be great. However, I am fairly confident that Hollywood would bend it over a barrel and rape it mercilessly. I'm sorry if that is offensive, I have seen too many good ideas destroyed by a small group of individuals that care more for the bottom line than how well the movie is executed.

I'm fairly sure there would be some love interest, there would have to be. That is a mandatory thing in a movie. Or even more than one person falling in love with one of the main characters, in which case someone would end up either dieing or falling in love with someone else. Just look at Starship Troopers.

I could go on but it is a sad state of affairs.

[Arag]

However, I am fairly confident that Hollywood would bend it over a barrel and rape it mercilessly.
"Imagines a Space Marine bending over a barrel..."

There are no chances for a W40K movie/series. Why?
Because the world is too depressing. If you read between the lines of every W40K book then you will see that there are no good guys. Everyone is more or less "evil".
Even the goody-two-shoes Tau aren't good by any standards.

Such a movie/series would ooze with fanaticism, death, hopelessness and grim nihilism. Compare this to Friends, 7th Heaven or any other mass market series.
It doesn't look good, does it?

[Jopax]

You know what would be good, a cartoon series, but not normal, something like that SW:Clone Wars anime, but more brutal, short episodes of 20 minutes maybe more, showing parts of great wars, battles and stuff, like the Heresy, battle for Macragge, Black Crusades.Maybe even some battles from DoW, like DC, or even SS.
Showing the best parts, very little talk, and lots of action, this would be great to encompass the universe because it can be fragmented in a lot of pieces, while a movie would be great it would either be too long or it wouldn't give enough lore/action/charachters.
So i am for an anime, but a 40k styled anime with 40k like art, not Japanese like the SW anime but more 40k :D

[cmstophe]

"Imagines a Space Marine bending over a barrel..."

There are no chances for a W40K movie/series. Why?
Because the world is too depressing. If you read between the lines of every W40K book then you will see that there are no good guys. Everyone is more or less "evil".
Even the goody-two-shoes Tau aren't good by any standards.

Such a movie/series would ooze with fanaticism, death, hopelessness and grim nihilism. Compare this to Friends, 7th Heaven or any other mass market series.
It doesn't look good, does it?


This is an argument I see a lot and I think it is just people trying to hype up the despair factor of WH40K. Yes, we get it, the galaxy of 40K is depressing. That does not mean people would not eat it up, nor does it mean every single moment of every single piece of fiction written or filmed in the 40K universe must ooze death, despair, torture, suffering, and endless horror.

[Lancer]

So in other words, not anime, just an animated series?

By the way, "anime" is used to describe a very specific set of animated media. By any reasonable definition of the term, the Clone Wars animated series would not fall under "anime" any more than Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Here's some more examples:
Batman TAS (The Animated Series): Not anime
Family Guy: Not anime
Fullmetal Alchemist: Anime

[holyknight]

You know what would be good, a cartoon series, but not normal, something like that SW:Clone Wars anime, but more brutal, short episodes of 20 minutes maybe more, showing parts of great wars, battles and stuff, like the Heresy, battle for Macragge, Black Crusades.Maybe even some battles from DoW, like DC, or even SS.
Showing the best parts, very little talk, and lots of action, this would be great to encompass the universe because it can be fragmented in a lot of pieces, while a movie would be great it would either be too long or it wouldn't give enough lore/action/charachters.
So i am for an anime, but a 40k styled anime with 40k like art, not Japanese like the SW anime but more 40k
starwars clone wars wasn't anime. It's made by cartoon network, which is american company ;) I so loved that series.
I completely agree with him, it should be short, action with blood, and gory. No love, no dialouge (not much anyways), just war, blood, killing, chainswords, axes, bolters, death :)

[Versian]

A 40k movie? It would be a success, except that it would have to be marketed so that non-40k fans would watch it as well.

The problem is storyline. Something like the Dawn of War story is good, but maybe too minor in scale to make it epic enough for the movies.

Then there's major stuff like the Horus Heresy, but that has too many characters (primarchs) to fully explain all of them.

I'm sure it would be good though, lots of action. 40k can be deep. Just look at the Iron Warriors... deep stuff man. I respect the Iron Warriors, favorite CSM Legion. 40k can cut it for a movie, we just need a master Director. (No, not Peter Jackson, I still want a 3 hour long movie, but I don't want to sleep through it)

[IVE'S]

I would love to see it. We would all love to see it. But thats just it, we're all gamers and 40k lovers. I doubt the film would appeal to the broader community unless it was marketed in a clever way like 300. Come to think of it a CG movie would work like that. After all thats why 300 was watched so much, it boasted gore, CGI, fighting. Kind of what 40k would bring to the screens. That alone pretty much ensures every guy out there would watch it. For the girls??? Well maybe an emotional undercurrent could be added like....well..um...dare I say a Space Marine falls in love???
*awaits relentless fanboy flames*

[Shakrith]

Space Marines never love. Never, ever, ever.

[NightBringer]

who says a movie has to cater to both genders? and who says you need a 'love story' to interest women? movies are literiture in visual form, and the two subjects of literiture are sex and death, 40k covers the latter very well, but doesn't need to cover the other (although in the inquisitor novels; eisenhorn and revanor, there are love stories thrown into the mix)

[Avatar of War]

While 300 and Sin City worked; Beowulf did not.

Its always a risky proposition with these things. And 300 only worked because Sin City did.

Its one of those catch 22s. A good 40k movie would work worldwide most likely, but would it be popular here?

Think about the move Leon: The Professional it grossed a mint worldwide but is still considered only a cult classic in North America.
And the same goes for the Transformers move, grossed a ton here and in Japan but not nearly as much worldwide.

It would be a hard sell for any movie based on a Gamesworkshop tittle. Now if the World of Warcraft movie is a success, I'm sure there would be a Warhammer movie of somekind in the future.


Just as long as somebody binds and gags and beats Uwe Bowle so he cant bid on the project.

[CODChimera]

Well you would this would be a movie impossible to ruin but the AvP movies proved anything can be ruined :S

Horus Hersey would be a great start. Can just picture the Imperium at its finest as we see the Space Marine chapters winning battle after battle, marching through the streets at full strength, then watching as they fall to Chaos and turn on the still loyal chapters.


Why do people think a movie wouldnt work? you have all the table top players and dow players interested for a start. For everyone else it would be a new universe and sci fi setting to get into, not much else around atm.

[kommissarprower]

I'd really like to see a movie based on the Horus Heresy (the only relevant plot in the whole univierse). They got plenty of books to back it up.

[NightBringer]

i thought beowulf was a great movie, although i say that because of the technology, the story was shallow (obviously due to a sht load of stuff missing form the book)

no, offence, but it doesn't matter if a films popular in the states, if its popular somewhere, the studi is gonna make money from it, like leon, as you say.

and another thing, why would a warcraft film have to be successful to judge if a warhammer film would be successful? Games workshop's IP's have been around a lot Longer than Blizzards. they have an enormous fan-base world-wide in more mediums(decent of angels sold 400,000 more copies in th UK than any other chart novel on its release, the only reason it was ranked 400th was because copies bought fro Games Workshop didn't cont towards book sales) than blizzard who are restricted to games.
i would say that a warhammer movie, whether 40k or fantasy would be very successful, without something like warcraft preceeding it

[Zenny Ark]

You should take into consideration that times are changing, so do people's tastes. Which is why most movies require some sort of love story added into every plot as you may have noticed. Even 300 had a heartbreaking moment where the wife realizes the soldiers died as well as his husbands (I'm no good remembering names). And considering the grim future we know and love, that will be hard to add in, though we know that's impossible. We have yet to hear of a love story between an alien and a soldier of the Imperium. And pray to God we won't get something like Brokeback Mountain in the 41st millenia.

[Xaran Alamas]

Just as an aside I'd like to point out that Warcraft is now branching out into more than just computer games, there are novels, comics, mangas, an RPG, a card game, a board game and even yes miniature's game coming out later this year.

While Games Workshop has been established in other fields for longer, WC's expansion beyond computer games is not so different from GW's own expansion from first just doing minis for roleplaying to it's tabletop battle games which then spawned novels, graphic novels, RPGs and even computer games.

All that said, I doubt the success of a WC movie would have much bearing on a 40k movie. I would like to however say that I would love to see a 40k movie.

[NightBringer]

40k brokeback mountain would be cool!!!

revanor makes reference to more 'conventional' forms of those relationships (gayers), so theres a nice thing to note about the human race 38,000 years in the future lol

actually i have noticed that (about love stories), and i dont think it would be too difficult in a 40k movie (the horus heresy books pull them off quite well)

[Escushion]

The 40K verse is not only too big for a feature film, but there's also no one 'central' story you can concentrate on.

