Ultramarines: a Warhammer 40,000 movie

In a weeks time the first feature length movie set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, Ultramarines has been 'filmed' using CGI animation entirely. As the name suggests the plot revolves around the 'most courageous and the most unswervingly-loyal' Space Marine Chapter.

The script was written by Black Library author Dan Abnett, who also wrote the graphic novel that comes with the special edition of the movie, which may be pre-ordered here.

Apart from the movie DVD, the special edition contents include an embossed steel case, extra DVD of features including the making of the movie and a hard back graphic novel.

To further whet your appetite here is the synopsis of the story published on the Games Workshop website a while back:

"Captain Severus, a revered veteran warrior with a considerable reputation, has received an urgent request for assistance from the remote backwater planet Mithron. Mithron has only one site of strategic importance, a shrine defended for countless generations by a full company of Space Marines from the Imperial Fists Chapter. What dreadful fate could have overcome them that they ask for help?

Leaving the bulk of his company on Algol to prosecute the war against the nightmarish Tyranids, Severus sets off for Mithron with only a ten-man squad for support. Ultima Squad is a raw, untrained band of Battle-Brothers, all recently promoted from the ranks of Space Marine Scouts and thirsting for glory. Mithron will be their first taste of action as fully fledged Ultramarines. Severus, with his Sergeant Crastor and his apothecary Pythol, knows they'll need to keep a careful watch on the recruits.

On the tough and unforgiving surface of Mithron, Ultima Squad discovers that a terrible battle has taken place. The shrine has been attacked, and some great evil has been unleashed. As unseen dangers close in around them, the recruits have to mount a tense and deadly insertion to find any surviving Imperial Fists, and the reason behind the distress beacon.

For ambitious new recruits Proteus and Verenor, competitors for their captain's approval, the reality of the task ahead becomes clear. They want a glorious first taste of combat as fully fledged Space Marines to prove they are worthy of selection. But this mission is a savage fight for survival and, if the Ultramarines fail, events on Mithron will threaten the fate of millions of densely populated Imperial worlds starting with their fortress home of Macragge..."

From the teaser and trailers it looks like a worthwhile first venture into the movie franchise, despite some likening the animation to be no better than that of the Dawn of War series. While the animation may not have cost millions, like other feature length films, from what I've seen it'll get the story across just as well as well.

If I pre-order Ultramarines, it wont necessarily be for the state of the art animation, but rather to simply hear the story that is being told and to support the project so that they may be encouraged to create a second instalment.