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

Okay, so picture this: you’re tasked with picking a director for an Elden Ring movie. Who do you dial up? Instinctively, folks might lean towards fantasy big shots like Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro. Or how about Miguel Sapochnik, the brain behind those epic Game of Thrones battle scenes like Hardhome and Battle of the Bastards? Now, if you’re feeling a bit adventurous or maybe in a weird mood, maybe Robert Eggers, Yorgos Lanthimos, or Bong Joon Ho catch your drift. I mean, these guys love the strange and surreal just like FromSoftware. Each to their own, right?

Here’s the kicker. Who would’ve thought of Alex Garland? Like, seriously? Known for his chilled-out sci-fi vibes in Ex Machina and Annihilation, he’s now A24’s pick for an Elden Ring adaptation. Curveball much? You’ve got to wonder what’s cooking there. Do they see something we don’t? Anyways, Garland’s not one to slack just ’cause he’s getting the big bucks, so this should be interesting.

At first glance, Garland and Elden Ring is like trying to mix oil and water. His sci-fi stuff is worlds apart from some hardcore fantasy flick, never mind a video game mashup. Plus, his storytelling is more character-driven while Elden Ring spills its secrets through the world itself, you know? Still, if Garland can reinvent himself between projects like moving from Ex Machina to Warfare, maybe he might just surprise us.

Backtracking a bit – gaming’s actually in Garland’s DNA. