Mike Flanagan joins Henry Cavill on Warhammer 40,000 adaptation

Mike Flanagan has joined Henry Cavill on Games Workshop's upcoming Warhammer 40,000 screen adaptations, with the company confirming the acclaimed horror filmmaker will begin work on scripts.

The update was announced in Games Workshop's annual financial report, which also reassured fans that Cavill remains attached to the long-awaited TV and film projects after months of limited news surrounding the collaboration.

Flanagan is best known for directing Netflix series including Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House. While Games Workshop did not specify whether he is writing for a film or television series, it confirmed that production company United Artists has also joined the project.

Games Workshop first revealed its licensing agreement with Amazon in 2024, with Cavill set to produce and star in adaptations based on the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop franchise.

The company also provided updates on several other entertainment projects. It said work on a new Warhammer-themed episode of Prime Video anthology series Secret Level is "almost completed", while development has begun on a full animated series centred on the Space Marine Deathwatch characters.

Although Games Workshop reported a decline in licensing revenue from video games amid what it described as a "challenging" period for the industry, it said 2024 release Space Marine 2 continues to generate income well beyond launch. The company added that four new Warhammer video game tie-ins have been announced this year, including Dawn of War 4.

Alongside the entertainment updates, Games Workshop reported record financial results, with pre-tax profits rising 4.9 per cent to £275.7 million for the financial year.

Chief executive Kevin Rountree said the company paid around £12 million in US tariffs before reclaiming £7.8 million following a US Supreme Court ruling. He added that Games Workshop expects to pay about £13 million in tariffs next year.

Rountree also reiterated that the company does not use generative AI in product design or the creation of Warhammer intellectual property, saying the policy is intended to protect the integrity and ownership of its franchises.