Amazon Studios secured the rights to Warhammer 40k in late 2022, hoping to create a new universe led by Henry Cavill. But is the actor backing out from the project already?
When the news first broke of Amazon eyeing the Warhammer 40k game to adapt into a cinematic universe, the fandom was over the clouds. However, a beloved actor was even more over the moon when the studio approached him to lead the series. The Superman and Witcher actor Henry Cavill quickly signed on the project, calling it “the greatest privilege” of his acting career “to have this opportunity.” (via IGN)
Cavill has been excited to executive produce and star in this new programming universe ever since. Games Workshop also confirmed it had signed a “full agreement” contract with Amazon in late 2023, signaling that developments might begin anytime now. However, a recent event, or rather, a revelation has sent out flying rumors that Henry Cavill might not become the face of the Warhammer cinematic universe anymore.
Rumors say Henry Cavill might exit the project due to “female custodians”
For the unversed, Custodes are 10-foot-tall transhuman super-warriors in the galaxy of Warhammer 40k. They have existed since the 1987 release of Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, the first iteration of the game. These super warriors were created to serve the Emperor of Terra using Warp Magic and gene-forging of an infant.
To put it briefly, the Custodes are the pinnacle of Imperium power and were historically portrayed as solely male. However, hell broke loose on the internet when the most recent 10th-edition codex of the game included a point-of-view piece of lore from Calladayce Taurovalia Kesh, who uses she/her pronouns.
After some uncertainty about the character in the fandom, it was confirmed by the official Warhammer account that she was, in fact, a female Custode. While some fans found the change to be a minor deviation, people also took to the post and called it “disappointing and pathetic.” But does this affect Henry Cavill at all?
Following the revelation, some fans seem excited at the prospect of a 10-foot-tall lady capable of defeating humanity’s adversaries, but others don’t appear to be accepting of the shift. This led to the ongoing rumor about Cavill’s exit from the show, which, for the most part, seems like nothing but a “rage bait.“
So far, there have been no official words confirming the rumors. So, it’s best to believe that Henry Cavill is still set to lead the show. As one Reddit user puts it, why would a “Hollywood actor leave his passion project over female inclusivity in a universe he knows damn well is overly male-oriented and lacks meaningful female representation.” With that being the most likely scenario, it is easier to envision that Cavill is the least bothered with the progressive change made in the game.