Star Wars is big, as the tons of novels show, focusing on and telling the story of the Star Wars universe from different characters, and even different timelines. But the core story has always been Luke and Vader, and Anakin Skywalker's path to redemption and Luke's rise from a farmboy to Jedi knight. This way, the cast and crew have a focus, a single concrete story around which to build and concentrate their creative minds and efforts.

I guess the closest thing to a central story you could get to is the rise of the Imperium, and the following Horus Heresay and its conclusion. Still, it's still not the definitive 40K story. It's important backhistory, but it's still just that; backhistory. At least with the Star Wars prequels there were characters that had major roles throughout the whole saga, like Anakin and Obi-wan.

Look at Knight Yellow's post for example:




You know you're lacking a creative focus to concentrate your efforts around when all you can come up with for the central characters is 'Imperial Guard commander' or 'Chaos commander'.

This is why 40K is bad to make into a movie, and still bad to make into a series. You could make a series about the Imperial Guards, then make another about a Space Marine chapter, but there's still no central beacon or tale that the audience can relate 40K to. And there's only so much money in the world.

When you think Star Wars, you think Luke and Vader. When you think 40K, you think Horus Heresay, Fall of the Eldar, Space Marines, Tyranid invasion, Gaunt's Ghosts, Eisenhorn, and on and on and on. That's 40K's unfortunate problem in this situation.

40K's an awesome universe. There's so much there to tell with the games and novels. But you can't make it into a movie or series without some kind of central story or epic that can, in a single work of motion picture or literature, fully define what 40K is and embody the spirit of 40K.

I hope everyone went and read this post so many pages back, because it hits the nail on the head.

[Sartan]

if using space marines what chapter would be portrayed and what historical storie lines would be done.

also the alien races have 100's of different armies which one or one's of them would be portrayed

personally id like to see the blood angels or a death company splinter chapter that way you could have the marines fighting for mankind against the enemys of mankind and fighting thier own demons and decent into chaos also you can feature flashbacks to the horus heresy through visions of sanquinius

[Escushion]

You really don't need the Horus Heresy to tell the story. All people need to know is that it's the future, mankind has lots of enemies, and God is largely ineffectual. If sequels were to be made, then you get into details. But a first movie has to be about its own story, not the 40k universe.

[Zenny Ark]

A prime example would be the games so far. Take DoW vanilla which focused strongly on the story of a Blood Ravens chapter and such. And from DC to SS the story went to whichever faction you'd play as. My point is that you can choose to concentrate on a perspective or point or hit a more broad content. From the Blood Ravens to a 9 race war. Think about that :cube:

[IVE'S]

As for whether movies based on games work or not, I'd say if you looked to the past, games never really made it (i.e. the aforementioned DOOM and Resident Evils). But the future does look promising with the Warcraft and Street Fighter movie-tie-ins which are coming about. It seems that games are a great medium from which hollywood can get ideas from, but so far its potential hasn't been reached.

EDIT: Oh and a thought just came to mind. IF the role of a SM was played by actors and not CG, I'd say the best fit for the size and muscular form of a SM would be good ol' Arnie.

[holyknight]

you think Star Wars, you think Luke and Vader
not for me, I would think of clone troopers fighting droids, because that timeline was my favorite, even though the movies of that timeline were horrible (episode 1-3).
Why not just make a movie from a novel or something? It could always tell the backstory of horus heresy with that introduction with "in the future, there is only war" and make it like starwars beginning or something.
Anyways, I still think short series would be good, like in my previous post (a page back)

[TurkeyFried]

They could do a movie adaptation of Love Can Bloom.

[lonenurgling]

If it was based of a book from black library i think it could work..as long as it isnt halfed ass.... Like Gaunts Ghost: Necropolis

[CODChimera]

The Star Wars universe has just as many "non-central" storylines as WH40K. Don't really see how a film would be a bad idea just because they don't already have a movie about 40K.

The Horus heresy could be made into a great central storyline. "Imperial Commander" goes for Star Wars AND WH40K :)

[BubblesFloat]

they should do storm of iron, that would be an epic movie :D

[Verdius]

You really don't need the Horus Heresy to tell the story. All people need to know is that it's the future, mankind has lots of enemies, and God is largely ineffectual. If sequels were to be made, then you get into details. But a first movie has to be about its own story, not the 40k universe.

I agree to this however I think it'd be best if they did a sort of intro to the movie in the same way most of the 40k books have the usual Imperium intro. You know the "there is only war". At least that way they have a more or less general idea of what the whole story is.

[Mithie]

Have we put forth the idea of a romance story of a vindicare assassin tasked to kill an eldar farseer but ends up falling in love with her, and like, the entire movie could be one big tragic romance flick where they elope but end up getting shot by the inquisition yet?

Because that would be really cool.

[Asmodemus]

If there wasn't any romance in the movie it could work, but with Hollywood the rule is to add a sex scene and a love story to anything rated R or above so the movie would fail horribly as a Warhammer story.

[Avatar of War]

If there wasn't any romance in the movie it could work, but with Hollywood the rule is to add a sex scene and a love story to anything rated R or above so the movie would fail horribly as a Warhammer story.

Yeah because Lord of the Rings had so much sex in it. And whoo doggies all those romance scenes... how many were there again 2 or 3 scenes depicting a not so hot and heavy love between Aragon and the elf girl, which if you combined them would end up being 5 to ten minutes TOPS and thats on the high end?


If there was going to be such a movie I am quite sure it would have a GW representitive there at all times to approve every single move the director makes, and I'm also pretty sure that the only sex scenes in the film(if there were sex scenes would have something to do with Chaos and Slaaneesh in specific.

Biases aside, I think it can be done, on the other hand I don't think it should be done.

[IVE'S]

I agree to this however I think it'd be best if they did a sort of intro to the movie in the same way most of the 40k books have the usual Imperium intro. You know the "there is only war". At least that way they have a more or less general idea of what the whole story is.

This could probably be done in a Lord of the Rings style intro. One narrator briefly explaining each races history with eachother, obviously only those races involved in the story, while a sort of black and white CG battle rages etc, etc. But if they sign that guy who did the DC/SS intros, I'm going to boycott the movie :(.

[DespotSheep]

the movie will be like AVP 2.
Full of sensles mindless action. Because the Universe is so vast.. they can maek it into lots of movies lol.. different perspectives. =P

[m10 101]

If you are looking for a story or script for a Warhammer 40k
movie, you don't need to look anyfurther than the original Dawn of War's campaign story.

It had the 5 core races (excepting the Tyranids of course) from Warhammer 40k,
Chaos, Space Marines, Orks, Eldar, and the Imperial Guard.
It has Characters,
Captain Angelos, Isador, Macha, Colonel Brom, Toth, Sindri, Bale, Orkamungus

And it has a story (Don't care to explain, but I can assume most of you know it.)

[DespotSheep]

full scale WAAARGH ? he he

[TurkeyFried]

Have we put forth the idea of a romance story of a vindicare assassin tasked to kill an eldar farseer but ends up falling in love with her, and like, the entire movie could be one big tragic romance flick where they elope but end up getting shot by the inquisition yet?

Because that would be really cool.

Beat ya to it.

[bman3k]

It would only work if it was CG in my opinion, it would look too tacky and bad if it was live action. Also, it must include a Force Commander killing a Bloodthirster :). I think the plot would have to be based around SM vs Chaos (simple) for a broader audience to enjoy, also heavy on action (thinking original DoW intro).

[simmo]

the only director that could pull it "live action" of would be peter jackson imho and i think he could do it well for both mainstream and hardcore fans as well due to his earlyer work in splatter movies such as braindead etc... would have to be r18 imo also and epic like lotr.

[Dan Ball]

Of course you could make a movie from Dawn of War, all 4 games have a Storyline.

[FIG]

The only way it can be done is full CGI and it has to be told like a war movie, not a movie about one central character who is a hero or omnipotent. I think a movie that starts off with a Space Marine the way it does in the comic is excellent because it introduces you to the reality of living in that universe and how one rises through the ranks and you can introduce the audience to the way everything works as the main character experiences it all alongside you. Or maybe a movie as told through the eyes of an Imperial Guardsmen or Kaskrin soldier in sort of a World War 32 style and his rememberance of the Horus Heresy and watching the Emperor fall in battle.

[Jopax]

Does anyone remember the ancient WH40k game Final Liberation, it had real live actors, which was popular back then, and it look very good besides the orks and the size of the marines, it was a good work, and im still for an animated series.
And as for me saying SW was anime i said that because even it was made by CN it had something in it that looked like anime, the charachter looks, battles everything had that subtle anime look in it.

[Jim the Cadian]

Fimal Liberation, good times, good times.... For the Ork warboss, I'll laugh so hard I'll pee my pants if I see the governor of California as the Warboss, or maybe a Space Marine. Even though this topic has been repeated many, many, many times, I am actually suprised that the mods actually did not lock it!

