Amazon's WARHAMMER 40,000 project recruits Mike Flanagan

Amazon has brought modern horror-meister Mike Flanagan on board with its long-gestating Warhammer 40,000 screen universe project. Flanagan will be working with producer-star-geek ambassador Henry Cavill in getting the project onto the screen.

As related previously, Amazon and Games Workshop entered talks in late 2022 to bring the Warhammer 40,000 IP to the screen across multiple projects, potentially for both TV and film, with Cavill advising, producing and potentially starring. In December 2023, the two companies signed a more comprehensive agreement on the project. In December 2024, the two companies agreed to move forward with the project, although that seems to have been more of an amber light than a green light.

Flanagan and United Artists (UA) have now joined the team. Flanagan is a writer-director with considerable recent cred from his adaptations of Stephen King works, particularly Gerald's Game (2017) and Doctor Sleep (2019). He is also the writer-director of Oculus (2013), Hush (2016) and The Life of Chuck (2024). He is also the writer-producer-showrunner of The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), Midnight Mass (2021), The Midnight Club (2022) and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023). He is also in charge of the upcoming Stephen King mini-series Carrie, also for Amazon, and is attached to an Exorcist reboot project. Most notably, he has been planning an ambitious, true-to-the-books adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower sequence for many years.

Whilst Warhammer 40,000 is predominantly an action franchise, it has strong horror and body horror elements, as well as a satirical tone. Flanagan's sensibilities seem in tune with the franchise, so it will be interesting to see if he can help this project get over the production line after four years of discussions.

Created in 1987, Warhammer 40,000 is a science fantasy franchise set 39,000 years in the future and incorporates elements of space opera, horror, military fiction and dark, satirical comedy. The ruthless Imperium of Man controls a vast swathe of the galaxy, but is beset on every side by external alien threats: the brutish Orks, the scheming Tau, the ancient Necrons, the hive-minded Tyranids and the arrogant Eldar, amongst others. The Imperium is also weakened from within by Chaos cults, worshippers of the dark Chaos Gods who dream of turning the Imperium into a charnel house of worship of the Ruinous Powers. Originating as a tabletop wargame, the franchise has expanded across well over 600 novels, short story collections and audio plays, alongside dozens of video games, numerous spin-off board games and hundreds of wargame sourcebooks and tabletop roleplaying rulebooks.

The lengthy discussion process has probably been down to Games Workshop's exacting standards of quality control. Previous proposed film and TV projects foundered on Games Workshop requiring to maintain creative control over all visual elements of the setting, since their bread and butter is the massive range of miniature models and accompanying artwork based on them. Most TV adaptations seem to want to change elements (sometimes for practical reasons, sometimes just changing things for the sake of change), which Games Workshop likely would like to avoid to prevent any disputes over the ownership of visual elements of the franchise. There have also been concerns over lore and fidelity to the source material, with some recent TV projects (including Amazon's own Wheel of Time and Rings of Power series) being fiercely criticised for large deviations from the source material. Warhammer 40,000 author Dan Abnett has also indicated that Games Workshop is lining up its future runs of novels and big lore expansions with the TV show, so GW is undertaking a careful curating of the property across multiple incarnations to make sure everything lines up.

Back in 2019 Games Workshop partnered with veteran US screenwriter Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle) on a potential adaptation of the classic 40K novel trilogy Eisenhorn. No broadcaster was attached, but Spotnitz had previously worked with Amazon The Man in the High Castle. 

Both companies have clarified that the current deal is for Warhammer 40,000 alone, but the deal could incorporate fantasy franchises Warhammer and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar further down the line.

Games Workshop is currently working on a CGI TV series about the Deathwatch Space Marines. The franchise is also set for a boom in popularity with the long-awaited video game Dawn of War IV set for release on 17 September, and Total War: Warhammer 40,000 is expected to follow in 2027.

Games Workshop and Amazon agree to proceed with a WARHAMMER 40,000 screen project

After an exhaustive and unusually public two-year discussion process, Amazon Studios and Games Workshop have agreed to move forwards with a screen project set in the latter's Warhammer 40,000 science fantasy universe. As previously announced, actor and noted geek ambassador Henry Cavill will star in and produce the project.

