Alex Garland’s Elden Ring Film Should Embrace Epic Fantasy Warfare

If you could pick anyone to direct an Elden Ring movie, who’s your go-to?

So, okay, maybe someone like Peter Jackson pops into your head. He’s got that epic fantasy vibe nailed, right? Or how about Guillermo del Toro — the dude’s all about monsters. Then there’s Miguel Sapochnik, who gave us the big, bad battles in Game of Thrones (remember Hardhome?). But hey, if you’re in a wild mood, why not throw Robert Eggers (Nosferatu) or Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) into the mix? These guys love a bit of weirdness, and that kinda aligns with the whole Elden Ring mysterious aura.

But here’s the twist — Alex Garland is the chosen one. I know what you’re thinking, “What?! Alex Garland?” He’s the mind behind Ex Machina and Annihilation — science fiction, not fantasy. His movies are all about plot and deep conversations, while FromSoftware games are more like, "Hey, read this item description and connect the dots." But, believe it or not, A24 thinks he’s the guy for the job.

I mean, Garland and Elden Ring? Odd couple. But, wait, actually, what’s interesting is, Garland’s a gamer. Like, he’s into Resident Evil, which stirred something in him when he did the script for 28 Days Later. Oh, and fun fact: The Beach — based on his novel — has a scene that’s kinda Banjo-Kazooie-ish, for real.

Jumping to a tangent—Garland’s style, yeah, it’s heavy on narrative and character. His fantasy record is zero, zilch, nada, but who cares? Styles change, right? Look at his jumps from sci-fi thriller to warfare flick. There’s this sense he might twist the Elden Ring story into a personal tale rather than sticking strictly to the lore.

It’s funny; he captures this "existential dream" vibe he mentioned to Gamespot. He might lean on the psychedelic like in Annihilation or go gritty like in Warfare. That “Holy crap, I’m outnumbered!” feeling? That’s a core part of Elden Ring. The idea of survival over story could be his ace here. Swap Ramadi for Limgrave, and boom! Look at this — a story not about the grand history but the gritty, sweaty trek between checkpoints.

Kit Connor might lead the cast, which could tilt the film into suspenseful tones. This isn’t about the backstory French Revolution of Marika or Godrick and the gang. It’s about a dude, one single Tarnished, who’s focused on just getting to the next day—or the next Site of Grace.

Garland’s got this knack for visual drama, diving into psychology with precise action scenes. It’s like HBO’s The Last of Us — another adaptation win because they got what made the game unique. For Elden Ring to hit those high notes, the movie shouldn’t aim for “hero saves the world” but rather “everyman finds a way.” That’s kinda the heart of the game, right?

I guess what I’m getting at is maybe, just maybe, Garland’s unique style might bloom into something unexpected. Maybe it won’t. But the potential’s there, like a strange seed in a forgotten garden ready to sprout something… interesting.