[battledaemon]

any one thought of the battle for Macragge?? not gona read 61 pages of posts!!
why is everyone thinkin about a fan base?? aload of films out there were never heard of...Beowulf for example, who here read the old english poem?(its actually very hard to read old english i've tried...) beowulf had no fan base (well maybe some one who studied it in college) if a movie gets a good commercial and the movie is solid the audience will come but the advertising will need to be kickass. you know the phrase "build it and they will come"

[puenboy]

The T'au could use people in T'au clothes armors and helmets and Etheral and Necrons can be special effect maybe.

[Soul]

Look the easy answer is to start from the start! Start with the age of strife and how Mankind had expanded into space only to almost wipe itself out. From here talk about the warp storms that hinder communications between Mans Empire, give examples of planets / humans attempting to cope with the isolation.

Then go on to describe the rise of the Emperor on earth and his culling of the warlords and the creation of his genetic warriours and finally the creation of the Primarches.

From here move onto the loss of the Primarches and the begining of the great Crusade, detail the findings of some of the more interesting Primarches and the Emperor explaining he is there creator or farther if you like.

Then go on to Detail the Horus Heresy and the siege of Earth! Take about 3 films todo this in detail but planned correctly this could all be done in one film.

[Rotlung]

Dune had a miniseries. It's hard to see why Dawn Of War can't have a similar approach.

[NightBringer]

the battle for macragge wouldn't be successful because it would just be pinned as a starship troopers clone.

i agree that th best way to narrate the film would be like a war story rather than a personal one with a central charater. i think a good example of the way it should be shown is Troy, it was very objective in the way it told the story, where the only person you could really see as the 'bad guy' was agamemnon(sp). show the horus heresy like that would be great!

[zuma]

how i picture a DoW movie: Saving Private Rhyan meets Starship Troopers

[Frankie7508]

I don't think a w40k movie could necessarily be pulled off without the majority of people thinking it looks corny. That said, I would love to see a Horus Heresy film based on the book series. It could include a pseudo-tyranid type race with the megarchnids on Murder, and obviously Chaos on Davin and later when the legions turn. I think the whole betrayal/revenge idea sells pretty well.

[Skratu]

I thought up this scenario:

The film would be centred on two guardsmen, best friends, have grown up on the same hive-world, fight in the same regiment etc..
They are sent to fight the Tau on the Eastern fringes. When a hive fleet menaces the imperium, however, the Imperial forces have to rapidly withdraw to face the new threat. In the course of doing so, several Imperial guard squads are abandoned behind the tau lines. Hopelessly outnumbered and feeling betrayed, these squads surrender to the Tau and agree to serve the Greater Good in exchange of their lives. One of the main characters would be in one of these squads, another would be sent to fight the tyranids. The guardsman fighting with the Tau would join them in fighting some Kroot who have come back from an expedition corrupted by Chaos, and would prove himself invaluable by his extensive knowledge of chaos (the Tau are relatively ignorant on the matter) and by becoming an advisor to the ethereals. He will rapidly build strong friendships with Tau and Kroot and come to prefer the Greater Good to the Imperium. Meanwhile the film will also show the war against tyranid swarms his best friend is fighting in another area of the galaxy. The latter, through his fighting prowess, will be singled out by an Ordo Xenos inquisitor who will ask him to join his inquisitorial retinue. Once the nids have been wiped out, he will travel back to the Eastern fringes where he will be compelled, against his will to hunt down his former battle brother, guilty of 'forsaking the imperium and fighting alongside foul xenos'.

What do you guys think?

I think it would be quite a good scenario, as the protagonists would be normal humans the spectator can identify with, it would show the dual nature of the imperium, and would also reveal the forces of Chaos, Nids and Tau, as well as of the Ordo Xenos (perhaps with some deathwatch marines) without it seeming contrived. The friendship/enmity between the two would be an interesting thing to explore, as well as their youth in a 40k hive world before they got recruited.

Would be interested in getting some feedback and knowing what people think.

[The Deciever]

I think it should be about the Outsider escaping from the dyson sphere and the warp being cut off by the necrons with the void dragon being found out as the machine god on mars

[chelovek_veliki]

The Warboss whould be played by Ron Jeremy. He IS the biggest and the strongest.

[Fenrael]

Full CGI, just do the story from the first game, would work well from Angelos' POV. While I liked the books by Goto, I think the plot lifted directly from DOW/WA would fit much better to a motion picture.

If it's of at least trailer quality from the first game it'd be superb.

[Xaran Alamas]

Wow, someone other than me who liked the novels!

I do agree though, the game's version of the story would make a better film. To make it more interesting for those who played the game they could expand on the events on Cyrene for instance.

[Andreaz]

For what it's worth I think a movie by a talented, inspired director and with a big budget for marketing and a few big moviestar names will surely succeed.
But I'd rather have no movie at all than a bad uninspiring movie.

The story should begin small, possibly with a young recruit in the Imperial guard. The viewer could observe the incredible wonders of the Warhammer 40k universe through his eyes, the eyes of a normal human. We would witness his first battle against an enemy. This first enemy should be fairly recognizable, heretic humans on a human world. Slowly the true evil behind the heretics would become apparent for the first time in the form of a few chaos demons. We should witness the shock and horror in the eyes of the recruit who never saw something like it in his entire life. Just when he starts to wonder how they could ever hope to defeat an entire army of pure horror the young recruit would meet the superhuman Space Marines. They would be towering above him in their impressive battlesuits. We as viewers would share is awe and hope. etc. etc.

[Fr3quency]

that pretty much sums up what I expect from a dawn of war movie andreaz

[Demonhorde]

Just aslong as it doesn't turn into another, alone in the dark or doom or any other game gone movie! make it a epic LOTR flic or dont make it at all.

[dams]

Yeah good actors with a combination of a talented director,epicness(LOTR) and realistic visual effects is a perfect mix.

[Versian]

Peter Jackson did a good job with LotR, but I don't wanna see another king kong.

Also, a 40k movie would definitely have to be more than 1 movie, especially if it's gonna be about the Horus Heresy.

[FifteenHours]

Ok....firstly I just want to say that I had a much more thorough post than this, but when I hit reply, the damn computer here at school logged me out for whatever reason....piece of crap. So I'm sorry if this seems rushed or not as well detailed, but whatever...maybe I'll clean this up later :-P.

Anywho, I think that a 40k movie based on the Horus Heresy is a bad idea. While I think the Heresy is a great story, it does not convey the "here and now" of Warhammer 40,000.....The heresy might work for a Warhammer 30,000 film though hehe.

However, ignoring the Heresy all together can leave a disjointment in the 40k storyline for newcomers....leaving them wonder "Who is this Emperor guy? Where did these bad guys come from? Why are we all fighting? Does this theater have a bathroom?" etc. etc.

I think the best solution is to go the way of the first LotR film. In the beginning it has a decent length intro that gives a background that really conveys how we got to the "here and now" in Middle Earth. It explains "Big dude who likes rings causes a ruckus, other dude guys not pleased, hilarity ensues" so on and so forth. Of course that's a VERY sad understatement, but I'm just trying to rush to the point. The point is that they didn't make a film about the first war, why the alliances are the way they are, why this big eyeball wants his damn ring back, and all that....because while it's important background information for the trilogy, it doesn't take place in the current event of Middle Earth....leaving viewers unaware that this isn't how Middle Earth is "Now". So I say do a similar thing with 40k....start the movie with a good intro, that brings us up to snuff: "Dude man and his kids crusade, dude man's kids throw a tantrum, hilarity ensues once again", and then go from there....this sets the plot up....basically saying "This is WHY things are going the way they are in the film.....this is WHY the current storyline is this way".

Lastly, best way to convey the 40k universe to the average person is to give them characters they can relate to, that also convey the main concepts of 40k. Best race....the Guard.

"Why not the marines?" you may ask. Simple really....cold-blooded, killing machine supermen that just mow enemies faster than a John Deere doesn't really convey the truths of the 40k universe. It misconstrues into making it seem like there's lots of marines running around....leaves more confusion "The Imperium must be full of these dudes..It's obvious the Imperium will win this....why are they still having to fight seeing as how they are ultimate bad asses, and there are tons of em?...not so grim and dark after all..."

The guard, on the other hand, show the daily, regular struggle of humanity against the nightmares of the galaxy. That there are regular men and women, just like today, pitted against things that we could barely stomach the thought of. This conveys not only the common truth of the Imperium's war against the darkness, but also conveys the truly bloody and grim darkness of the far future.

[Xaran Alamas]

Right. IG should be this film's hobbits.

[neucromaner]

a CG cartoon like the opening of DOW would be HOT.

a real movie? i dun think so.