Amazon and Games Workshop announced plans to work together and with Cavill on the project two years ago. One year ago, they moved to the position of formalising contracts, but also announced a twelve-month consultation process where they would agree on the terms of the adaptations. That consultation process has ended with both companies happy to proceed.

That means that the first project, details unannounced so far except it will be a TV series, not a movie, will now go into early development, with scripts to be written. Cavill has confirmed his continued involvement.

Warhammer 40,000 is a science fantasy franchise set 39,000 years in the future and incorporates elements of space opera, horror, military fiction and dark, satirical comedy. The ruthless Imperium of Man controls a vast swathe of the galaxy, but is beset on every side by external alien threats: the brutish Orks, the scheming Tau, the ancient Necrons, the hive-minded Tyranids and the arrogant Eldar, amongst others. The Imperium is also weakened from within by Chaos cults, worshippers of the dark Chaos Gods who dream of turning the Imperium into a charnel house of worship of the Ruinous Powers. Originating as a tabletop wargame in 1987, the franchise has expanded across some 600 books, short story collections and audio plays, alongside dozens of video games, numerous spin-off board games and hundreds of wargame sourcebooks and tabletop roleplaying rulebooks.

The lengthy discussion process has probably been down to Games Workshop's exacting standards of quality control. Previous proposed film and TV projects foundered on Games Workshop requiring to maintain creative control over all visual elements of the setting, since their bread and butter is the massive range of miniature models and accompanying artwork based on them. Most TV adaptations seem to want to change elements (sometimes for practical reasons, sometimes just changing things for the sake of change), which Games Workshop likely would like to avoid to prevent any disputes over the ownership of visual elements of the franchise.

Back in 2019 Games Workshop partnered with veteran US screenwriter Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle) on a potential adaptation of the classic 40K novel trilogy Eisenhorn. No broadcaster was attached, but Spotnitz worked with Amazon The Man in the High Castle. Whether that project had any bearing on this one is unclear.

More news on the first project is expected next year. Both companies have clarified that the current deal is for Warhammer 40,000 alone, but the deal could incorporate fantasy franchises Warhammer and Warhammer: Age of Sigmar further down the line.

Amazon and Games Workshop sign agreement to develop WARHAMMER 40,000 projects for the screen

As reported a year ago, Amazon have announced a comprehensive alliance with British wargaming company Games Workshop. The deal will cover Games Workshop's popular Warhammer 40,000 science fantasy setting and will allow Amazon to develop multiple television and film projects based on WH40K games and novels, both live action and animated. Amazon have also confirmed that everybody's favourite geek-thespian, Henry Cavill, will play a key role in their projects as producer, creative overseer and actor in at least one of the properties.

Whilst previously Amazon and Games Workshop had merely entered into talks, those talks have now progressed to signed contracts.

Warhammer 40,000 is a multimedia science fiction/fantasy/horror franchise. Set almost 39,100 years in the future, the property depicts a time when humanity has successfully gone into space and colonised more than a million worlds scattered across our galaxy. Faster-than-light travel is only possible via the Warp, a chaotic realm wherein dwell the evil Chaos Gods. The influence of the Chaos Gods is felt on many worlds, with Chaos cults falling victim to their evil and undermining the Imperium of Mankind from within. Alien races such as the Orks, the Eldar, the Necrons, the Tyranids and the Tau also post threats of varying degrees to the Imperium. The Imperium itself is also not the best place to live, with millions of people dying every day in the service of the God-Emperor of Mankind, toiling in misery on mechanical Hive Worlds or dying in the service of the Imperium's vast armies and space fleets. Chief among the Imperium's defenders are the Space Marines, genetically-engineered super warriors in towering power armour.

The franchise began in 1987 as a tabletop wargame, which remains the biggest-selling property in the genre, but has since branched out to over 500 works of original fiction, including novels, comics, audio dramas, animated films and video games.

This isn't Hollywood's first rodeo in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium. Four years ago Games Workshop agreed to option out the Eisenhorn series of novels by Dan Abnett with a view to developing a TV series to be helmed by Man in the High Castle and X-Files producer Frank Spotnitz. It is believed that Spotnitz held discussions with Amazon, whom he worked with on High Castle, but the project did not move forwards at that time.

Eisenhorn remains a reasonable starting point for the franchise, with a cast consisting of mostly human characters with only occasional appearances by the Space Marines (the signature faction of the setting) and daemonic forces. This is an easier entry point versus the total gonzoid epic war insanity of something like The Horus Heresy series.

