BBC Business2 hours agoCulture3 min read

Games Workshop Taps Horror Director Mike Flanagan for Warhammer 40,000 Adaptations Amidst Record Profits

Warhammer 40,000 Mike Flanagan Henry Cavill

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Games Workshop recruits acclaimed horror director Mike Flanagan for Warhammer 40,000 adaptations, confirms Henry Cavill's involvement, and reports record £275.7m pre-tax profit despite challenges in the gaming industry and US tariffs.

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Games Workshop expands Warhammer 40,000 into media amidst gaming industry challenges.

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Games Workshop has revealed acclaimed horror director Mike Flanagan has been recruited to work on its upcoming Warhammer 40,000 adaptations. Flanagan, known for Netflix series like Midnight Mass and The Haunting of Hill House, is due to begin work on scripts soon.

UK-based Games Workshop previously announced Warhammer superfan Henry Cavill would produce and star in TV and film projects based on the miniature tabletop wargame. The company confirmed Cavill remains involved despite fan concerns over the lack of updates.

The production company United Artists has also been brought on board, though it's unclear if Flanagan will work on a film or series. Games Workshop also announced it has "almost completed" a new Warhammer-inspired episode of Secret Level for Prime Video and begun work on a full animated series based on Space Marine Deathwatch characters.

Despite a drop in video game licensing revenue and the end of two previous partnerships, Games Workshop announced four new video game tie-ins this year. Space Marine 2, released in 2024, "continues to generate income long after launch".

These updates came in Games Workshop's annual financial report, which showed a record-high pre-tax profit of £275.7m, up 4.9%. The company paid about £12m in US tariffs but reclaimed £7.8m after a US Supreme Court ruling. It expects to pay about £13m in tariffs next year.

CEO Kevin Rountree stated the company does not use Gen AI in product design or IP creation to protect integrity and ownership. However, he acknowledged the challenge of avoiding AI in third-party software.

Rountree also addressed previous concerns over US tariffs on the company's Nottingham-manufactured models, noting they are managed as part of global operational uncertainty.