[Akira]

Lastly, best way to convey the 40k universe to the average person is to give them characters they can relate to, that also convey the main concepts of 40k. Best race....the Guard.

all i heard was "Space Marines, ate my baby..." in alll honesty f#ck the guard lol i want to see super human, genetically modified monks beaten the crap outta everything and chainswords to boot, not cannon fodder, running around crying about shell-shock... Space Marines ARE 40k, otherwise might aswell just make a WW2 film while we're at it...

[Versian]

Enough WW2 films already. I say we make a five part movie project, first 3 are about the Great Crusade, last two are about the Horus Heresy.

[NightBringer]

i would loe to see eisenhorn or revanor (or both) movitised, the way Dan abnett wrote those novels was like i was watching a mvie in my head anyway, so the script/stage directions are already laid out for the director!

either them or the Gaunt Books(which i havne't read yet but understand they are very popular)

[Soulprick]

The Gaunt books would be pretty good as there is a definite main character that is also a major persona in the TT game.

[Verdius]

all i heard was "Space Marines, ate my baby..." in alll honesty f#ck the guard lol i want to see super human, genetically modified monks beaten the crap outta everything and chainswords to boot, not cannon fodder, running around crying about shell-shock... Space Marines ARE 40k, otherwise might aswell just make a WW2 film while we're at it...

I think first to make the WH universe more friendly to outsiders of the whole deal it could start off with a movie focusing on an IG regiment. That way the SM could be seen every so often in the background as the super legendary heroes of mankind, really setting them up to be awesome as seen from the eyes of the ordinary man of the time who's more or less the same as the current day soldier. This way the audience then has a taste of what the SM are really about and just how significant they are. Not to mention following the IG the audience would also get a taste of what the very worst the universe has to offer and the sort of ordeals the average person has to face in such a brutal reality.

Then in following movies the SM could then take center stage in an epic clash of the titans battle. Then after seeing the hardships the IG had with fighting the same foes we can then see that the same trials are a walk in the park for the SM, the heroes of man, legends whose only foe are legends of enemy legions.

How's that idea sound?

[Soulprick]

You could have a movie with several "main characters", one being an IG slain in battle, then replaced by a Marine stepping over his body, to shoot stuff up.

Kinda like the SS intro, as a matter of fact.

[brothersamuel40]

I think first to make the WH universe more friendly to outsiders of the whole deal it could start off with a movie focusing on an IG regiment. That way the SM could be seen every so often in the background as the super legendary heroes of mankind, really setting them up to be awesome as seen from the eyes of the ordinary man of the time who's more or less the same as the current day soldier. This way the audience then has a taste of what the SM are really about and just how significant they are. Not to mention following the IG the audience would also get a taste of what the very worst the universe has to offer and the sort of ordeals the average person has to face in such a brutal reality.

Then in following movies the SM could then take center stage in an epic clash of the titans battle. Then after seeing the hardships the IG had with fighting the same foes we can then see that the same trials are a walk in the park for the SM, the heroes of man, legends whose only foe are legends of enemy legions.

How's that idea sound?

Your idea is along the lines of my idea for the first 40K film. Something along those lines, and perhaps a corrupt governor, orkz, and a main civilian character that helps show the contrast between those fighting and what not. Or something.

[Enochian]

One had already been started about the Blood Angels. It got dropped do to funding. It was an animated film and if it was rated R would have done well.

[K-Pooh]

Since when is Sci-fi freindly to outsiders? Sci-fi movies are meant to be disorientating and strange.

I think risks need to be taken. I think they should remain true to the franchise. The bottom line is...if it's a good story people will like it no matter if they are newcommers or people who have been playing TT for 20 years. Besides, if a newcommer does'nt necessarily understand everything, then maybe he/she will become curious and buy some 40k merchandise in order to find out more backstory.

[Kommissar]

if a movie was made it should be from guardsmen perspective, big space marines who are on your side, techicly, but are not too friendly.
the inquisition, which suspects you without you even doing anything.
scary people with psychic power, who are also ment to be on your side.

and then theres the eldar, chaos and orkz.
oh boy, just about everything is smarter or bigger than you.

[Keilden]

Mr T should play a commissar. I pity the fool who runs.

[Skratu]

What do people think of the scenario I posted earlier?

[Andreaz]

"a CG cartoon like the opening of DOW would be HOT."

Yes I think so too. I've watched that opening reel several times. It is superb. It is heroic, violent, awe inspiring etc.

Nevertheless I'm convinced a movie might succeed. I absolutely agree it should focus on IG. We need normal human characters to connect to, otherwise the movie would become sterile. But Spacemarines should be featured as the awesome superhuman fighting machines they are. We would see them through the eyes of the IG and feel the awe and fear of these normal soldiers for these huge incomprehensible allies.

We would of course also encounter the corrupted politics in the higher Imperial ranks. We'd witness a psyker going mad, we'd see a commissar surrendering to chaos etc etc.
I am convinced this could become the new Star Wars saga.

[chelovek_veliki]

I wouldn't have it focus on IG, or large-scale fighting, at all. I would make it about an Inquistitor and his/her retinue ferreting out Chaos on some godforsaken world.

Call of Cthulhu in space. :)

[NightBringer]

chelovek_veliki... that would be eisenhorn or revanor :P

[Magistratus Ex]

to lazy to read all posts so deja vü may happen.

Seeing those more than astonishing Trailers or Openings that are Warhammer related (especially DOW and Mark of Chaos) there is little doubt that a movie wouldnt be successfull. Hell if done right that would be the first movie in my life I would camp before the theaters.

But that is the Key point. IF done right that is!

When I look at those superduperomegatotallyawesome Blockfrickinbuster crap movies Hollywood is producing nowadays...well. Just imagine they put Ben Affleck as a Force Comm. and Orlando Bloom as a "Gay"Farseer. Than they put some actuall themes in it (Suicide Attacks of Ork Terrorist against Democracy and Justice) and the movie is a compilation of cheesy speaks and fudged up morale lessons.....just imagine and you will see that just too much can go wrong.

Yes I like to have a Movie with 40k theme. No I dont want a Hollywood Blockbuster...just let the guys do it who are doing the cutscenes! not Mr. E.T. Playmountain!

-edit-

Oh and one more thing. Of Course the Moneymongering Penguins behind the scenes in Hollywood would want to see the last 12 Year old boy spend his money in this movie. So no blood! when a sergeant cuts somebody in two pieces with a chainssword he will probably just fall over clean like a polished diamond. Just the thought at this kills me! better no movie couldnt bear such a risk!

[Fire Warrior]

Would it be cool? Yes, until you realize it's made by Hollywood who tend to mess everything up.

Would it be successful? On a wide scale? Probably not. It'd depend on the quality of the work. If it were NOT a crap-tastic movie, then it might draw more people in, and if it had critics praising or at least giving it the O.K., then it might draw in people. But still WH40k isn't as popular to the MAINSTREAM, yes the MAINSTREAM audience, as many other things are. It'd depend on the budget and rating of the movie, really. Which unless they get someone very respected and good, I doubt it'd be nothing more then a cheesy, holly-fied movie. FARSEERxFORCE COMMANDER ROMANCE.

[Magistratus Ex]

FARSEERxFORCE COMMANDER ROMANCE.

May the God Emperor, Khorne and Khaine protect us! (the God Emperor alone is not strong enough to take it with the stupidity of Holywuss)

[chelovek_veliki]

No no no. The movie shall be about the forbidden love between a Farseer and an Ork Warboss. Rejected by both their unfeeling societies, they roam the galaxy together with nothing but a ramshackle spacecraft and their eternal love. Sort of like Romeo and Juliette, but with pointy sticks.

[Asmodemus]

"I love you even though you're a foul-smelling Mon'keigh who is part of a race that is disgusting and dumb" "You bring about heretical thoughts so For the Emperor Die Xeno!"

That is an FarseerxForce Commander Romance.


The movie shall be about the forbidden love between a Farseer and an Ork Warboss.

Orks don't have a gender and reproduce by spores, so I'd doubt they'd feel love beyond the love of smashin stuff and their love of big guns and going fast.

[chelovek_veliki]

Don't be so shallow. Their love is spiritual. Who are you to judge?

[Xaran Alamas]

I'd like to contend with the not having genders thing, they clearly are male, I mean they use male pronouns such as Boyz :P. As for genitalia (woah, this is the second thread in as many days I've read which discusses Ork genitalia...) well, they generally present male personallities, also they have noticable er.. bulges in their trousers...

[Asmodemus]

also they have noticable er.. bulges in their trousers...

They have an underdeveloped third leg which for some reason their creators decided wasn't worth removing from their creations. :jester:

Really though I haven't noticed, and "Boyz" may simply mean groups of them or its what they heard some humans say in reference to a group which they adopted for their own use. The Orks often adopt human concepts for their own. "Trukkz" and "Kommandos" stand out.

[Xaran Alamas]

Ok then well the personallity comment still stands.