It is also possible Amazon might look to develop a series based on Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series, which features relatable characters belonging to the Imperium's regular human army, the Imperial Guard. However, both Amazon and Games Workshop may be keener for something that front-and-centres the Space Marines and other core factions like the Orks, Tyranids or Necrons.

Cavill is a noted Warhammer franchise fan. He's appeared in videos to discuss the lore and his love of painting Warhammer miniature figures, and spoken of his appreciation for several of the spin-off video games and novels. He has even corrected confused interviewers over the differences between the Warhammer and WarCraft universes.

Games Workshop, Amazon Studios and Vertigo Entertainment will collaborate on the first project, the details of which have yet to be revealed, with Cavill tapped to star and executive produce, as well as extending his advice over other projects in the franchise. Games Workshop and Cavill both appear to be keen for any adaptation to hew close to the source material and not deviate purposelessly away, which seemed to become a bone of contention between Cavill and Netflix over their work on The Witcher.

GW and Amazon have indicated they will spend the next year working on the details of the first adaptation, so it will likely still be several years before any project actually appears on-screen.

Amazon to develop multiple WARHAMMER 40,000 projects with Henry Cavill to produce and star

Amazon have announced a comprehensive alliance with British wargaming company Games Workshop. The deal will cover Games Workshop's popular Warhammer 40,000 science fantasy setting and will allow Amazon to develop multiple television and film projects based on WH40K games and novels, both live action and animated. Amazon have also confirmed that everybody's favourite geek-thespian, Henry Cavill, will play a key role in their projects as producer, creative overseer and actor in at least one of the properties.

This isn't Hollywood's first rodeo in the grim darkness of the 41st Millennium. Three years ago Games Workshop agreed to option out the Eisenhorn series of novels by Dan Abnett with a view to developing a TV series to be helmed by Man in the High Castle and X-Files producer Frank Spotnitz. It is believed that Spotnitz held discussions with Amazon, whom he worked with on High Castle, but the project did not move forwards at that time.

Eisenhorn is a reasonable starting point for the franchise, with a cast consisting of mostly human characters with only occasional appearances by the Space Marines (eight-foot-tall, genetically-engineered warriors who are the signature faction of the setting) and daemonic forces. This is an easier entry point versus the total gonzoid epic war insanity of something like The Horus Heresy series.

It is also possible Amazon might look to develop a series based on Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series, which features relatable characters belonging to the Imperium's regular human army, the Imperial Guard. However, both Amazon and Games Workshop may be keener for something that front-and-centres the Space Marines and other key factions like the Orks, Tyranids or Necrons.

Cavill is a noted Warhammer franchise fan. He's appeared in videos to discuss the lore and his love of painting Warhammer miniature figures, and spoken of his appreciation for several of the spin-off video games and novels. He has even corrected confused interviewers over the differences between the Warhammer and WarCraft universes.

Games Workshop, Amazon Studios and Vertigo Entertainment will collaborate on the first project, the details of which have yet to be revealed, with Cavill tapped to star and executive produce, as well as extending his advice over other projects in the franchise. Games Workshop and Cavill both appear to be keen for any adaptation to hew close to the source material and not deviate purposelessly away, which seemed to be a bone of contention between Cavill and Netflix over their work on The Witcher.

This project is very early in development.

Henry Cavill to be replaced as Superman amidst major DC shakeup

The DC film universe is undergoing a major shakeup, with new creative lead James Gunn and actor Henry Cavill confirming that the latter will not return as Superman.

The current iteration of the DC film universe launched in 2013 with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, featuring Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman. Cavill went on to reprise the role as a key player in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017), whilst also cameoing in Black Adam (2022).

However, the DC film universe has had a divisive critical reception and a highly variable box office take, generally trailing the rival Marvel Cinematic Universe. Several proposed total reboots of the series have apparently been proposed at Warner Brothers, but shot down each time due to the popularity of the actors involved, particularly Cavill, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ben Affleck as an older version of Batman.

The appointment of James Gunn seems to have finally turned the corner on that argument, with it now looking likely that a totally fresh approach will be taken to the DC movie universe with new actors hired for all of the major roles. Plans for further films in the Aquaman and Wonder Woman series have also been cancelled and those roles are likely to be recast as well.

