40k Deep Thought: The Movie?
Pimpcron discusses the awesome potential of a Warhammer 40k movie.
Hey folks, Pimpcron here again, and this week I want to discuss a Warhammer movie. No, not like the yawner GW gave us a couple years ago. I’m talking about a full –scale, big budget picture that is serious and gritty. My vision would be like what Marvel has done with its movies: take intellectual property that has been on the fringe of pop culture, and make it awesome even for the people who had no prior knowledge of the setting.
As you could expect, the first movie would have to hook the general movie-goer in order to sell the other, more exotic races in subsequent movies. And we all know that Black Library kicks out some really great novels based in the Warhammer universe so they would have plenty of material to work with. I have only read a handful of these novels, so maybe there is one already like this. But here is what I think would make a cool 40k movie:
That’s sad. And that Guardsman was only 19 Years and 50 weeks from retirement.
Why the First Movie Must be Imperial Guard
A Band of Brothers-style Imperial Guard movie could be based around a few Guardsmen; really gritty and realistic. It could be any planet or battle but it would have to show how hopeless a guardsman’s existence is and how weak we are compared to all of the enemies of Imperium. It would really have to show the massive, planet-wide scale of 40k battles and show how the common man is simply trying to survive against incredible odds.
Can you imagine how cool this would be? Commissars shooting people who flee. Commanding officers have no qualms about sending their men headlong into suicide missions. It would portray the soldiers’ life as being just as terrified of the enemy as you are the officers above you. It would have to be an action/horror movie and it would be so cool. What if our small group of ordinary people get separated from the rest of the army and have to survive? You can think of a million different scenarios that would kick butt in this setting. Maybe the alien menace corners our intrepid little heroes and they are certain they will finally die. In the last few minutes of their life, they say good bye to their families or friends in their head. Maybe even some of them are just happy for it all to be over. And then as the alien comes to bring their deadly force to bear on these guys, a Space Marine steps in and takes care of the foe.
“I walk all the way down here, and now I forgot what I was getting.”
Compared to the Guardsmen, the Space Marine would have to be a hulking, terrifying visage. It would almost be alien in its own right compared to the flawed, bloodied forms of the battle-hardened Guardsmen. This would give the producers a chance to show just how cold, calculating, and foreign the Astartes is compared to the Militarum. For me, the movie could end right there and lead into a Space Marine movie as a sequel. If you could have a decent reason for more than two races to be there battling, you could create a whole line of movies about that same planet-spanning war from all of their different points of view. That would be so neat.
Why It Would be Good For Everybody
Not only would it bring the Warhammer universe into the mainstream like Marvel has done with obscure properties, but it would bring attention to the game. If you’re reading this article, chances are you know a thing or two about Warhammer and know first-hand how much source material there is to go off of.
Obviously I am not a movie screenplay writer, so I’m sure there are a million better ways to do it than the one I mentioned. But if it was done right, it could spawn movies about all of the neat races in 40k.
- An action/comedy film about Orks
- A scary, Aliens-style movie about Genestealers infesting a Space Hulk
- A full-blown Action Hero movie about Space Marines
- A Game of Thrones-style movie about Dark Eldar, full of treachery and deceit
The list goes on and on.
What are your ideas for a Warhammer 40k Movie? What type of movie would be best to show off your favorite army?
Note: The idea originally came to me through my friend Matt from my gaming group who mentioned the idea. I just wanted to give him the credit for thinking of it. I figured I could use my awesome power that I wield from my lofty throne in the Blogging World to make some things happen and get this movie going.
Okay. Even I had to roll my eyes on that one.
Well at least I could bring the idea up to you guys and if we raise enough of a stink, GW will listen as they always do and grant our wishes.
Okay. My eyes rolled again.
Want to witness my slow descent into madness first-hand? Check out my blog at www.diceforthedicegod.com