[Maniakes]

Does anyone remember the ancient WH40k game Final Liberation, it had real live actors, which was popular back then, and it look very good besides the orks and the size of the marines, it was a good work, and im still for an animated series.

omg i loved those scenes http://server.imageparadise.net/~web/image/pics/f0266761a16040082415ad64e2a85faa.gif
I would appreciate a movie of WH40k..i was thinking about 2 days ago http://server.imageparadise.net/~web/image/pics/98aabc77dde0769fc46fef528a3c535e.gif


One had already been started about the Blood Angels. It got dropped do to funding. It was an animated film and if it was rated R would have done well.

re-OMG. I didn't heard nothing about that..cool..i love blood angels http://server.imageparadise.net/~web/image/pics/bf10ca49e37c2b603530470d81b56325.gif

I'm still have convinction that 3 movies about Horus Heresy will be so cool. Maybe with a fast introduction about the creations of space marine, rising of the emperor and The Crusade..like Lord of The Rings preview (7 rings to the humans..blablabla..).
It's just a dream but..many people appreciated Star Wars so many times ago..why Warhammer 40.000 universe should be different? The story of Horus Heresy, Empire of Mankind etc is much more deep than others.. :D

[battledaemon]

a lot of films nowadays no ones heard of before like - hot fuzz(that just sorta came from nowhere)- and people - like me - just go by what they see on t.v so if the film was actually decent there would be no need for a huge fan base. I mean who doesn't want to see a film about a load of superhuman warriors fighting it out for control of the galaxy? the horus heresy would be a bit too long though so something smaller need to be thought of, i'm thinking Abaddons black crusades, opening brief history of the horus heresy showing Abaddon with Horus the fight between himself and the Emperor, then cut forward to a battle scene on Cadia.
What do yees think???

[Versian]

I mean who doesn't want to see a film about a load of superhuman warriors fighting it out for control of the galaxy? People who think it's too nerdy. And believe me, there's a lot of them out there.


the horus heresy would be a bit too long though so something smaller need to be thought of, i'm thinking Abaddons black crusades

I agree with you on the Black Crusades being awesome, but I don't think the Horus Heresy is too big. Of course it is big enough that 1 movie would not do it. Problem is, if you watch a movie that doesn't explain who the Emperor, the Dark Gods and other major deals people will be lost. Humanity revolves around the Emperor in 40k.

[hylander25k]

well, you can bet your lucky stars that if there was a warhammer movie a GW rep would be sitting right by the scripters, eagerly vetoing any unfluffy ideas.

As long as there is supervision, I do beleive that a warhammer movie could be a very good prospect. However it would have to be partially narrated (ala Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy style, minus the humor) to help the audience understand the larger scope/history.

However cool this would be, I doubt it would happen, for GW is way too protective of their IP to let it fall into the corrupt and evil hands of Hollywood.

[NydusTemplar]

Honestly, I am normally not one to skip ahead, but 64 pages, especially filled with some of these comments that make my brain hurt, is a bit much to take in. (I got about 25 pages into it before I started scanning, and not long after that before SKIP!) Besides, I end up seeing the same ideas over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again, dispite people repeatedly giving reasonable counter arguments that would make such choices implausible.

I've put most of my ideas into Spoiler Boxes since honestly, I tend to get long winded, but I also have alot to convey. Clickie if you dare (or have nothing better to do, or love losing your eyesight, or any other reason you'd read the CRAPTON of writing I'm about to do.

Yes, it could be fully computer animated, but honestly after the lastest Star Wars movies, where they couldn't even have a single freak'n person in a real set of Clone Trooper armor, I think it would be refreshing to see actual people in real costumes holding physical non-blue screen props, which could then be sold to actual rabid fanboyz for money to help off-set the costs.

Besides, from what I understand it, doing too much with CG is almost as expensive, if not more so, than doing it with props and actors.

Below are a list of things to bare in mind to make it successful while not being horribly unfluffy and TERRIBLE.

You'd MUST to reduce the uber-religious/fanatical overtones. Sure, its a bread & butter part of the 40K lore and universe, but today's audience would not approve, and not in the good way like the Church telling people not to go see 'Life of Brian' which in turn slammed people into the theatres to see it. But the Bad way, like people saying its a pro/anti war movie with pro/anti <insert canditate> here message that does/does not support their <insert political/religious here> view. And making a big, unnecessary stink about it causing the movie to be lost in a message it wasn't sending but is now plastered to it.

Yes, talk about the Emperor, say you're doing things for him, but make it sound much more like 'For America!/For England!/For Australia!/For New Guinea!/For United Arab Emerates!' only remove 'Random Country' and replace it with 'Imperium'. That's about the only way you can get away with the loyalistic and zealous tendancies of the movie with an American audience. 'Reference - 300'

Unfortunately, this may aggrivate the foreign audiences 'Reference - Independance Day'. But then again, ANYTIME America is saving the world, we're pompus jackholes. (Of course, nevermind that EVERY COUNTRY has movies where they save the day, and that's fine. Hippocracy FTW) So you'll have to be careful to not make it about 'Freedom' 'Liberty' and 'The Pursuit of Cash Monies!' It would have to be about something anyone can equate too without worrying about pissing in ideological cheerioes, and that is 'Duty' and 'Protection of Country'.

Very, Very, Very, Very, Very little Space Marine activity. People cannot relate with Space Marines in the same way they cannot relate to any ultra-religious zealot. If there IS to be a Space Marine, it should be a single character, who isn't the center of the story, more as an advisor to the main character, and participate in only one battle where he is the center of action, and have him beat the tar out of a horde of enemies single handedly, and possible some big nasty creature as a finisher.

Yes, Yes, I know, you are thinking "WTF, He'll be like Master Chief/300 than." Well, guess what, people LIKED those. Want the movie to work? Gotta make some connections. Make the sacrifice, Fan Boyz, for the Emperor! or <Insert Chaos Diety you <3 here> or Gork/Mork/Khaine/Ishira.

However, according to Lore, this is VERY fluffy, as Space Marines in small numbers do take on armies of huge quantities by themselves. So Fan Boyz dispair not! However, make it believable, filed into a narrow area, using a bolter to cut down swaths until they can only come at him in smaller numbers over the corpses of their fallen brethern, than bust out a melee weapon and choppy choppy.

The main protagonist of the movie should be human, at least in his views and actions. He's got to have a human side the people can relate to, make choices that human beings would make, and most importantly, be FORCED into making fluffy choices and show regret over them, not make them on a whim. Especially anything involving mass destruction, orbital barrages which wipe out civilians, abandonment of troops to the enemy, so on and so forth. Remember, the first and main objective of any and all media/entertainment is connecting with the general audience.

The Villian must be EVIL, as in the FRUITS of the DEVIL, EVIL. However, this doesn't mean he has to be a Chaos Daemon Prince with Soulgrinders at his heels slaughtering Tallaran civilians and drinking oil. He has to be insidieous, completely and utterly depraved, and badassed without being rediculously 'action villian-ish'. No Doom monster, no Baron Harkonnen, no Faceless Axe Murderer (Sorry Khornites), but whitty, devilish, clever, and most importantly, incredibly fun to watch. Like the Joker ala Jack Nicholson, or the Joker ala Heith Ledger. (Hell, even Joker ala Mark Hamil will do.) Again, the enemy cannot be overly zealous/religious the same as the hero, otherwise it smacks of 'Operation Iraqi Liberation' or 'OIL'.

The good must be clearly good and the evil must be clearly evil. No exception. While it is very 40K in that noone is good, and everyone is evil to a degree, you have to relate to the audiences, so the lines have to be clear cut. The audience needs to know who they are rooting for or against, depending on who they are. (Let's face it, ALOT of you people out their like to cheer for the bad guy.)

There must be a central driving goal or theme, a reason for the action, a source of the conflict. This should go without saying, but I don't like assuming, so here it is. Gore for the sake of gore, violence for the sake of violence, murder of the sake of murder, or anything else Chaos is into, is bad. Violence/Gore to show the grim realities of war, or murder to show passionate greed is good. There has to be motivation in all things, otherwise its just random and aimless, and that's not gonna do a movie very well unless its involving zombies, chainsaw slaughters, hockey masks, nightmares, or other established horror genres. And this should not be a horror movie (unless its Space Hulk, and even then, that's Aliens).

The movie should not, under any circumstances, have a crap load of voice over explaining things which don't need to be explained. No description of what year it is, how buff the Emperor was, which Primarch was seen being too friendly with another Primarch, and what dangly bits of a daemon would make a good hentai.

An introductory movie is called for, nothing based in the past of the Imperium, no indepth analysis of Horus screwing the Emperor after the Emperor screwed Magnus. The audience does not need to know that Astropaths have three eyes to guide the ships psychically thru the warp and that any particular journey could end up turning into an ultra-violent porn anime.

