I'll take it back. Warhammer's Horus Heresy would be perfect for TV

Like many Warhammer fans, I've long thought a Warhammer TV show would be a good idea. I also thought a Warhammer TV show about the Horus Heresy, the most famous and complex story of the 41st Millennium (technically the 31st, but you know what I mean) would be terrible.




This series consists of 64 books, and I learned about them when I started the series and thought about starting a book club to understand the complex reading sequence. How do you define it? How can you condense such an epic story into a few 10-hour seasons?

The Warhammer Legion Imperialis Warhound Titan is painted in Son of Horus colors, looking left.

I've always been of the mindset that adapting the Eisenhorn series made sense. Apparently, Mark Strong was appointed as the full Inquisitor. It features epic battles and a grim gothic atmosphere from the 41st Millennium, but the characters are more interesting and engaging than the callous Space Marines of the Adeptus Astartes.

But I recently changed my mind.


The best Horus Heresy character is not a Space Marine

Warhammer 40,000: Horus Leads the Luna Wolves


I'm almost finished with Horus Rising, the first book in the Horus Heresy series. It follows Luna Wolves captain Garviel Loken as the Emperor's Crusade destroys the stars. But where Space Marines are often boring, we see deep into the mind of Loken, see how the seeds of heresy are sown, and see many ordinary people who can put the Astartes in their proper perspective.

We hear a conversation between Loken and Cyril Sinderman, an Iterator who spreads Imperial propaganda throughout the galaxy. He acts as Loken's mentor (read: therapist), providing a more human perspective on the events of the novel, as well as serving as a means of communicating or calming Loken's doubts and concerns.

Lord Calgar joins the great battle in Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2.


I also like Remembrance. Between war photojournalists and imperial bards, their job is to document the Crusades. Viewing the war and the Space Marines themselves from the perspective of a regular Terran-born human gives the protagonists a gravitas befitting their class.

Before I started the series, I was worried that this would be a typical super soldier story. Fortunately, the opposite is true.

How do you adapt 64 novels?

Reading the Horus Heresy book made me think about creating an Imperial Army for the first time in ten years. This is a very risky thing to do, and as marketing (basically all Warhammer novels are) very effective. I want to start a 30K army. I've always loved the Mk 3 armor, but this book might be the tipping point for me to pull the trigger.

I'm hoping to have some cash on hand at least until Emperor's Children arrives next year, and I can read Fulgrim while drawing.


But I don’t know how you set out to adapt 64 novels into a TV series. Obviously, you'll have to skip some books entirely and just pick the most important characters to follow. It's also a good idea to follow more general people rather than Primark itself. Obviously Horus needs to be central to the story, but seeing him through Loken's eyes would be a lot more interesting than just watching the demigod tear the galaxy apart.

Warhammer 40,000: Alpharion fighting his brother Rogal Dorn

The internal politics are reminiscent of Game of Thrones, and you can imagine an episode told entirely from the perspective of the Remembrancers. Perhaps it could show the horrors of war from a new perspective, or be filmed like Breaking Bad's Fly.


Whatever the path, there is a way to do a Horus Heresy TV show. It has the scale of Game of Thrones and the characterization of The Expanse, and will be watched by legions of fans. Does that mean you think it will happen? no. I don't think you can get the Eisenhorn because it's worth it. We'll have a show selling toy soldiers, Warhammer 30K is a side game, and Eisenhorn will probably be able to sell a unit of models.

Just like in Secret Level, we were seen following Space Marine 2's Lt. Titus into battle. This game undoubtedly sold Space Marines. But if you want to get your fans involved, there's only one series to adapt. Consider myself a convert. Put your Amazon on a blower. Now only the fancast Loken remains. I vote for Christian Bale.

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