Alex Garland to write and direct live-action Elden Ring film for A24

Acclaimed filmmaker Alex Garland will helm a live-action adaptation of Elden Ring, the critically celebrated action RPG from FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. Garland, known for his cerebral storytelling and atmospheric world-building, will write and direct the film, with A24 producing in collaboration with Bandai Namco.

The project marks another major collaboration between Garland and A24, following his recent war thriller Warfare, co-directed with Ray Mendoza, which has earned over $32 million since its release last month. Four of Garland’s five directorial efforts have come under the A24 banner, including Ex Machina, Men, Civil War, and Warfare.

Joining Garland on the production team are Peter Rice, as well as long-time collaborators Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA, the company behind 28 Days Later. George R R Martin, who co-created the Elden Ring universe with game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, will also serve as a producer alongside Vince Gerardis.

Originally released in February 2022, Elden Ring became an instant phenomenon, praised for its immersive dark fantasy world, expansive open-world design, and punishing but rewarding gameplay. The game allows players to explore vast, mysterious landscapes and intricately designed dungeons in a lore-rich setting conceived by Miyazaki and built on a narrative framework written by Martin, author of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Garland’s long-standing creative relationship with DNA Films stretches back to 28 Days Later (2002), which he wrote. He’s also currently working as a writer and producer on Sony’s new 28 Years Later trilogy, with the first film directed by Danny Boyle set to hit theatres on June 20.