Elden Ring: Will This Epic Fantasy Movie Be a Flop?

Imagine this: one of the most successful fantasy universes of recent years teams up with perhaps the most creative film studio in modern cinema. They bring in the perfect director for the project and focus on quality over big names when casting. On top of that, the whole thing is based on a story idea by "Game of Thrones" creator George R.R. Martin. And then the whole thing becomes a massive flop at the box office and drives the studio into ruin. Welcome to our movie preview for "Elden Ring"! We'll break it down: Who's behind the film? Who's in the cast, what makes the story so special – and of course: When does the "Elden Ring" movie hit theaters?

A24 and Elden Ring: The Perfect Match?

"Elden Ring" is arguably one of the greatest video games of all time. It was released in 2022 and is the latest highlight of the extremely popular "Souls" series from developer FromSoftware. One of the game's biggest features is its cinematic presentation: epic landscapes, massive monsters, an unparalleled atmosphere – exactly what you'd expect from a fantasy epic designed to transport us to a foreign world.

Something like this definitely belongs on the big screen – that's what film studio A24 thought, too. For many years now, this independent company has been winning over the hearts of movie lovers who want to see something different from the usual mainstream productions. "Ex Machina", "Hereditary", "The Lighthouse", "Everything Everywhere All at Once" – the titles speak for themselves. Hardly any A24 film fits into a conventional mold. The logo at the beginning of a film is practically a promise: Now things are about to get interesting!

We think: It's a stroke of luck for the "Elden Ring" movie that this studio, of all places, is handling the adaptation. Because that pretty much rules out one major risk: that the game's incomparable experience will be squeezed into a clichéd Hollywood mold. But at the same time, the combination of A24 and "Elden Ring" could also lead to a massive disaster that movie fans wouldn't like at all – but more on that later.

The Production

Despite being an indie studio: No compromises seem to be being made in the production of "Elden Ring." The film is being shot directly for the high-resolution IMAX format, which makes it unmistakably clear: Here, the audience can expect a visual spectacle that goes far beyond a typical video game adaptation.

Creative control lies with a man known in modern cinema for creating extremely atmospheric worlds: Alex Garland. The British filmmaker is handling both the screenplay and the direction – he has extensive experience in both areas. He is best known for his screenplays for "28 Days Later" and "Sunshine". He has also created fascinating films like "Ex Machina" and "Annihilation" and was responsible for A24's comparatively expensive "Civil War". His works often convey an eerie, oppressive, and fascinating atmosphere – exactly what a decaying world like that of "Elden Ring" needs.

Filming began in April 2026. Locations include the real, rugged natural landscapes of the Scottish Highlands and the rugged, unforgiving volcanic landscapes of Iceland.

The Cast

A closer look at the cast reveals that this is an ambitious character-driven film. The cast list doesn't rely on the usual Hollywood stars who appear in every other movie anyway. Kit Connor is often mentioned first. He was already in Garland's "Warfare", but – we're going to go out on a limb here – most of you probably don't know him. Cailee Spaeny, on the other hand, drew attention with her lead role in "Alien: Romulus". They're joined by distinguished character actors like Ben Whishaw and Nick Offerman, as well as the legendary Jonathan Pryce.

The Story of Elden Ring

To understand why the story has such immense potential for the big screen, it's worth taking a look at the creators of this world. The story was penned by two absolute heavyweights of modern fantasy: Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind the development studio FromSoftware, and George R. R. Martin, the creator of "Game of Thrones". Martin laid out the entire history, the political intrigues, and the complex family tree of the ruling divine families in advance. Miyazaki took this detailed backstory and let it culminate in a massive, unstoppable catastrophe. The result is a world that feels like a historical epic. Every crumbling castle fortress, every cursed family, and every monstrous creature possesses a profound, often deeply tragic past.

