This has been discussed before; GW have made it clear they have no silver screen intentions (despite having a few cool shorts at a gamesday years back). The company vehemently acts against any such moves to protect its own IP rights and interests. I think there was a case where they heavily penalised an amateur movie on the web (don't quote me).
I'm surprised they've even gotten this far with warhammer online, let alone a film itself (look at the problems and time it took for Tolkien's works to make it). Then there's the problems of what to film, what races are being involved, how to bring in the relevent background without half an hour of narrative info. Casting in itself would be problematic/costly (see: Colour of Magic - Sean Astin/DJ). Too many problems, risk of only geeks and gamers going....perhaps even only those who have personal interest in the races or gamesystem being portrayed.
Too Risky, Too Costly, Too Complicated
If GW got burned by turning film (LotR) into minis, whose to say they won't get burned worse by turning minis into films
I can imagine a completely cgi film is being tossed around as an idea, so easy to do them now. get the kids hooked early!
Theres already the film called Damnatus that wasnt allowed to be released
But isn't GW worldwide already? The forums themselves reflect this. The worldwide (or at least the Western) population of teenagers/fantasy fans/hobbyists actively partake or at least aware of the world of warhammer. If they are not interested in the hobby now, then i doubt a film will motivate them to do so.
Therefore the film would be for a cult following, however, depending on the story (40k or WFB ), the races/armies involved as well as the personal interests of the GW fanbase (ie perhaps they like to play wargames, not go to the movies) then the cult audience for which the film is aimed at will only partially go
Thats all we need. another elf movie.
The LOTR films introduced the story (and GW game) to loads of people who wouldn't have bothered otherwise. I never managed to finish the first book before I saw the film.
With GW's current financial position it's unlikely they'd consider pumping cash into a movie.
Most companies don't make films themselves, they just sell a license for someone else to use their stories. If it does well then they can make loads, if it doesn't then it usually doesn't matter. The film of Iron Man has increased sales of the comics and books by loads.
That Damnatus one was a real shame. A confusion over permission from GW, and 10,000+ euros later...
They were stupid not to get it in 'official' writing.
I like the idea of Warhammer films, but seriously doubt it will happen any time soon. Even if it did, I doubt the Chaos Dwarfs would be in it. CGI films are more expensive than normal ones. At least, if they are to look realistic (wsuch as CGI used in the Star Wars films)... Thusly, I doubt it'd be CGI if they're worried about losing money.
How can they lose money and still make a profit?
They can lose money on the film but make more profit on the games. Anyone seen the new Star Wars cgi film trailer? Looks a lot like the animated series in 3D
It'll have to be pretty good to erase my memory of jaja binks... and then lucas goes and does a cgi dump over 4-6. I liked the death star sparkly explosion, it's didn't need an explosive ring. I'm glad Family Guy went old skool with thiers on Blue Harvest
Is it a prequal to the prequals or a sequal? Or a parrelel story set in the same galaxy, long long away
It is set between episode 2 and 3. The animated ones were pretty good, much more subtle references to the film (I'm pretty sure that a young Han Solo is in one of them, but it isn't "Hey look, there he is, it is him, look!" like the death star references in the prequals). The trailer is now on
http://starwars.com/
Yes, there are all these stories, but at the end of the day, GW isn't likely to consider it... It's just not in their nature, it is a risk and they seem to have foregone thinking about "cause and effect", so the cause of a film being made, effecting the sales of the models won't come into their minds.
I still cant see how they could lose money on a movie though as it is open to a much larger market rather than being restricted to gamers, LOTR movies did not lose money (as far as I know) and stories of the Warhammer world rival the story of a little ring easily! Hey we had Nagash and Sigmar going at it toe to toe! The father of Undead V's The Man God! Much better than tossing a ring into a volcano!
Yes but LotR is the second best selling book of all time behind the bible, more or less defined the fantasy genre and is considered even by those who don't enjoy or havent read it as one of the most influential works of fiction ever written. Warhammer is a hobby with a dedicated following but a massive stigma attached by the general public. It is seen (rightly or wrongly) as the preserve of kids, unwashed trenchcoat wearers and men who really need to grow up a bit. Also, whereas LotR has three defined books easily turned into films, the Warhammer background is made up of thirty plus years of scribbles in rulebooks, army books, campaign supplements, White Dwarf, specialist games, the citadel journal, advertisements, the back of boxed sets... well you get the point.
the cause of a film being made, effecting the sales of the models won't come into their minds.
