Summary
A newWarhammer documentary is on the way and will star none other than the nerdy high schooler fromNapoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder. Tracing its roots all the way back to 1983,Warhammer’s iconic tabletop miniature wargame that we know and love today was originally created by British designers Bryan Ansell, Richard Halliwell, and Rick Priestley and then published by Games Workshop Group, who later became an importer of the U.S. role-playing gameDungeons & Dragons.
For those new to the world ofWarhammer’s settingand rules, the simple explanation is where two or more players compete against each other with armies of miniatures that can be moved around the game’s decorated tabletop surface to simulate epic battles nestled within a dark and gritty world, often incorporating historical influences. TheWarhammersetting took a leaf out of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy world, as well as being influenced by science fiction authors Poul Anderson and Michael Moorcock. For most dedicatedWarhammerplayers, the name John Blanche will most certainly ring a bell, and in Trademark Films’ deep-dive documentary into the grimdark aesthetic, actor Jon Heder is on the hunt for the iconic artist, who even has a style of miniature painting called Blanchitsu named after him in honor of his incredible artistic skills.
Warhammer Documentary Sees Jon Heder Hunt For Artist John Blanche
Although many people will remember Jon Heder as the dorky kid from the 2004 coming-of-age teen comedy film, in which he plays a socially awkward 16-year-old and is famous for that iconicNapoleon Dynamitedance routine, Heder is a surprising addition to theWarhammerdocumentary. According to the trailer, Heder’s introduction to the world ofWarhammerbegins while trying to find a toy for his child in a game store and searching for “the center of grimdark and everything gnarly,” while seemingly ignoring the fact that he is standing in front of a hugestatue of a Space Marinein a car park. The documentary seems to play on Heder’s comedic tone, while also offering an incredible look inside the art of the world’s biggest wargame as shots of miniatures are scattered throughout.
Coupled with interviews and interactions withWarhammerenthusiasts and creators, the documentary’s main goal seems to be Heder searching for the legendary artist, John Blanche. Although now retired from Games Workshop since 2023, Blanche was an art director for the company and became a legendary figure in the community due to his delicate and precise painting skills, which entirely influencedWarhammer 40k’s lore. Halfway through the trailer, someone tells Heder that he needs to find “the grandfather of grimdark”, which, of course, is referring to Blanche, and then the scene ends with Heder knocking on his door.The meaning behind grimdarkwas inspired by theWarhammer 40,000tagline “In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war.”, and refers to a fantasy setting that is often seen as bleak and/or disturbing.
The documentary looks like it will delve into thegrimdark aestheticoutside ofWarhammertoo and possibly jump into other art styles that inspired the popular tabletop game. Thankfully, it doesn’t look likeWarhammerfans have too long to wait until the documentary is released, as according to Trademark Films, it should be out sometime in the spring of 2025.