However, some of the existing actors may continue in the new version of the franchise in new roles. According to Gunn and some reports from within Warner Brothers (although Gunn has suggested these are unreliable), their new take on Superman will look for a younger actor to take on the role of a fresher-faced Clark Kent just starting his career at The Daily Planet. The new film will not be a total reboot or origin story for Superman, since most people are now familiar with that.

The news is particularly surprising as DC had re-committed to Cavill returning in the role just a couple of months ago, after a years-long fan campaign. Fans today seemed united in their annoyance at the news, with many asking DC and Gunn to reconsider the decision. Reportedly, Gunn and his team are looking at retaining Cavill in a new role in their new continuity.

The existence of a continuity-heavy DC film universe will reportedly not impact ongoing character-centric film series that exist in isolation of a wider continuity, with both the recent Robert Pattinson version of Batman and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker set to return in new films continuing their stories.

What this also means for Peacemaker, the highly popular TV series spun off from Gunn's own film The Suicide Squad and is set to return for a second season, remains to be seen.

As for Cavill, his next move is unknown. He quit The Witcher in October, reportedly to focus on his return as Superman, but other rumours suggested creative differences with the production team, who have deviated from the source material (of which Cavill is a noted fan) significantly in their TV adaptation. Cavill has been linked to the role of James Bond for some years, although there has been no official announcement and some reports that the producers of that franchise are also looking to cast younger (although, at 39, Cavill, could likely play the role for a decade or more going forwards).

Cavill may reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes in the popular Enola Holmes series of films for Netflix, and maybe in a spinoff centered on his character. Cavill was also reportedly connected to the upcoming resurgence of the Mass Effect franchise, of which he is also a noted fan, although whether this was a voice role for the Mass Effect 5 video game or an acting role in Amazon's in-development Mass Effect television series remains unclear.

THE WITCHER renewed for a fourth season, but without Henry Cavill

In startling news, Henry Cavill has confirmed he is moving on from the role of Geralt of Rivia. He has played the role in two seasons of Netflix's The Witcher, and recently completed filming for the third season, due to air in the summer of 2023. However, he will not be back for the newly-confirmed fourth season. Instead, his role will be taken by Liam Hemsworth.

Cavill has played the role of Geralt since the first season of The Witcher aired in 2019. He is a noted huge fan of the character from Andrzej Sapkowski's novel series and the CD Projekt Red video game series. Cavill has since waxed lyrical about his love of science fiction and fantasy fiction and his addiction to PC gaming.

The critical reception to The Witcher has been mixed, but nobody can doubt Cavill's capability in the role, and he has been highly praised for his performance.

The reasons for Cavill's departure are vague, but he recently re-committed to playing Superman in the DC film universe under incoming new creative head James Gunn, and will apparently play the role in small doses in other films as well as a new solo movie, potentially clashing with the intensive filming schedule for The Witcher.

The news will likely fuel conspiracy theorists, as The Witcher writing team was recently criticised by a former writer who said that his love of the source material was not shared by some of his fellow writers, who instead mocked and belittled the books and video games. Cavill is a noted fan of the books and games.

Liam Hemsworth is seven years Cavill's junior and is best-known for playing Gale in the Hunger Games movie series.

It will be sad to see Cavill go, but at least we have one more full season with him in the role first.

THE WITCHER renewed for a third season

Netflix have renewed The Witcher for a third season, ahead of the second season dropping in December. The franchise will also be getting a second animated movie and a spin-off aimed at younger viewers.

The Witcher's first season was a huge success when it landed on Netflix in 2019. Production of the second season was repeatedly delayed due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, but wrapped several months ago. An animated spin-off movie, Nightmare of the Wolf, did well when it was released on Netflix last month.

Season 3 of The Witcher will shoot in 2022 for a likely 2023 premiere. Season 2 will debut on 17 December. A live-action spin-off series, Blood Origin, is currently shooting with Netflix.

Henry Cavill in talks to star in HIGHLANDER reboot

Henry Cavill, who seems determined to star in every TV show and upcoming movie simultaneously, is adding another project to his busy roster. He is currently in talks to play the lead in a reboot of the Highlander franchise, with John Wick director Chad Stahelski already attached.