The Horus Heresy is akin to the Story of Darth Vader. Great backstory material, solid sequal material with a large enough following to back it up, but terrible starting material. The first book you hand a child is NOT a history book or the bible. (If it is the bible, what are you DOING here?! Get back to your fields! Technology is blasphemous!)

Actors simply must be relatively unknown or character actors. People need to see the story and the characters, not the big, well known faces.

If you simply MUST bring in the obnoxiously rich Hollywood royalty, they cannot, under ANY circumstances, be in a main role. It has to be a supporting role. We need fresh blood, and NOT 100% pretty faces. That doesn't mean finding the fugliest bloke imaginable and toss him into some Carapice armor and a hellgun, than tell him to run around screaming, but don't go straight for the red carpet/magazine faces. Plenty of actors are looking for a big break, and will work far, far harder to earn every bit of that break. Just don't pull an Eragon. PLEASE don't pull an Eragon.

Alrighty...you know the bit about actors before, and looking for their big break? Yeah, apply this to the director as well. Pair him up with experienced people behind the scenes, but DO NOT go for the 'I've already pumped out awesome works, I'll make this one the same for a double play.'

Peter Jackson did the Lord of the Rings movie very, very well. What did he do BEFORE Lord of the Rings? I know that I don't know any of his works, or at least his name wasn't common enough that most people knew who he was. How many of you can name the director of 'Hellboy' without going to IMDB? I'm gonna guess not THAT many. How about Mystery Men? What did George Lucas direct before Star Wars? How about Steven Spielburg? You aren't gonna easily find these without being a serious movie buff, and most people cannot possibly answer any of those questions. So, getting anyone well known to do the job would probably be a mistake. Sure we know they can put out a good movie, but can they avoid making this movie into the movie that was good the first time it was out? Hard to break from old habits.

Alright, I could go on longer, but there's some points and reasons for them. Like everyone, I have my own ideas, and I like them, but they might be terrible, since everyone generally loves their own ideas even though they are terrible, terrible ones. I'll refrain from spewing them here for now, I'm sure there's already been enough in this post to make people want to gouge out their own eyes, or inflict various chaos marks upon themselves, or chase a running bomb squig.

[Spazoid311]

I say screw the movie, Animated series bitches!

[Heathen]

Hm, I'd say the movie could follow the story of a Guard Sergeant or something similar. Maybe about a conflict with your usual Orky buddies, where he's in the trenches along with other Guardsmen and the occasional Space Marine. However, since too simple movies are boring (nowadays every movie has to have a plot twist that's visible from 50 minutes away), I wouldn't make the Orks the main villains. Let's say SM and IG win the day and drive the Orks back into the wilderness.
But then, dire news...
Inquisition would be good opposition to our non-fanatical hero, practically the "real evil guys".
Dunno, your usual plot about suspected Chaos taint, Space Marines turning on the Guardsmen because of this suspicion and a heroic run for the last transport off the planet (including saving lots of civilians) before the Exterminatus takes place.
In the end, after the world has been purged, they'll realize that Chaos never really set foot on this world but only tricked the Inquisition into killing their own people. Or something like that

EDIT: By the way, Peter Jackson did The Frighteners, a fun movie with Michael J. Fox as a ghost-hunting fraud. I can't think of any other movies, though. ^^

[Xaran Alamas]

Concerning having clearly defined good and evil, well you could still do this within the realms of fluff by taking a leaf out of 300's book and have the film 'told' from a bias point of view. In 300 the Persians are often depicted as monstrous, near fantastical creatures but because it's being told from the Spartan point of view. So for instance if you go with the probable guardsman as main character route how we see the 40k universe would be bias in the Imperium's favour because of how indoctrinated the average guardsman is.

[mashimoro]

I feel that the movie must be one that connects to the common person's feelings, things that the average person understands, like e.g. sacrifice, loss and betrayal.

Imagine a scene whereby SM/Inquisition realise that they have lost the war and decide to launch virus bombs even though there are still thousands of guardsmans still fighting. One of guardsman looks up at the sky to see the virus bombs falling and realises that he has been abandoned. You may think such a scene a little cliche, but it always touches the hearts of people.

It's not about how much tech and special effects you bring (although more is always good) but you must have a solid storyline. Of course, I wouldn't be able to guess whether the film makes money, but if the marketing is good and it appeals as both a W40K as well as a general sci-fi movie, then it'll make money. I mean, I really didn't know much of Ironman until the recent movie, but I still like the movie a lot - It's got a good blend of storyline, cast, humor and action.

Of course if the movie works out, it'll be a money-spinning franchise. If the original is about humanity vs tyranids, the sequels would be humanity vs chaos, humanity vs orks etc. Considering that Hollywood is running so low on ideas now, why not ?

[Gannadene]

Eh, a 40k movie would be awful. Or a summer action film.

There's no human connection at all in the 40k fluff. The humans are all zealous morons that will exterminate whole planets of other humans without remorse, and are executed in a moment if they show a glimmer of "heresy." Since free will doesn't really show up in much of the fluff (you die for it), you can't make a movie about humans. If you did, it would be a staunch anti-humanity film about how corrupt and dangerous over-religious humans are. Characters in 40k are often two dimensional and over the top, and are very unrealistic in the way they interact with the world around them.

Now, the idea behind 40k is good. The enemies are personifications of carnal nature itself, and by fighting against them, you only serve to empower them. That's a good idea, although 40k doesn't do much of anything with it.

The biggest problem with 40k is humanity. Change how over the top and unnecessarily hardcore and "tough guy" they are, and make them actually HUMAN, and you would have something.

The best I can see being done is making a film from an average citizen's point of view, concerning the state of humanity and the fear of xenos infiltration, and the reality of the horrors of your own state of mind possibly crafting evil in the universe that will kill everyone you love, and how this in turn causes you to religiously repress yourself. A film like that couldn't have the action and ridiculous violence that fans would want, however, without becoming a stupid action-drama wannabe that can't figure out what direction it wants to head in.

My vote: no.

[Rotlung]

The Imperial Guard are as human as you could get, with very human ideas and behaviours. But they wouldn't serve very well as protagonists when the Space Marines are W40k's poster boys.

[Romanov77]

There's no human connection at all in the 40k fluff. The humans are all zealous morons that will exterminate whole planets of other humans without remorse, and are executed in a moment if they show a glimmer of "heresy." Since free will doesn't really show up in much of the fluff (you die for it), you can't make a movie about humans. If you did, it would be a staunch anti-humanity film about how corrupt and dangerous over-religious humans are.


This actually sound so realistic...especially in some "not so enlighted" countries of this world.

[Asmodemus]

The humans are all zealous morons

Read Gaunt's Ghosts. Many Imperials are zealous enough to go into battle against things today's armies would run from to a man but cool and intelligent enough to actually do any damage to the many many many horrible monsters they face, which is more than most humans do in horror films.


and are executed in a moment if they show a glimmer of "heresy."

Show just once that a single heretical thought can make you into a demonic vessel with your very soul damned and eaten by demons and that is immediately forgivable.


Since free will doesn't really show up in much of the fluff

Some of the novels have the free will of today's normal soldiers attributed to the Imperial Guard, it's just that they get executed more easily and for more reasons.


If you did, it would be a staunch anti-humanity film about how corrupt and dangerous over-religious humans are.

Show just how freaking bad the enemies are by comparison and I find every single fault with the Imperium forgivable, from the "die for questioning once" type Commissars to the mass-bombing for suspected Chaos Corruption to the Acro-flagellents.


The biggest problem with 40k is humanity. Change how over the top and unnecessarily hardcore and "tough guy" they are, and make them actually HUMAN, and you would have something.

When the second(remembered the Tau) least threating alien species in the main armies is a bunch of Green-skinned plant men who love fighting, were actually made for it, can withstand enormous amounts of modern-day weaponry without losing combat effectiveness, can reproduce rapidly in enormous numbers, and is taller than all but the tallest men humanity has today, I'd say humanity needs to be F***king tough and hardcore to the extreme.

[Mosh4Life]

Warhammer 40k wont make it
As saddening as it is ='/

Before sumone flames me for that statement
Heres why =]

40k is forever going to be haunted by TT
Although it may not be true
As person X about wot he thinks of a space marine
He connects that to sad teens in a local games shop with dice and little socail life
Its just the way it is sadly

I agree this is HORRIBLY unfair
But over the last 20 years warhammer has been associated with that sorta crowd =/
Hence you put up a sign sayin
"DAWN OF WAR 40k"
On your local UCI/Odeon etc
With a picture of a space marine with a legion of gaurdsment behind him and person X thinks
"Errr it iz gonna b a nerdi moovy dat iz innit"

Shame really
BUT
On the other hand
This film could be what turns ppls heads around...
Providing its been done RIGHT

I personally think that it should start with that infamous line
"In the 40th millenium there is only war..."
And you see the very last battle with Horus and Empy
Then you see Empy placed on his throne
That sorta sets the mood
Shinny Empy dies for everyone so Bad bad evil Horus with his red eyes and massive claws can be defeated
Ppl understand that
Good > Evil

Then fast forward *zip*
DONT do a black crusade, it beggars the question of...
"Who are those guys?"
"Wots that purple hole in space?"
"Wots those spires in the ground on that planet?"
"Wots a Kasrkin?"
Etc...

