Cardboard Hollywood

‘Warhammer 40,000’ Is Not Ready for Hollywood

Or Maybe Hollywood Isn’t Ready for 40K

“Hate! Hate! Hate!
An emotion as pure as it is deep!
Hate! Hate! Hate!
Let it flow, let it run free!”

- Inspirational Verse, Imperial Hymnal Vol. IV

Games Workshop recently announced that they’re exploring animated and film projects. This follows similar moves by other tabletop publishers. Asmodee recently launched an entertainment division, and Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering movies are being developed. But GW’s biggest property, Warhammer 40,000, is problematic. At best.

D&D and Magic were targeted by parents’ groups and church leaders during the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s. But there was nothing inherently bad about either game. They told typical stories about good vs evil. Heroes vs villains.

But 40K is different. In the eyes of many pop culture fans, 40K not only glorifies being the bad guy. It rationalizes fascism.