Credit: Warner Bros.
Henry Cavill rose to fame portraying the ever-iconic Superman in Warner Bros. and DC’s recent DC Extended Universe (DCEU), but he’s been a major nerd for years. After having been dropped from two of his most popular roles, the star says his upcoming project is a “lifelong dream come true.” The project? Yet another adaptation of a popular game, Amazon’s upcoming Warhammer 40, 000 project.
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Henry Cavill is most well-known for starring in sci-fi and fantasy projects like Man of Steel (2013) and Netflix’s hit series The Witcher. Cavill reprised his role as Clark Kent/Superman for five DCEU films, making the most significant big-screen portrayal of Superman since Christopher Reeves. When not donning the blue and red spandex, Cavill was putting his heart and soul into starring as Geralt in the Netflix adaptation of The Witcher, a game that he was famously a fan of prior to taking on the role. He would continue to work with Netflix and studio co-star Millie Bobby Brown in the Enola Holmes duology of films as Sherlock Holmes, and most recently featured in Argylle (2024).
Unfortunately, Cavill has also had a rough go of some of his most popular roles, being dropped from both DC and The Witcher within just a few months of each other. When James Gunn took over as head of the DCEU, he announced that Cavill would not return as Superman in his next movie. “I just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran, and it’s sad news, everyone,” the actor had posted on his Instagram at the time. “I will, after all, not be returning as Superman.” Gunn has since confirmed that none of the previous DCEU stars will be reprising their roles in the newly rebooted DC Universe.
Soon after that information dropped, fans were hit with another blow as Cavill then announced that he would no longer be returning to his role as Geralt in The Witcher, and would be replaced by Liam Hemsworth. Since the back-to-back devastating news, fans have wondered what’s next for the A-list action star, and many are now looking forward to his next nerdy passion project.
In December of 2023, it was announced that Amazon Studios was working with Games Workshop to bring the popular table-top miniature wargame Warhammer 40, 000 to screens. Warhammer is a dark fantasy world set in the distant future inhabited by armies of “Space Marines,” multiple alien races, and supernatural beings across the various factions. Cavill has been adamant about his excitement for the project, saying, “I couldn’t be more grateful for all the hard work put in by Vertigo, Amazon, and Games Workshop to make this happen. One step closer to making a nigh-on lifelong dream come true.”
In a recent interview with Josh Horowitz, Cavill was full of nothing but excited praise for the project, calling it “the greatest privilege of my professional career” and saying, “There is no greater reason than I joined the industry than doing something like this.” Despite being close-lipped about the project, Cavill is expected to both star in and produce a cinematic universe featuring Warhammer content, which could include both a series and a feature film.
However, it’s interesting that he’s referred to it as “the greatest privilege” considering he’s been able to portray two iconic characters in major ways with Superman and Geralt. It’s still a mystery as to why exactly the star left The Witcher, although there was speculation he made the decision due to scheduling conflicts with future Man of Steel movies, although he would be dropped from DC shortly after departing the Netflix series. It’s possible there may have been more going on behind the scenes that led to what must have been a difficult decision for him to leave a role he had stated having a lot of respect and pride for.
Henry Cavill hasn’t been quiet about his enjoyment of various video games and “nerdy” pop culture content, and it’s been exciting to get to see him bring his life-long passions to life. By not only starring in the Warhammer adaptation but also helping to produce the cinematic universe, Cavill will be able to have much more say and influence in the project. Either way, Cavill has been praised for working well with the roles he’s given, and excitement is high to see what he does with this latest project.
What do you think about Cavill’s comments and involvement with the Warhammer 40, 000 adaptation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
