WARHAMMER 40,000 movie in development

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WARHAMMER 40,000 movie in development John Hurt and Terence Stamp join the cast

#1 Werthead

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 12:12 AM

A Warhammer 40,000 movie is currently in pre-production. Dubbed Ultramarines, the movie will be fully rendered in CGI, using the enormous art resources of the 24-year-old miniatures game and fiction line, and will be independently produced for DVD release. The script is being written by Dan Abnett, the most popular author of Warhammer-related fiction (and one of the biggest-selling SF authors in Britain).

Three major actors have been announced as providing voiceovers for the movie: John Hurt (the first-ever victim of an alien chestburster in Alien), Terence Stamp (Superman II's General Zod) and Sean Pertwee (that guy who dies a lot in movies). In addition, providing solid backup will be Donald Sumpter (recently seen as Kemp in Being Human and soon to be seen as Maester Luwin in HBO's Game of Thrones), Steven Waddington (from The Tudors) and Johnny Harris (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Dorian Gray and the forthcoming Black Death, alongside Sean Bean).

The actors discuss their roles here.

The most entertaining moment is John Hurt - a distinguished, multi-award winning actor - revealing his foreknowledge of the WH40K universe gained through his son being an enormous fan, and Donald Sumpter dryly pointing out the rarity of being asked to play eight-foot-tall armour-plated killing machines at his age.

This project, which previously I had been dubious about due to the straight-to-DVD angle and it being filmed outside the Hollywood system, now appears to have some more weight to it. Abnett is a good writer, and there's no way Hollywood would ever touch the WH40K universe with a bargepole without completely destroying all the stuff that makes it interesting (the lack of any clear-cut good and bad guys, most notably). These actors are also of reasonably impressive stature as well. Interesting to see how this turns out.

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#2 Illuyankas

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 12:25 AM

I remember hearing about this before, and it was like I was 12 again.

FOR THE EMPEROR

Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.

#3 KeithF

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 12:38 AM

Let us give a prayer of thanks to the Emperor for bringing forth this (hopefully) non-sucky movie.

DAKKA! DAKKA! DAKKA!

I think malazan is a pretty cool guy. eh kills well-loved characters and doesn't afraid of anything.

#4 maro

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 01:05 AM

Beyond Awesome!

#5 amphibian

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 03:52 AM

Although I've not read a WH40K book yet, what I have read about it suggest to me that it's kind of like a futuristic 300 that's been fully fleshed out into a universe. I don't mean this as a bad thing, as I enjoyed 300 greatly for the kind of dumb, yet testosterone charged and entertaining fare it is.

I'd actually like to see a movie like this and DVD seems perfect for it. Find a friend with a big screen, get really crunk and enjoy the carnage...

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#6 Yellow

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 07:51 AM

The books are more like inexact renderings of your adolescence. If you really want to experience 40K, you have to be 14, forking out all your paper round money on minuscule pieces of lead and covering them in even-more-expensive paint over a period of many, many hours. Ah, the memories.

I remain sceptical but hopeful

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#7 Aptorian

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 08:04 AM

I only started reading Warhammer 40K books in my mid twenties. To me they're sort of like the literary equivalent of straight to DVD action films. They're fast paced, full of explosions, blood and guts and cheesy lines, the story doesn't quite make sense and generally the production value is a bit low. But the story and backdrop is so awesome you can't help but love it.

I don't really know what to say about a animated Warhammer film, we'll have to wait and see what the plot is, some closely related to the Emperors fate and the battle between order and chaos or something about humans fighting aliens will be good.

I'd really love to see a Hollywood Blockbuster version of the Universe, but yeah, they'd have to dumb it down and make it kiddy friendly.

EDIT: My choice for Director? Michael Bay!

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 11 March 2010 - 08:05 AM

#8 Gothos

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 08:15 AM

FOR THE EMPEROR!

this shit will rock.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.

#9 Gothos

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 08:16 AM

Aptorian, on 11 March 2010 - 08:04 AM, said:

EDIT: My choice for Director? Michael Bay!

DIAF. That's worse than Uwe Boll.

#10 Tsundoku

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 08:19 AM

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!!

SKULLS FOR THE THRONE OF KHORNE!!!

DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPEROR!!!

That is all ...

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#11 Aptorian

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 08:21 AM

Nonsense. Just switch the transformers with Demon Lords and Space Marines, the civilians with the Imperial Guard, intersperse with giant space ship doing some orbital bombardment, a psyker making heads explode and you'll be golden. The WH40K universe is not exactly subtle, Michael Bay would get it.

#12 Gothos

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 09:06 AM

michael bay would dumb it down into a set of explosions with no character, just like he screwed up transformers.

also, Sombra:
Beware the alien, the mutant, the heretic.
also:
Posted Image

#13 Macros

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 10:48 AM

Uwe boll is the only man for the job

2012
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#14 Mekeritrig

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 12:10 PM

Horus Heresy would be good, though it's not technically in the 40k time period.

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#15 Illuyankas

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 12:34 PM

I thought people would know to ignore Apt's horrible taste in movies and filmmaking by now.

#16 Garak

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 01:25 PM

Uwe boll .....eh I think even the Chaos Gods stay away from this guy. Personally, I'm withholding any hopes until I actually see it. It has the potential to be good or a fething disaster. Being with Ultramarines it at least allows the story to focus on the more "sane" Space Marines - a movie with the Space Wolves would be fun but let's face it - Superhuman Space Vikings in Power Armour wielding Chainswords is insane. I wonder who the bad guys will be (Chaos seems the standard choice) and I hope they don't try to cram to many races in one movie. A lot will depend on the story, animation and voice acting.

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#17 mr butterson

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 01:36 PM

Sweet, never got into the tabletop game that much but the universe that been created around it is amazing. Dan Abnett is also brilliant, read most of his stuff. Looking forwards to it!

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#18 Werthead

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 03:25 PM

amphibian, on 11 March 2010 - 03:52 AM, said:

I think the benefit of the WH40K universe is that it can support many types of war stories. The Imperial Guard are the 'normal' human soldiers of the Imperium and with them you can tell much more down-to-earth stories based around WWII, Vietnam and that sort of thing. The Gaunt's Ghost books are great at that (the third, Necropolis, depicts SF's answer to the Battle of Stalingrad).

The Space Marines on the other hand pretty much are the Spartans from 300, eight-foot-tall superhuman killing machines who are badass personified. In the Gaunt's Ghost books I've read so far, Abnett keeps them offscreen because having them show up would create a rather jarring tonal variation.

On the other side of the coin you have Ciphas Cain, Hero of the Imperium, who is basically George Macdonald Fraser's Harry Flashman transplanted to the 41st Millennium (complete with the skeptical biographer and sarcastic footnotes).

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#19 Darkwatch

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 04:20 PM

If it's with the Ultramarines we may get to see them against Hive fleet Behemoth.
That would definitely be awesome.

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#20 Garak

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Posted 11 March 2010 - 04:35 PM

Quote

If it's with the Ultramarines we may get to see them against Hive fleet Behemoth.

Hive Fleet Behemoth would mean the battle for Macragge. Way to epic for a first try at a 40k movie. I hope they stay away from the tyranids in this first movie because if they don't they risk people yelling "It's just Aliens". Not to mention Starcraft fans who can't get their timeline straight.

On the other hand the people who are actually waiting to see this movie and who are (hopefully) the target audience, already know the setting and so are expect all sorts of insane shit. Personally, I'm hoping for Chaos or Orks.

And after this, I want a Guard movie. The Guard player in me has spoken.

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