So they're making a Warhammer40k TV show

It seems like EVERY big sci-fi/fantasy property is getting an adaptation these days, so why not WH40K?

While humanity’s armies wage unending war across a million battlefields, in the darkness, a secret conflict rages – fought by the agents of the Imperial Inquisition. Drawing from sci-fi, fantasy and crime genres, Eisenhorn will see Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn and his band of investigators fight to thwart the monstrous schemes of aliens, heretics and daemons before mankind’s doom is sealed.

Inquisitor Gregor Eisenhorn is an Imperial inquisitor, one of the tireless defenders of humanity. With his warband he scourges the galaxy, walking in the shadows of darkness in order to root out heresy. When that heresy is found to infiltrate the hierarchy of the Imperium and the Inquisition itself, Eisenhorn must rely on himself alone to deal with it – even if it means making deals with the enemy and compromising everything he has ever believed in.

I confess that I've never been big into the Warhammer lore, but the people who are into it seem way into it in ways that make them seem like they'd be tough to please. I have a feeling that a fanbase as details-oriented as miniatures fans are will be excited about this but might also wind up being one of the more snipe-y about the plot if everything isn't just right. Still, as someone who's orbited the WH storyline from a distance (there's a lot to take in), I'm hoping this is a good entryway to the fiction.

I'd give it a shot, Warhammer isn't exactly a favorite properly for me, but 40k can be both dark and goofy in a Lexx kinda way, and I loved Lexx back in the day.

I'm also not that interested in the 40k lore but I'll give just about any science fiction show a fair shake. I feel like this would need an astronomical budget to meet expectations, though, and I'm not sure that the Warhammer license is strong enough to justify that.

The stylized art design of Warhammer seems impossible to me to bring to life in anything that's not a purely animated medium.

Maybe if they lean heavily on the regular humans it'll be passable. Skinny, malnourished psykers in tattered robes seems easier to pull off then 8 foot tall metal giants with pauldrons.

I don't think I've ever seen a life-action pauldron pulled off!

The Eisenhorn series is probably the one to do, if one was to make a cinematic adaptation.

Hope it isn't bad.

If it means more cockney Orks yelling "Space Marine?!" then I'm all in.

yeah- i don't think it's possible to do this.

the tone, visual design and scope of 40k seem deeply unsuited for television.

Space Nazis and the Inquisition all rolled into one - I will suspect a large movement away from the source material.

This. I need this to be a major component of the show or they've failed. Just make the show normal conversations between Orks about routine things being interrupted by one of them exclaiming "SCHPACE MUHREEENS!", followed by a short battle. Rinse and repeat. Five fucking stars.

@notnert427: I'm not the most versed in WH40k lore, but wouldn't the main enemy be Chaos Marines/Heretics?

Hell if I know. I'm not versed in it at all. I just want the show to be basically a SCHPACE MUHREEN soundboard.

The budget's going to be what makes or breaks this, there's a lot about the general art design of 40k that just wouldn't cut it if it's done with Sy-Fy production levels.

The production Studio is Big Light, which does Medici and Man in the High Castle, which are pretty good looking shows, so they have a chance, but this is still going to be something where they really have to step up their game. If Games Workshop was smart, they'd dump a decent chunk of that money they make hand over fist into this.

Haven't read Eisenhorn, but from what I know it's the most suitable 40k story for television. Mostly normal sized people, little to no giant 8 foot talk space marines.

Really though I think animation is a better route than live action.

@notnert427: This would be hilarious. "Oy, me and the boyz were at the store yesterday, and guess who walks in?! It was a whole family of SPOICE MUHREENS!" *battle ensues, ends with exasperated workers cleaning up the mess as a group of eldar and dark eldar walk in and start fighting*

Them metal boxes.

Really wonder how this will turn out. 40K's over the top, grimdark self seriousness is so hard to balance without it turning into a complete mess.

@ballsleon: It is an adaptation of Eisenhorn. So it is going to be chaos cultists, Imperial dissidents, and (insanely early on spoilers) daemons

Assuming this is successful, the sequel series (Ravenor) still primarily focuses on cultists but adds in a certain alien army that will need a LOT of CGI

Maybe Eisenhorn is the right choice, but that doesn't mean I'm not completely baffled by the choice of live-action.

Can't wait to see how oblivious/self-aware the xenophobia gets written. (Suffer not the alien to live, etc.)

I'm sensing some scepticism here but many of you will not be aware of Games Workshop's previous track record when it comes to live-action. If it turns out even half as good as this shit, I'd say we're in for a treat:

Have y'all seen Astartes? There's only about four minutes of it, but it's really, really good. It's fan-made but gives me hope for what Eisenhorn could be.

@gundato: I can't think of many WH40K armies that wouldn't need a lot of CGI.

@darkeyehails: IG are pretty simple. Same with Chaos up to cultists/soldiers. Even Orkz and Eldar could be done with some decent (re-usable) practical effects and rubber foreheads, although Orkz start pushing it (although, at the rate WWE is going there may be some big beefcakes interested in changing careers).

Really just the 'nids, Necrons, and Space Marines (both flavors) that require very high levels of special effects.

NOTE: I am sure I forgot an army or three.

@gundato: I'm not sure you could do Orkz without CGI and not anger a whole host of WH40K fanboys because they are some very large boyz and Warhammer nerds will tend towards purists.

Anyway, regardless of what they choose to do, hopefully this will be alright. I'd be down for some Warhammer shows. A Necromunda show would be great.

@darkeyehails: Depends on the context

Doing a massive open battlefield? You probably already need CGI

Focusing on a squad or two of IG or an Inquisitor and their retinue? Having more than one or two Orkz is already going to lead to a total party kill. And at that point you can more or less get away with a little perspective work and a big honking dude in a costume.

I suspect CGI would probably still be cheaper these days. But you can easily get some normal orkz in the high six foot (low 7 with the right shoes). The next tier up is not viable as we are nearing 2-3 meters. And beyond that you have warbosses who are bigger than many buildings.