The story takes place on a vast, isolated continent called "The Lands Between". The sky above this world is dominated by a gigantic, glowing tree – the "Erdtree". It serves as the ultimate symbol of the so-called "Golden Order", the metaphysical law that holds nature and life in this world together. This is where the film's title comes in: The Elden Ring is no ordinary gold trinket that grants power. It is a cosmic web of magical runes that dictates the fundamental laws of reality. The absolute ruler of this gigantic realm is Queen Marika, the Eternal. She does not act as a classically good and flawless monarch, but as an exceedingly complex, calculating figure who does not shy away from drastic measures to preserve her vision.

The actual story of the game – and presumably also of the film – begins in a world that is already in ruins. The Elden Ring has been shattered, a traumatic historical event. The fragments of this ring, the "Great Runes", fall to Marika's direct descendants. These demigods are corrupted by the unimaginable power of the runes and plunge the The Lands Between into a cruel, all-encompassing war.

The mythology features formidable figures such as General Radahn, a warrior of gigantic proportions who holds up the stars in the sky, or Malenia, an undefeated swordswoman who is, however, consumed by an inner, destructive rot. The war of the demigods produces no victor, but instead ruins the entire world.

Into this utterly hostile and decaying world step the story's central protagonists: the Tarnished. They are fallen warriors who long ago fell from grace and were banished. Now, a mysterious, recurring grace calls these outcasts back from exile. Their nearly impossible task is to overthrow the demigods driven mad, gather the powerful runes, and ascend the orphaned throne as the new ruler.

The narrative does not depict a classic, heroic journey with shining knights, but rather portrays a grimy, merciless struggle for survival. The Tarnished are ultimate outsiders fighting their way through an environment dominated by fanatical cults and tragically fallen gods.

The Problem with the Elden Ring Movie

It all sounds very epic and is a massive experience in the game, easily spanning hundreds of hours of play. FromSoftware's games are famous for not simply laying out the world's story. It's hidden in countless cryptic clues that players must piece together themselves. You always get the feeling: there's more to it. It's a strange world whose true scope you can only guess at.

The problem: A movie doesn't have 100 hours at its disposal. It will be a massive challenge to bring the story of Elden Ring to the screen in its entirety. Either you try to fit everything into a comprehensible 2 to 3 hours – but then the whole thing feels more like a lecture than an adventure. Or you simplify the story – at the expense of its uniqueness.

Based on Alex Garland's previous films, however, we have a good idea of which path he will take. Garland is a director who isn't afraid to leave questions unanswered. His film "Annihilation" is a good example of this: Here, too, he relies on fascinating imagery and enigmatic events that receive no obvious explanation – thus leaving room for interpretation. Exactly what makes "Elden Ring" so special. And a major reason why these worlds simply won't let us go.

The Looming Elden Ring Catastrophe

The film's budget is said to be well over one hundred million US dollars. This makes it the most expensive production in the studio's history. In the past, A24 films typically cost under $20 million. But in 2024, $50 million was already spent on "Civil War", and in 2025, "Marty Supreme" required up to $90 million. So A24 is venturing into the financial big leagues. But that could turn out to be a major disaster for "Elden Ring".

The reason is quite simple: As much as we celebrate "Elden Ring" and hope for the most epic and faithful adaptation for the big screen, the film will have a damn hard time reaching a mass audience. "Elden Ring" may be a big name among hardcore gamers, but it's no match for something like "Super Mario", which is a household name for all kinds of gamers across generations. Even people who have never played a video game in their lives know it. When they hear the name "Elden Ring", most moviegoers will probably just shrug. On top of that: We're likely expecting a dark fantasy film for adults here, one that also comes with an absolutely cryptic and unwieldy story.

All these factors actually rule out a global hit entirely. A24 has always benefited from the fact that its films weren't too expensive – this allowed them to consistently take creative risks and be rewarded with a profit. We don't know how much money the studio has in reserve – but "Elden Ring" could be a financial disaster from which the studio will never recover.

We'll see in two years whether our fears come true: "Elden Ring" is set to hit theaters on March 3, 2028.