The franchise started life with the 1986 cult classic movie Highlander, starring Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod, a 400-year-old Immortal, one of a number of humans with the ability to live forever. Immortals increase their power, skill and strength by beheading other Immortals, with the idea that eventually there will only be one Immortal left wielding immense power.

Four additional Highlander films followed, with Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) particularly reviled for trying to retcon the origins of the Immortals as aliens. The additional films were not well-received, but a six-season TV spin-off, Highlander: The Series, ran between 1992 and 1998 and attracted critical acclaim and a cult following. The series featured Adrian Paul as Connor's relative Duncan MacLeod pursuing his own destiny.

It is assumed the new project will be a reboot, but it's unclear if Cavill will be playing Connor MacLeod or a new character. The project is envisaged as a movie with sequel potential, and also the possibility of a spin-off TV series to expand the mythology.

Cavill is currently starring in The Witcher for Netflix and recently agreed to reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes for the sequel to the successful Netflix movie Enola Holmes. Cavill is also being rumoured to be returning in his role as Superman in the DC movie universe, and is involved in a new Mass Effect project, although whether that's voicing a character in the upcoming fifth game in the series or working on the long-rumoured live-action adaptation is unclear.

JJ Abrams developing a new stand-alone SUPERMAN movie

In somewhat surprising news, J.J. Abrams is working on a new Superman film project at Warner Brothers alongside writer Ta-Nehisi Coates. Similarly to the in-production The Batman, the film is envisaged a stand-alone project not related to the wider DC Extended Universe (their version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

After a few years of fruitlessly competing with Marvel, Warner Brothers have apparently reconsidered their ideas about a linked superhero universe, with a new approach which mixes a linked universe of films (comprising Man of Steel, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman 1984, Zack Snyder's Justice League and the forthcoming The Flash) and the ability and freedom to revisit those characters in a stand-alone context with different actors involved.

Abrams set up a development deal worth $500 million with Warner Brothers in 2019, whilst Coates - a respected writer of both fiction and history texts - has enjoyed acclaimed recent runs on both the Black Panther and Captain America comic books for Marvel.

Some reports are suggesting that the film will explore the idea of an African-American (well, African-American-Kryptonian) Superman. There is precedent for this in the comics, where "black Supermen" appeared several times in alternate-universe stories about the character. The most substantial such take on the character is an alternate-reality version revolving around the character of Kalel, who like his white counterpart is the last refugee of Krypton. He is raised by the poor Ellis family and dubbed Calvin, and becomes the Superman of his world. He also becomes President of the United States, in an unusual twist on the familiar mythos.

Michael B. Jordan (The Wire, Creed, Black Panther) reportedly met with Warner Brothers a few years ago to discuss a possible appearance as Superman in a project which did not move forward at that time. Whether there is scope for Jordan to be involved in this project is unclear.

Henry Cavill, who has played Superman in the DCEU since 2013's Man of Steel, reportedly was in talks to resume his role early last year. Apparently WB had earlier felt that Cavill had runs his course in the role, but reversed that decision when Cavill enjoyed an explosion in popularity due to his appearance in the television series The Witcher and several other film roles such as Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mission Impossible: Fallout. However, it appears that WB's preference is to retain Cavill as a supporting player version of Superman in other DCEU films (likening his role to that of the Hulk in the MCU) rather than building further films around him.

Henry Cavill teases involvement in new MASS EFFECT project

Actor Henry Cavill has teased that he is working on a Mass Effect project.

The actor took a shot of him reading a blurry page of text whilst in the makeup chair for the second season of The Witcher. Fans quickly unblurred the text and discovered that he was reading a plot summary of Mass Effect 3 from Wikipedia.

Several possibilities arise. The first and most likely is that Cavill is voicing a character in Mass Effect 5. BioWare recently confirmed that the game is in development, and Cavill as a video game fan in general and a known connoisseur of CRPGs would likely be up for a role.

The second is that a Mass Effect TV show or film is under discussion and Cavill is in talks for a role. Although a Mass Effect live-action project has been rumoured for a while, there hasn't been any firm announcements since a film proposal with Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers petered out in the early 2010s. Although normally you'd expect a show or film to enter development and then talk to actors, sometimes the process goes the other way, so teams can go to studios with an actor with known star power already attached.

