It seems like nearly all the most beloved and most impactful science fiction properties have at least some degree of levity and whimsy. Star Trek and Star Wars are the biggest examples — despite often dealing with heavy themes, both properties balance that out with a dose of romantic adventurism and wish-fulfillment. Even this year’s Project Hail Mary leaned into the “hopecore” trend to great success, which makes sense. Sci-fi has long been a place to reflect on the human condition, and people want to believe that humanity’s future looks optimistic.
But not all popular sci-fi subscribes to the same rosy storytelling tendencies. Warhammer 40K, the most-played miniature wargame in the world, is a vision of a galactic future ravaged by endless conflict with hostile alien and supernatural forces, and it’s so beloved that it’s been spun off into a wide array of video games, novels, and comic books. Now the franchise is about to make the leap to television, with an unexpected project coming from a pretty expected source.