Godbob, did you not read this? They don't care about knock on effects any more. Their business plan has changed from the future, to the present. People don't know what D&D REALLY is. They think of D&D as more like WH than vice versa, I've found at least. Besides, it does have knights and dragons, but so does a lot of our history's myths and legends... (Personal note, horror films aren't meant to be about gore. that's for thrillers...)
At the end of the day, it'd be cool, but where would they start AND it won't happen. If it weren't for their legal annoyances, I'd attempt making one myself...
Currently, the biggest money spinner when making a movie is in the merchandising. Plush toys, books etc. Take the exmple of the Disney Pixar film cars. They make a lot more money selling the toys, the kids bedding and pyjamas, posters, wallpaper, stationary sets, computer games, board games, jigsaws, clothes etc than they did takings at the box office and through their dvds. I'll put this into my personal context:
I didn't watch it at the cinema, so that is £0
I bought the DVD for my son (who loves it) £15
So that's £15 directly from the movie, even If I had taken my boy to the cinema that is still only £25 roughly.
Now, since seeing the film, my boy has:
2 pairs of lightning mcqueen pyjamas: £10
talking shiny mcqueen: £7
collection of matchbox cars at £3 each : £30
Cars foam posters : £5
Remote controlled mcqueen: £20
Lightning & sally race track: £20
Dynaco helicopter toy: £8
Lightning mcqueen torch: £3
Thats £103 from merchandising. But the thing is, it's his birthday in 2 weeks time, he is going to get another 'cars' racetrack from his grandparents, no doubt even more cars related stuff from his aunt's and uncles, and he has grown out of his cot-bed and is upgrading to a full size single, which he will have a cars bedding set for and probably matching curtains. So the money from merchandising is still coming in. The only reason I will buy the DVD again is if the one he has breaks or gets lost, and I wont be taking him to watch it at the cinema if it ever comes on again, he knows it backwards
And don't forget, it's much cheaper to make a few toys and clothes than it is to make a film, plus toys can be priced according to demand where cinema prices are pretty much set in stone.
This is the problem with a GW film. GW will not allow anyone else to use their IP as a cash cow, ever! They most certainly do not want other toy companies making GW toys as a result of a GW film, independant artists with their own interpretations on T shirts and posters and will not allow any producer to have a percentage of models it sells as a result of the film. No 'serious' or 'Big Time' producer is going to take the project on knowing the only money they will make is from film and dvd sales. The returns don't justify the outlay. So, unless GW form their own studio, production company etc, it is unlikely that a proper movie will ever be released.
Catch 22.
Although, if there was to be a film, I would like to see the Horus Heresy played out on film, probably as a trilogy.
Godbob, you think it's meant to be vice versa because the directors have been classifying them incorrectly. Tenseness is horrifying, killing is thrilling. (Not that I get thrills from killing....)
Hammerhand: Exactly right. Producers don't take on products that won't be worthwhile, GW won't make a film department as they don't care for merchandising (and as I've said knock-on effects) and no matter how cool it would be, GW will NOT make a film in any sense of forseeable future. End of story.
You can all say why it is a good thing, but GW won't listen. GW hasn;t listened to it's fanbase for a long time. Too long, IMO.
However, I am interested to see what plots from Fantasy and 40K people would like to see in the hypothetical case that a film of each came out. Easiest way to get this rolling is to have a format:
Game: Fantasy/40K
Genre: Action/Sci-fi
Story: Storm of Chaos/The Formation of the Empire
Focus: The big battles/The obtainment of Imperial technology
Why: I think it's cool/It'd be interesting to see something other than fighting in 40K.
NOTE: The above is an exmaple (Including the twin reply to each question) and not my personal thoughts.
Hope the ball is rolling...
There are video games based on GW games. They aren't made by GW. Only one step away