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Warhammer 40k
Henry Cavill’s Warhammer 40K series should ditch Space Marines for one of the series’ most important characters, and I know exactly how it would work
29 June 2025
Opinion | Henry Cavill should play this Warhammer character who’s far more important than any Space Marine
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(Image credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock)
When most people think of Warhammer 40,000, they think of the hulking Space Marines, particularly the bright blue Ultramarines. This is understandable, as they’re often front and centre of Games Workshop’s marketing, and stellar series extensions, like 2024’s Space Marine 2 game, have only deepened this association.
So when it was revealed that actor (and 40K superfan) Henry Cavill would be starring in a Prime Video series based on the Warhammer 40,000 universe, many fans assumed he’d be playing a Space Marine, or at least something connected to them.
Some speculated that Cavill could play a character like Titus, who is the protagonist from the Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine game series, while others thought he may even be playing the Emperor of Mankind or his treacherous son Horus.
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Three years after it was announced, Henry Cavill talks up his “dream come true” Warhammer series at Amazon: “It is a very complex IP, and that’s what I love about it”
The new Warhammer 40K Space Wolves stole Thor’s magic hammer and copied Kratos’ axe, but I certainly wouldn’t want to ask for them back
Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 devs reveal what to expect from the Imperium’s answer to Doom, and here’s a spoiler: “More explosions, more blood, and more gore”
This was entirely reasonable, especially after Games Workshop’s epic sixty-novel Horus Heresy series ended only relatively recently, re-establishing the franchise’s background lore, and spawning the “30K” Horus Heresy tabletop game, which is set during that conflict.
Others believed that Cavill could be playing Roboute Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines, the first of the Emperor’s loyal sons to return, and arguably, the closest thing 40K has to a protagonist. Guilliman, too, would be an excellent choice.
The Inquisitor will see you now
(Image credit: Focus Entertainment)
However, as tiny snippets of information trickle out about the upcoming streaming series, the evidence is starting to support another theory – that Cavill won’t be playing a supersoldier like a Space Marine, a Primarch, or the Emperor, but a human. And not just any human, but one who’s become a firm fan favourite, and a character who is entrenched in some of 40K’s most important storylines.
We’re talking about Gregor Eisenhorn, an Inquisitor who’s the star of multiple books and also has his own tabletop model. Eisenhorn’s job is to sniff out corruption by Chaos (essentially Warhammer’s version of Hell and the otherworldly force that corrupted Horus), then deal with it accordingly, and often ruthlessly.
While Eisenhorn started out as an Inquisitor who did things by the book, his increasingly complicated story has seen him take a more radical approach to protecting humanity, and one that often puts him at risk of corruption by Chaos. As a result, he’s seen as a rogue when compared to his fellow Inquisitors.
But while Eisenhorn hasn’t quite entered anti-hero territory yet, he’d still be an ideal choice as the complicated and morally grey protagonist of a Warhammer TV series. And it’s looking increasingly likely that this will be the role Henry Cavill plays when the show starts edging into view.
Of course, this is far from confirmed, but the stars are starting to align that way. For starters, a show that followed Space Marines primarily would be very expensive for a studio to make. It wouldn’t be impossible, but focusing the action on eight-foot-tall supersoldiers battling Tyranids and Orks may be a bit ambitious for 40K’s first live-action outing.
However, a more human story focused on intrigue and the subtle but insidious nature of Chaos could be incredibly compelling, and Eisenhorn is the most obvious candidate for such a story. It would also show the audience that there is so much more to 40K than Space Marines. As epic as they are, they exist to protect humanity, so let’s see some actual humans once in a while.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Three years after it was announced, Henry Cavill talks up his “dream come true” Warhammer series at Amazon: “It is a very complex IP, and that’s what I love about it”
More evidence for this casting comes from Eisenhorn’s creator, the author Dan Abnett. When asked about Pandemonium, the next novel in his Bequin series, which is a spin-off from the Eisenhorn books, Abnett revealed he is under a non-disclosure agreement with Games Workshop and cannot talk about it.
The delay of the Pandemonium book has baffled many Warhammer fans, but if elements of its story are being adapted for TV, then this could explain why. It also lends more credibility to the theory that Eisenhorn will be involved in the series, and most likely played by Henry Cavill.
This brings us to the final piece of the puzzle. The adventures of Bequin and Eisenhorn have seen both characters on the trail of the mysterious King in Yellow, whose identity was revealed in the last book of the series. This character was once known as Constantin Valdor, who was the Emperor’s bodyguard during the Horus Heresy and like a brother to his actual sons, the Primarchs.
For reasons unknown, the now 10,000-year-old Valdor is searching for the means to take control of the Emperor – and therefore humanity – with Eisenhorn and his allies racing to stop him. Valdor’s intentions, and what could happen if he succeeds, could have galaxy-shattering implications, and Eisenhorn might be the only person who can prevent this from coming to pass.
This essentially makes Eisenhorn one of the most important players in all of Warhammer, and if Cavill has indeed been cast in this role, it means both fans and newcomers are in for one heck of a ride – and without a Space Marine in sight.
For more check out our guide to the best new TV shows coming your way for the rest of the year.
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Contributor
After discovering Sonic the Hedgehog as a child, I knew I needed to make gaming my career and steadily worked to make that a reality. Today, I’m is fully NCTJ accredited journalist with over ten years writing about games, wrestling and everything in-between. I’m a Resident Evil obsessive and self-appointed Elden Lord after conquering every Souls game. I’m also probably that guy who ruined your day in Elden Ring by invading you at just the wrong time. I’m passionate about writing features, as I love and care about my favorite gaming franchises and hold a lot of opinions on them. Ultimately, I just want to see them succeed, as I believe we’re in a golden age of gaming.
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Three years after it was announced, Henry Cavill talks up his “dream come true” Warhammer series at Amazon: “It is a very complex IP, and that’s what I love about it”
The new Warhammer 40K Space Wolves stole Thor’s magic hammer and copied Kratos’ axe, but I certainly wouldn’t want to ask for them back
Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 devs reveal what to expect from the Imperium’s answer to Doom, and here’s a spoiler: “More explosions, more blood, and more gore”
I’m all in on the new edition of Horus Heresy now it’s finally been revealed, and I love how nitty-gritty its rules are
Everything you need to know about Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Third Edition and the new Saturnine box set
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