If that is the case, it'd be interesting to know whom Cavill would play. One would hope that a Mass Effect film or show would go with the games' gender-neutral casting, and allow both male and female actors to audition for the central role of Shepard (one alternative would be to ape the games by filming all scenes with both and allowing viewers to choose which version to watch, but that could be weird and expensive). Still, a Mass Effect film or TV series with Cavill as Shepard wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I think I'd prefer him in another role though.

Whatever the case, hopefully we'll find out soon what's going on.

Henry Cavill to resume his role as Superman

In a surprise move, Henry Cavill is in serious talks with Warner Brothers about resuming his role as Superman in the DC Movie Universe.

Cavill first played the role in the risible Man of Steel (2013), although Cavill himself was fine in the role, his role was just badly written and indifferently directed. He reappeared as the co-lead in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), alongside Ben Affleck's Batman, and then in a supporting role in Justice League (2017). Multiple discussions over a new Superman solo movie stalled and the fate of the DC Movie Universe was thrown into doubt after Affleck quit as Batman. However, with several more films in the setting doing extremely well (Wonder Woman, Shazam! and Joker, although the latter's place in the extended universe canon seems debatable), it appears that Warner Brothers have decided against a full reboot as yet and are keener to retain the services of one of their big hitters.

Cavill's growing stardom outside the role has also likely played a role. Cavill picked up great notices for his appearances in films such as Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) and Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018), as well as the TV series The Witcher. Cavill has also gained a lot of "geek-cred" for his social media appearances discussing his love of video games and painting Warhammer miniatures (to the point where a character based on Cavill is appearing in next month's Total War: Warhammer II update), which DC would like to tap into.

Apparently Warner Brothers are still cool on a new full solo Superman movie, instead envisaging Superman's role going forwards as a bit like the Hulk's in the MCU, as a solid supporting player. Indeed, Cavill was meant to appear in Shazam! in a brief cameo, but his appearance was pulled late in the day. It sounds like Warner Brothers are now keen to bring him back into the fold and see how he does, with a view to revisiting the solo movie option further down the road.

Henry Cavill cast as Geralt in Netflix's WITCHER TV series

Netflix have confirmed that the lead role of Geralt of Rivia in their upcoming Witcher TV series will be played by British actor Henry Cavill, currently best-known for playing the role of Clark Kent/Superman in the DC Cinematic Universe.

Cavill rose to initial attention playing the role of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, on Showtime's The Tudors in 2007-10. The only lead actor to appear in all four seasons apart from Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (as Henry VIII), Cavill attracted positive notices for the role, especially his portrayal of a man much older than himself in the final season.

Cavill also appeared in movies such as Tristan and Isolde and Stardust before director Zach Snyder cast him as Superman in Man of Steel (2013). He has since reprised this incarnation of the character in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). Cavill has attracted some praise for his portrayal, while the films themselves have been criticised for an overtly dark tone and incoherent scripts.

Since starring as Superman, Cavill has also appeared in films such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) and Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018), attracting positive reviews, especially for the latter.

Netflix's The Witcher TV series is based on Andrzej Sapkowski's eight novels featuring the character. Cavill is a fan of both the books and the three Witcher video games by CD Projekt Red, citing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as one of his favourite games of all time.

The Witcher is currently in pre-production and casting, with the show expected to start shooting early next year in Poland for transmission in early 2020.

Henry Cavill expresses interest in playing Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's WITCHER TV series

Henry Cavill, who currently plays Superman in the DC Universe movies, has expressed interest in playing the role of Geralt of Rivia in Netflix's upcoming Witcher TV series.

Fans are already on the case (Source: Bosslogic on Instagram)

Cavill has declared himself a huge fan of the franchise, having played the video games (recently completing a second playthrough of the enormous Witcher 3: Wild Hunt) and read the novels by Andrzej Sapkowski.

Fans have put forward many names for the role of Geralt in the TV series, with suggestions ranging from Black Sails and The 100 star Zach McGowan (who has also expressed an interest in the role) to Mads Mikkelsen, possibly as an older version of the character. Given that Sapkowski is Polish, the mythology of the series is informed by Polish sources and that the show will shoot in Poland, Polish actors have also been put forward, most notably Marcin Dorociński.

With casting reportedly getting underway in the next month or two, Witcher producer Lauren Hissrich may find herself with a bit of a queue of known Hollywood names forming, which is an nice problem to have.