Alex Garland’s Elden Ring Film Should Capture the Essence of Fantasy Warfare

If you could get any director on board for an Elden Ring flick, who’d it be? The go-to options might be the big names in fantasy like Peter Jackson—you know, from Lord of the Rings—or someone like Guillermo del Toro. Or maybe you’d think of Miguel Sapochnik, the guy who tackled those epic battles in Game of Thrones, like Hardhome. Which, let’s be honest, was wild. But, if you’re feeling adventurous, you might think of someone like Robert Eggers or Bong Joon Ho—they’ve got that surreal, cryptic vibe that kind of fits with Elden Ring’s whole thing.

Now, chances are, Alex Garland wouldn’t even cross your mind, right? I mean, he did Ex Machina and Annihilation. Not exactly what you’d imagine for a realm full of lore and swords. But surprise, A24 thinks he’s the guy for the job. Yup, Alex Garland is penned to direct and write an Elden Ring film. Maybe it’s risky, maybe it’s genius. Who even knows at this point, but it’s intriguing.

Taking a look at Garland and Elden Ring in the same sentence is kind of odd. He’s got this sci-fi bend, right? Not the kind of fantasy FromSoftware usually dishes out. His storytelling is this slow-burn thing, full of dialogue and plot twists, whereas Elden Ring… well, it’s all about that world and those atmospheric clues. Side note: his movie Civil War? Critiqued for lacking backstory. But people change, and who says he can’t reinvent himself right here, right now?

Here’s a twist you might not see coming: Garland is a gamer. Who knew? Apparently, his love for video games like Resident Evil inspired scripts like 28 Days Later. And The Beach, another piece of his work, has its little gaming nods. So, maybe he’s not diving into this Elden Ring thing completely blind.

Filmmakers sometimes pretend they care about the source material to win over fans. Some folks swear M. Night Shyamalan never watched a single Avatar: The Last Airbender episode, but Garland seems genuine. In a chat with Gamespot, he mentioned that Dark Souls games feel like slipping into an existential dream… no clue why, but it kind of stuck with me.

Maybe Garland gives us a movie that’s all about the feels, like Annihilation with its crazy visuals. Or—oh, wait, maybe he goes the Warfare route, his film about Navy SEALs. Yeah, a war film in Elden Ring’s world sounds wacky. But oddly, both give you that sense of being outnumbered. Fear, despair—classic Garland, right?

Picture this: swap an Iraqi warzone for Limgrave in Elden Ring. The gritty feel is still there. Forget the giant lore about Marika and Godrick. It’s all about the small, raw moments. Gotta get to that next Site of Grace alive—wait, what was the main quest again? Oh, becoming Elden Lord or something, right?

Reports say Garland might get Kit Connor from Warfare to star. If true, maybe this Elden Ring movie taps into those vibes of tension and unease. Play to Garland’s strengths: the psychological stuff mixed with raw action.

Anyway, this adaptation might shine if it grasps what’s special about being Tarnished in Elden Ring. It’s not about being the hero. Nope. It’s about embracing the struggle, the countless deaths and, somehow, finally making it through that fog wall. That’s the kind of movie that hits deep. Garland could nail it, learned a trick or two from Warfare, and we’re all waiting to see what happens in that theater.

Tim Brinkhof here, freelance writer who’s all about art and history. Graduated from journalism at NYU and spilled words everywhere from Vox to Slate and more.