My final recap article will also be my most subjective. I will confess that I haven’t been able to watch all the relevant shows and films that came out this year (hence why you might notice a few notable omissions from my list). However, I think I can still hit the highlights. For this category I am going to group in most science fiction and fantasy releases and my thoughts on them. Since both Age of Sigmar and Warhmmer 40k have drawn heavily from many of these sourceswhen they were books its fun to see them brought to life on the screen and imagine a similar future for the Warhammer titles.
Films:
Dune: I thought it was best to get the big one out of the way first. Dune is a sweeping sci fi story that shaped a multitude of future universes. The similarities with 40k are quite obvious and if you enjoy the grimdark universe you will likely enjoy Dune. One of the downsides of the show is that it takes its time to get going. I feel like it would work better as a mini-series but at this point it’s largely nitpicking. I think if this series does well it sets the table for a possible 40k film release.
The Green Knight/The Last Duel: I am combining these two films as they are in direct competition for “Well Made but Disappointing Box Office Results Medieval Drama” slot. Given their reputation I will say that their aesthetics more then the story is very evocative of Age of Sigmar (more the Green Knight then the Last Duel, unless you like Brettonia). However they can scratch that fantasy itch if you need it.
TV Shows:
The Wheel of Time: I am not going to to wade into the differences between the book and the show. I came into the series with no knowledge of the setting and so I wasn’t aware of all the changes. I do feel that it gets a little too graphic with it’s violence at times but Game of Thrones got away with it. To be honest, I am not completely sure if I like this show yet, but I keep watching it so that says something. However, if you like the Beastmen in Age of Sigmar you will probably like some of the creatures shown. This is another property that predated Warhammer Fantasy and likely shaped the lore behind the beastmen but the cgi adaptions in the show look like they may have been impacted by the Warhammer art of the Total War games.
The Witcher: While I enjoyed the first season of the Witcher, I felt the structure got a little too complicated at times. While I haven’t finished the second season I have enjoyed a more straightforward narrative style. The show continues to build on the previous season with some great moments of character growth. The rumor is that the Witcher show is planned to go for seven seasons and if they can keep up the pace and quality I believe they can do it. As with the Wheel of Time, there is a good bit of violence here so it that’s not your jam be aware. At the same time this violence doesn’t overshadow the story and isn’t the focus of the show. As with the wheel of time the original books have their fingerprints in the Age of Sigmar lore and the the world fits well into the Age of Sigmar setting.
Honorable Mention: Resident Alien. I was looking for a science fiction show to round out my list and since the Book of Boba Fett hasn’t come out yet (though I am super psyched about it!) I can’t recommend it yet. This shows doesn’t really have anything to do with 40K or Age of Sigmar but it is a highly enjoyable show. I am always a sucker for anything Alan Tudyk is in and he plays the role admirably in this show. Beyond the comedy the show is also touching and deserving of a second season. While it is on an odd streaming platform I recommend giving it a look if you get the chance.
All told this year was a better one for science fiction movies and fantasy tv shows then vice versa. At the same time, every year it appears that more and more stories that were deemed to be “un-adaptable” find success or at least are attempted on the big ans small screen. I think each year we creep closer to a warhammer adaptation and if it succeeds the seeds will have been sowed in years like this one.
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