Whats needed is a choas invasion to a generic yet-used-by-GW planet
The planet gives out a distress call
And trys to hold out a evil horde using the IG
Then
BOOM
Few days into the seige
Ultramarines [I KNOW that no one wants em, but theyre the poster boys of GW, its like pikachu is in every pokemon movie. Its easily identifiable] drop in
Only a few. Like 20 of em [meby a termy or 2]
And help slaughter cultists/minor demons/few CSM
Then BANG greater demon time =]
And sum generic hero takes up the challenge and kills it
Only mortally injurin himself
And he dies
Just like Empy did for the Imperium
Generic hero [Sumone will deside wot hell be, a force commander most probs] died to save the planet

Note it should be a IG general for the main character though, hell be in the movie for all of it =]
And you can relate to him

Face it, its fluffy-ish so it pleases 40k fans
Yet it ticks all the hollywood boxes

Either way
If its good
Ill happily park up on my :couch: and watch the film :corn:
And if its really good
Hopfully others will to =D

Thats my spin on things

Mosh4Life =]

[Heathen]

Concerning "everybody will think it's nerdy":
I got introduced into the Wh40k fluff via Chaos Gate. I never actually played the TT (and don't intend to because of monetary reasons).
Now, years later, I told some people about DoW and how cool a game I think it is.
And I say: It's an RTS based on Wh40k... and everybody wonders what the hell I'm talking about.
It's like with all those superhero movies, lately: Most people don't even know the backstory/origins of that game/movie.
So what the hell? I doubt many people would realise where the Wh40K movie would stem from.
It wouldn't be much nerdier than any generic Sci-Fi-movie.

[God_Of_Scots]

I could see something like a 300 type of thing.

[Blackheart]

As long as none of the famous directors could do it. Then the plot would be like:

Space Marine is assigned impossible mission by an uncaring clerk. Space Marine goes and kills some people as the mission gets more and more difficult the more he knows about it. He'd always have his helmet off to prominently display the face of the famous actor hired to portray him. Evil bastard would have a moustache and a strange accent, and would be arrogant and idiotic leaving a lot of holes for Space Marine to get through in his security. Later in the movie, Space Marine sleeps with Sister of Battle and then they fight together and accomplish the mission in an unrealistic way, and then Space Marine comes back to get another mission, setting the scene for another boring sequel.

Formulaic movies =/= teh win.
Indeed, formulaic movies = teh fail.

[Bors Mistral]

I know this is a "movie" tread and I'll likely get flamed for writing this but I cannot help but think how sweet it would be to have a WH40K adaptation done by Studio BONES in the style of their recent Soul Eater series. Any takers on that idea?

[Xaran Alamas]

I'm not familier with Studio BONES... got a link to some of their work online?

[Duke 3259]

Yes, I would like to see a DoW flick, and in my opinion, the cast should be:

Inquisitor: Kiefer Sutherland
IG Colonel: Harrison Ford
SM Captain: Pierce Brosnan
Librarian: Edward Norton
SM Veteran Sergeant: Sean Bean

[D-coy]

I think I might have found a solution for implementing a love-story into the WH40k universe. Make it so that a Marine/Guardsman falls in love, but only because of Slaneesh. And only reveal that lil' fact at the end of the movie. That way you have a love story which gets thrown out the window in the end and gets replaced by trickery and the influence of a Greater Deamon who wants to achieve something by manipulating some important character.

This was the best idea I could come up with.

As for the movie, a montage in the beginning explaining what all the races are about might work. Then use the Guards/Marines/Chaos/Eldar as the main characters, LotR style and later on throw some Tau, Nids, Necs, Orks into the mix to make it more interesting.

Cheers

[Mind Strike]

They must make this movie so i can get my own back on my girlfriend for making me see "sex in the city" the skank whore destroyer of lives.

she will sit there for the full 4.5 hours and drink a gallon of diet coke with no piss break.

If done right, it would be a boxoffice smash..oooh yes

Alien 1,2,3,4 meets
Predator 1,2 + spinoffs meets
Starshiptrooprs meets
Riddic meets
Terminator 1,2 and 3 meets
Ironman meet
Apocalype Now meets
futuristic LOTR meets
28 days and 28 weeks later

We dont want loads of fluff...that should stay in the books where the relevant 40K lovers know where it is. Just give us loads of gore and titans style uber wars.
LOTR lovers all know that potentially the most powerful character in all the books was Tom Bombadil but was he in the triology...hell no, but it doesnt stop people knowing who he is.

Also While im at it stick Samuel L Jackson in it and involve some snakes and call it "Snakes in a Battle Barge" or somit

And Finally it should have film modes

Easy - 12 cert
standard - 15 cert
hard - 18
v hard - 18 With 3D specs

You know im right :spartaaa:

[wigum]

Ive realy been hoping for an attempt at a warhammer 40k film after 'Damnatus' was banned. I just think that even the massive Warhammer fanbase wouldn't be able to make the film succesfull on its own, it would realy have to attract many many more viewers.

[Crucifixion]

I don't think so, they can't even patch Soulstorm...

[D-coy]

Making a film has nothing to do with Relic or THQ. (The joke was kinda funneh though.)

Cheers

[Mosh4Life]

Note to self
Dont let THQ make DoW 40k film =]
Haha cheap shot

Mosh4Life =]

[ContractHitman]

THQ publisher so no they canot make film, relic cannot either.

Also HALO was going to be made into film, look what happened then.

90% of game into films do not work. they may give you fans a hard on watching president evil... but money wish it doesnt pay enough.

Also movie would be 90% CGI...which costs a bloody tone, also actor wise who on earth going to go for such a risky film.

It not like making a book into film where it allready establisted.

[4uk4ata]

@Contract: I'd say an animated movie would cost less than live action one, and might handle the action better. I think games may make better series than movies - though of course they can make crappy series as well. Devil may cry, anyone?

Anyway, if it's made into a movie, and was about humans, I'd say IG or Ordo Malleus might be more interesting than the S-Marines. I mean, I love a fragfest almost as much as the next guy, but the "send'em against anything and they win" plot can get a bit overdone.

[Xaran Alamas]

Thing is, Warhammer 40,000 IS more established than most video games, it's 21 years old, few purely computer game series can claim as much. Do I think a Warhammer 40k Dawn of War movie could be successful? No, probably not if it's just riding the popularity of DoW but a more general 40k movie.. I think it could be. I'd say 40k is probably as well known as many comic books which have been made into movies (albeit it without the Saturday morning cartoon series ;))
But I do think that a pure fragfest movie would fail miserably however.

I guess all I really know is I'm glad I'm not the one responsible for bringing this into reality :P.

[Mind Strike]

Manga Manga Manga.

This way we can see some Eldar, Sob, Ork 3 way as well

[Esa]

Successful? Certainly, many people will flock to see it and being the only 40k movie finished, it will attract the 40k players from all around.

The question is, will it be GOOD. Franchise is easy to exploit for a one shot hit or a hit and few sequels. goddamn resident evil the movie series were RAPED

[Rotlung]

Looking at the DooM movie, I don't have much confidence in a W40k movie. Well-developed franchises tend to be hard to have movies on, because of the huge deviation and truncations that tend to occur in the process.

There may be exceptions, however, but still...

[brothersamuel40]

Games Workshop could do what Marvel did with IronMan: SELF-FUND IT.

Just hire the directors THEY want with the actors THEY want, and GW will be able to maintain the spirit of 40K without the heresy of Hollywood infecting our franchises.

No wonder IronMan was so enjoyable, didn't have HollyWood company taint...

As for being able to fund it, I'm not sure how much money GW has made over the years... but I imagine it's quite a bit considering the price of models :P

[steel_tomatoes]

Sorry guys I aint reading 65 pages, so here are my thoughts that have probably been mentioned before:

I think it simply would have to be animated, or it will be too hard to get armies on the scale you need. If it were like original DoWs intro scene that would be perfect, I still watch that from time to time. Its nice to talk about bringing in an all star cast to play the heroes but lets face it if we really wanted to see this movie made we have a better chance with animation than an all star cast.

Agree with 4uk4ata, IG (normal humans) would bring a better familiarity to the film as the 'main characters/good guys'. But you could bring in SM at some point, like have IG holding off a defense long enough for SM drop pods to arrive - dreads, termies, and commander how awesome would that be.

