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

Hiring a director for an Elden Ring movie? Who even knows where to begin with that one. Personally, I’d probably jump to names like Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro. You know, those fantasy legends? Or maybe Miguel Sapochnik, since he gave us those wild Game of Thrones battles. Then again, maybe you’d want to go a bit off the wall? Think Robert Eggers or Yorgos Lanthimos. They love the weird stuff, much like FromSoftware. This is all making me wonder, honestly.

So, A24 tosses Alex Garland into the mix. How’s that for a curveball? I mean, his vibe is more Ex Machina and Annihilation, which are a far cry from anything Elden Ring-like. But hey, maybe there’s something hidden there? It’s not like Garland is just collecting checks and calling it a day.

But seriously, Garland tackling Elden Ring feels kinda strange, doesn’t it? He hasn’t done fantasy, not really. And video game adaptations? Yeah, they’re another beast altogether. His work leans on story and characters, very unlike FromSoftware games with their cryptic lore and environmental storytelling. Remember Ex Machina? All dialogue and character-driven. Meanwhile, Bloodborne and its ilk are like, find the story in the item descriptions or the landscape. Oddly enough, Garland’s Civil War didn’t even bother with a backstory, so go figure.

Still, don’t count him out just yet. People evolve, right? His shift from Ex Machina to Warfare is proof enough. Garland’s a gamer too, which I didn’t know until now, but it makes a difference. Playing Resident Evil did inspire parts of 28 Days Later, after all. And get this, The Beach has a section that’s almost like a game. Who knew?

Digging into his work, I gotta say, Warfare does stir up feelings akin to what you’d feel playing Elden Ring. Overwhelmed, unsure, constantly on edge. And imagine swapping out setting for setting—Limgrave instead of a war-torn area? Could work. Instead of big lore dumps, it’d be a close-up journey of a single character, inching through the world. Intrigued yet?

Rumor has it, Garland’s eyeing Kit Connor from Warfare to lead. Seems fitting if the movie takes a similar tension-filled route. It could capture those themes of fear and struggle players know too well. That’s a lotta weight on Garland’s shoulders, but if anyone’s gonna explore that psychology through graphic scenes, it’s him. Who’d have thought the secret sauce was in the gritty realism?

Elden Ring isn’t about flashy heroics. Nope, it reduces you to a no-name who faces defeat over and over. Kind of an anti-hero thing, come to think of it. If Garland nails that emotional depth, he might just pull off something special. Man, Elden Ring on the big screen could really be something different.

Tim Brinkhof knows his stuff, having written for just about everyone. His perspective keeps ya thinking, doesn’t it?