Henry Cavill has been a part of several big projects in the past decade, but he’s set to move on to other films and shows, including one adaptation that, by taking into account one previous box office bomb, could encounter some difficulties. Cavill’s most iconic roles were undoubtedly as Clark Kent in the DC Extended Universe and as Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher. The actor played Superman in four DCEU movies — Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League — six if you count Cavill’s uncredited cameos in Black Adam and The Flash.

After James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, reports claimed they were bringing Cavill back to play Superman in their rebooted DC Universe. Cavill then exited The Witcher, allegedly due to creative differences, the demanding production schedule, and a desire to focus on Superman. Unfortunately, it was later announced that Gunn and Safran would go in a different direction regarding the Superman role (which would eventually go to David Corenswet), and Cavill was left to his own devices. He got to work quickly, though, and found himself a new franchise to devote his time to — Warhammer 40,000.

Henry Cavill’s Warhammer Franchise Will Face Similar Challenges As Warcraft

Warcraft Was A Critical & Commercial Failure

Henry Cavill is executive producing and starring in an adaptation of Warhammer 40,000, which was established in 1987 and soon became the most popular miniature wargame in the world. Due to its popularity, the franchise has expanded with various spin-off media, including video games and, now, a TV show or a movie. Amazon MGM Studios acquired the TV and film rights to Warhammer 40,000 in late 2022, with Cavill attached to produce and star. Although the upcoming adaptation is exciting and highly anticipated, it might run into the same problems that Warcraft did in 2016.

The action fantasy film Warcraft, based on the video game series of the same name, premiered in June 2016. Many had high expectations for its critical and commercial performance, but both were major letdowns. Despite the fact that Warcraft is one of the highest-grossing video game franchises, the 2016 movie was an overall disappointment as it received negative reviews and failed to break even at the box office. Given the similarities between Warhammer 40,000 and Warcraft and the high hopes for both adaptations, Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 franchise might not work and could face the same fate as Warcraft.

Why Warcraft Never Got A Sequel (Was It A Box Office Flop?)

Warcraft Grossed $439 Million At The Box Office

Thanks to the source material, the possibilities for a Warcraft sequel were endless. However, Warcraft 2 never happened because of the first film’s critical and box office failures. The 2016 movie’s reviews claimed that it contained impressive visuals and did a great job building its world. However, many critics pointed out that Warcraft‘s story was convoluted, and the characters were severely underdeveloped and lacking substance. Warcraft evidently focused too much on exposition and perfecting its special effects, resulting in poor reviews.

Ultimately, Warcraft grossed $439 million against its $160 million production budget and $110 million in promotional spending. Consequently, the 2016 movie failed to break even, meaning it was a box office bomb. It would have had to accumulate at least $450 million to $500 million to break even, and while its international gross was impressive, it wasn’t enough. However, Warcraft still became the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time with its $439 million earnings.Pokémon Detective Pikachu stole that spot a few years later, though, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie surpassed Pikachu in 2023.

What To Expect From Henry Cavill’s Warhammer Universe

Warhammer 40,000 Is Games Workshop’s Miniature Wargame

Unfortunately, not much is known about the upcoming Warhammer 40,000 adaptation. Henry Cavill and Amazon MGM Studios reportedly plan to create a Warhammer 40,000 franchise featuring both movies and TV series. But the medium of the first installment in the planned franchise is unknown, with many speculating it will be a TV show. It could still be a movie, though, since production is still in the early stages and Cavill and Amazon are seemingly keeping their cards close to their chests. Cavill’s role is unknown, and the adaptation’s story is a mystery.

[ Warhammer 40,000 ] fans want to see a faithful adaptation of the wargame’s rich lore, stunning visuals, engaging action, well-developed characters, and more.

Nevertheless, many have a wishlist of what they want Cavill’s Warhammer 40,000 franchise to include. For example, fans want to see a faithful adaptation of the wargame’s rich lore, stunning visuals, engaging action, well-developed characters, and more. Only time will tell if all these demands are met, or if the Warhammer 40,000 adaptation will result in another Warcraft situation. However, with Cavill, who is known to be a hardcore fan of Warhammer 40,000, at the helm, the outlook on the upcoming franchise’s future is optimistic.

Video Game Adaptations Have Changed A Lot Since Warcraft

Movie & TV Adaptations Of Video Games Have Been More Successful In Recent Years

One of the most positive signs that the Warhammer 40,000 TV show or movie will succeed is the track record of recent video game adaptations. Even though Warcraft was a flop, it debuted eight years ago, and since then, other video game films and series have seen great results. 2019’s Pokémon Detective Pikachu received mostly positive reviews and took over Warcraft‘s title as the highest-grossing movie based on a video game. A few years later, the animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie easily surpassed Pokémon Detective Pikachu‘s record as it earned $1.36 billion at the box office.

Movies Based On Video Games
Release Date
Box Office
Tomatometer
Audience Score

Pokémon Detective Pikachu
May 10, 2019
$450 million
68%
79%

Sonic the Hedgehog
February 14, 2020
$319.7 million
64%
93%

Uncharted
February 18, 2022
$407 million
40%
90%

Sonic the Hedgehog 2
April 8, 2022
$405 million
68%
96%

The Super Mario Bros. Movie
April 5, 2023
$1.36 billion
59%
95%

Five Nights at Freddy’s
October 27, 2023
$297 million
32%
87%

Other recent successful video game adaptations include Uncharted, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Sonic the Hedgehog, which has perhaps been the most triumphant. Paramount Pictures has produced three Sonic the Hedgehog movies (with the third one premiering in December 2024) since 2020 and released a spinoff TV series, Knuckles, which was a hit among critics. Meanwhile, The Super Mario Bros. Movie performed so well that a sequel and several spin-offs are reportedly in development. So, if Henry Cavill‘s Warhammer 40,000 franchise is anything like these adaptations, fans have nothing to worry about, despite Warcraft‘s shortcomings.