As for the baddies take your pick - the only alliances in the universe are between Empirical armies. Personally I'd like to see maybe an opening against an orc incursion, but then the main plot is an all out war with Chaos. A small role for Tau would be good, as would Eldar but because Eldar aren't an aggressive species, it might be hard to find a good reason to include them. And I wouldn't be buying "Eldar are here to make sure the Necrons don't win" a THIRD time, plus I don't want to see Necrons at all lol.

[Xaran Alamas]

I wonder if Blur studios are up for a feature film heh (they're the ones who made the DoW intro along with the Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends intro and a few other game intros)

[Mind Strike]

Anyone seen thr trailer for pixars latest

"will.E"

Not really into the whole pixar thing but the animation is incredible.

If their expertise was added to the mix and with a good script, it would be amazing

[KingOfEldars]

If the movie had the same graphics as the opening cinematic that you cant skip when you first play DoW 1 then yeah id like to see that

[Hephaestus3887]

I think that the general 40K movie idea is great, but trying to do a "Birth of the Imperium" epic style movie is too much too soon.

A good way to make a decent movie that would be to take an already existing 40K book, and translate it over to a script. It's a fast and easy way to introduce the un-initiated into the 40K universe, and stays true to the fluff because it IS fluff.

[40k1Gamern]

Don´t think that they could mak ea Dawn of War Movie,that would quite simply become a :banghead: !
A Warhammer 40k Movie(s) on the other hand is quite another matter,as this could actually work,since there are tons of fantastic material out there available already.
Making them with real live actors would´nt work very well.A fullscale CG Animation movie seems more appropriate for such a universe as Warhammer 40k in fact is.And throw in some well known actors for the voiceovers instead.
I think it would be best to make not just one,but a series of movies.
But,anyway.Anyone remember the CG Warhammer 40k Movie that they actually started work on a few years back?After a lot of work,they finally decided in the end to just put the whole thing on ice :sleep: .Never to return to it. :screwy: really,could be one hell of a nice one right there.
But who knows.One day,maybe!
I know I would be one of those that would be going to the :molle: ,get meself a beer,really get comfortable in my :couch: ,get some :corn: and have a blast for a couple of hours.If it´s ever going to happen.

[Ruthless_Raider]

The idea is great, just the sound of it is exciting :idea:
It could be something similar to the video introducing the Fire Warrior game and I think it could be a Horus Heresy movie yes.

So the Horus Heresy itself is rich and would provide lots of material for a director to work with. Pick a good studio like Lucas Arts and we shall have a great classic that would be greately benneficial for game sales yes? :awesome:

Also it could tell the story of the Old Ones versus the Necrontyr, it would be an awesome science fiction movie and/or series!!!! :)

[Hephaestus3887]

A series of movies is way too far off to discuss just yet. Just focus on one event (Horus Heresy, the fall of Tanith, etc.) and go from there. If it sells, then consider making more and fleshing out from there. No "forming of the Imperium" crap, though, as it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much material to try and fit into a movie. It would be too much like a documentary.

I do like the idea of CG. With todays movie stars doing game voices for things like Mass Effect, a sci-fi movie would be right up their alley.

[mrkidkill]

Werent the Lord of the rings movies based off of books? if so, could just have the first film in the series 'horus rising' or something along those lines.

[Xaran Alamas]

The difference is LotR was a trilogy, the HH novels are a series of far more than three novels.

[Hephaestus3887]

The number of books involved is irrelevant. One... two... twenty... it doesn't mean you can't pick one and make a movie about it.

Now, I've been reading this thread with definite interest, and have come up with some general conclusions:

1) The movie would have to be true to it's fan base. While not as big as some, the fans would support the movie to at least break even. The reason Final Fantasy flopped was because it ditched the fan base and tried to cater to the masses, and so neither the fans, nor the general public went to go see it. And even if the movie doesn't become a box office smash, it would develop a cult following like Firefly and the like.

2) The movie would most likely have to be CG. This way, the characters could be made to look as they are supposed to be, rather than actors trying to fill the role. Moreover, it would be hard to find actors to play the various xenos in 40K. Also, trying to do live action with the amount of special effects needed to make the film work would make the movie as a whole look cartoony. At least with all CG, it would have a more serious feel to it.

3) The movie would have to give some background into the 40K universe, but not so much that it would feel like a documentary. No more than five minutes to give a brief synopsis of the Imperium and the xenos races involved in the movie (not all the races, as the audience would wonder why some aren't in the film).

4) It could NOT be based on a large event in the 40K universe, such as The Horus Heresy, or the 13th Black Crusade, because there is simply too much happening to fit into a movie without it being a documentary-type movie. It would have to be about one specific series of events, like basing it on one of the stand-alone books from the black library. People would go to see "Fire Warrior" or the first of either the Arbites novels or the Cain novels, just based on the fact that its something new and refreshing in the world of cinema.

5) People shouldn't worry that the plot devices and story lines have been done before. In today's film world, EVERYTHING has been done before. The general public doesn't care. Why else would a remake of the remake of "The Incredible Hulk" be getting an average 3 out of 4 stars? Provided the movie looks different from the other crap that's out that season, people will empty their wallets and eat it up. It just has to be marketed well prior to its release.

Well, those are my conclusions. Anyone... thoughts? additions? dissenting opinions?

[Makenshi]

The movie would most likely have to be CG (...) trying to do live action with the amount of special effects needed to make the film work would make the movie as a whole look cartoony

Star Wars don't look cartoony to me... and considering the fact that the whole trilogy was made in studios, with blue wall as backgrounds for later placement of special effects and stuff, it was pretty amazing. Same could be done for a W40k movie.

But I still say a TV serie like Stargate Atlantis would be better than a movie... more space to expand the plot, you know.


The movie would have to give some background into the 40K universe, but not so much that it would feel like a documentary

Agree, an this small footage here is a shiny example of how a background of the 40k universe can be done right in the first minutes of a movie - or even a TV serie:

http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZjspaBmi6M

[Hephaestus3887]

I'm not saying that the storyline should be mediocre, just that it doesn't have to be the "OMG!!!, this is the pinnacle of the sci-fi action genre" movie. It has to be good to sell, but it has room to introduce already overused plot elements without fear of a pan by the general public.

And as for the Star Wars thing... did you actually WATCH episodes 2 and 3? They were terrible wastes of time. All eye candy, paper thin plots, and many many many-many-many gaps in logic. Episode 3 is the showcase of what the WH40K movie SHOULDN'T be.

And I do like the intro for the Imperium you posted. Good use of the DoW intro.

[nemarsde]

Well according to Play.com, as of last weekend Soulstorm was still their 8th most popular title sold for the PC, above even cutting edge, hype juggernauts like Crysis, and indeed CoH and expansions. Only MMORPGs and new releases were higher. That says something about the popularity of DoW.

I think DoW is a gorilla in the mist, and I think a W40K film would be so too. At first glance, it'd seem to only appeal to a niche market, W40K gamers, but in actual fact fragments of the setting are probably embedded in the minds of every Western male under the age of 35. ;)

[omgitsduane]

yeah I love event horizon, scared the shit out of me as a kid.

On this note though, I disagree that it would have to be CGI, there are so many ways to make things look nice these days without it thanks to prosthetics, even in silent hill, I though most of those characters had to have been CGI but there was real people under the costumes, they were just done well.


and if the average nerd can make a nice looking space marine costume with pieces from his couch, I'm sure a movie studio could go about 1000 times better.

EDIT:

also to 3887, I reckon you are right, I never went to see the original hulk movie because I just hate lame movies that could be so predictable I could figure it out with a D6!

And now there is a remake of a movie I never want to see? no thanks hollywood.

[Energizer Bunny]

It could appeal to a bigger audience Nemarsde, but the question has got to be which company would be insane enough to put up the vast sums of money that would be needed to bring such a franchise to the screen on the promise of such a vague maybe?

[Hephaestus3887]

Well, they could probably hit up universal or 21st century fox or something. I'm sure that they'd spark the interest of some big-name director first (I hear Peter Jaclson likes explosions), then the producers and studio would follow...

[nemarsde]

It could appeal to a bigger audience Nemarsde, but the question has got to be which company would be insane enough to put up the vast sums of money that would be needed to bring such a franchise to the screen on the promise of such a vague maybe?

Aye, that's what I meant by gorilla in the mist. It might not appear to film execs that the film has a large, existing audience but in actual fact it's probably vast.

Over the decades W40K iconography has seeped into the subconscious of a whole generation.

But yes, I shudder at the budget it'd need. Though perhaps we're not thinking outside the box. This is the 21st Century, with digital film-making techniques you can massively reduce overheads of even an epic production.

300 for example. Didn't enjoy it myself, but as a production it only cost $60 million.

[Agent_Biomax]

One shorthand word: CGI
I think it would be better to just make it animated. Make it like the DoW vanilla intro. Extend that sucker into a 90 or so minute video and bam!