Arise now, ye Tarnished, for the call of anElden Ringfilm adaptation speaks to us all! FromSoftware’s global hit open-world dark fantasy RPG is officially heading to the big screen, as the rumors ofA24’s involvement have been confirmed. The much-lauded indie studio is developing the project withone of their regular partnersof late,WarfareandCivil WardirectorAlex Garland, confirmed to write and direct the feature. Given the magnitude of the title, it’s poised to be one of the most expensive and daunting projects A24 has taken on to date. Publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment jointly announced the feature with the production company on Thursday.
Garland’sElden Ringwill be produced byGame of ThronesmastermindGeorge R.R. Martin, who famously contributed elements to the game’s story and worldbuilding. The news hardly comes as a surprise, considering the widespread interest in adapting the game to the big screen,including from Martin himself, who will presumably have a big hand in shaping the plot. Joining him on the production will bePeter Rice,Andrew Macdonald, andAllon Reichfrom DNA, andVince Gerardis. The game itself was helmed byHidetaka Miyazaki, who has become one of the most decorated creatives in gaming in recent years after spearheading FromSoft’s critically acclaimedDark Soulsseries of RPGs,Bloodborne, andSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, among other projects.
Released in 2022,Elden Ringhas been lauded asone of the greatest games ever made, earning Game of the Year andselling over 30 million copies since its debut. Its expansion,Shadow of the Erdtree, was similarly acclaimed, launching last year to even more widespread praise and yet another Game of the Year nomination. The game takes place in the Lands Between,a brutal, dark fantasy worldinfluenced by outer gods and torn apart by The Shattering, a war between the various demigods aiming to seize power using pieces of the titular Elden Ring. In the middle of this stalemate, players take on the role of the Tarnished, beings who challenge the very gods themselves to seize the throne of Elden Lord for themselves and establish a new order. They travel to the ends of the earth, from the fields of Limgrave to the rot-infested lands of Caelid and beyond,encountering curious charactersalong the way in their journey to either aid the Greater Will or subvert it entirely.
Garland May Be A24’s Best Choice to Stand Before the ‘Elden Ring’
FromSoftware’s games have never been particularly straightforward in how their stories are told, which will makeElden Ringa unique challenge for Garland. However, he’s likely the best fit in A24’s typical roster of collaborators to take on The Lands Between. Before directingthe realistic war feature,Warfare, he helmed the most expensive project from the production company at the time inCivil War, a bet that paid off when it becameone of A24’s highest-grossing films. Garland’s resume also includes another critical darling inEx-Machina, and he’s also known for penning the script toDanny Boyle’s genre-defining zombie flick28 Days Laterand its upcoming sequel,28 Years Later.
Last year, Miyazaki shared that FromSoftwarewas open to letting Hollywood inon some of its games, albeit with some caveats. “I don’t see any reason to deny another interpretation or adaptation ofElden Ring, a movie, for example,” he said at the time. “But I don’t think myself, or FromSoftware, have the knowledge or ability to produce something in a different medium. So that’s where a very strong partner would come into play.” Although there was real interest, he also wanted to be cautious with whoever partnered with the developer. Now,Elden Ringwill be yet another big-name game adaptation from a big-name auteur in A24’s lineup, after it also picked up an adaptation ofHideo Kojima’sDeath Strandinghelmed byA Quiet Place: Day One’sMichael Sarnoski.
Stay tuned here at Collider for more on theElden Ringmovie as development gets underway. In the meantime, the multiplayer spin-off title,Elden Ring Nightreign, is set to release on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC next Friday, May 30.
