Warhammer 40K fans create the Warp Gala, a Hollywood alt-universe

The Warhammer 40,000 universe is filled with cruelty, brutality and endless war. But while there are plenty of terrible tragedies to ponder, there are still bright spots: fantastic spectacles and brotherly bonds. Some fans have begun to explore an alternate universe that emphasizes the funnier and lighter dynamics of Warhammer 40,000, while combining it with high fashion. Welcome to the Warp Gala, a red carpet event taking place in this alternate history.

In the world of 40K, the current galaxy is in a fraught place. The Imperium of Man, humanity’s last bastion, controls a million, million worlds… give or take. The Empire is a deeply religious and superstitious state, barely able to maintain its vast territory. The Imperium is also defined by the Horus Heresy, a civil war that took place 10,000 years ago. Although the current inhabitants of the Milky Way don’t know much about that history, the aftershocks still influence large parts of their current lives. They commit to worshiping the God-Emperor of Mankind and his sons – demigod generals known as Primarchs.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the themes of brotherhood and brotherhood reflected in the Primarchs, no matter how small they seem in the setting,” says Sarah, the artist who created the fiction behind the Warp Gala, speaking to Polygon on social media. “I think these achievements keep them grounded in an era that knows only war.”

Sarah, who posts her art under the name Mixuen, has reimagined the Horus Heresy, which split the Primarchs in two in a war so epic it earned a 64-book series from the Black Library, in an alternate setting called the Hollywood Heresy. .

“My original intention with the Hollywood Heresy was simply to create a whole alternate universe for fun: a film or drama production created by a close-knit community of actors and crew members with a common passion to make the Horus Heresy series happen. ) for the big screen.”

So Sarah and other fans have cast fictional actors to play the Primarchs in a TV adaptation. The man who plays Sanguinius, for example, has some of the same noble qualities, but his character also deviates from the source material in interesting ways. The Primarchs and their interpersonal dynamics are one of the most important parts of the Horus Heresy series, and those dynamics still play a huge role in the current 40K setting. Both Guilliman and the Lion have returned to the loyalist side, while the treacherous Primarchs run around causing chaos. There’s a similar level of shenanigans going on in the alternate universe, without the fatalities and betrayals.

The creation of Hollywood Heresy tied in nicely with the Amazon deal to bring Warhammer 40,000 to small screens, attracting interest from new fans. Other contributors subsequently joined the Hollywood Heresy fandom and created their own fan fiction and fan art of the Hollywood Heresy. It’s the same logic behind the loving coffee shop AUs Overwatch characters. It’s a way to view familiar characters through a new, lower-stakes lens. To the Warp Gala, all characters are invited – not just Primarchs.

“As it was a small project for fun and giggles, it didn’t occur to me how much of an impact it would have in the Warhammer community,” says Sarah. “I had people approach me (about) how much the Hollywood Heresy works brought them joy. Some noted how well these scenes reflected the proximity or aspects of the Primarchs.

Of course, if there’s an alternate universe where all the Primarchs are on a movie set, it makes sense that they would eventually have to walk the red carpet. The setting also allows artists to play with different themes, from the Catholic statues that run through the empire of man to the abstract majesty of the galaxy. Similar to the Rift Gala, a red carpet fan event for League of Legends, Fan makers for Hollywood Heresy enjoy combining high fashion with the fantasy aesthetic of this beloved franchise.

“The Warp Gala was created to reflect the community’s love for 40K,” says Sarah, who hopes it will help encourage more 40K-related fan works.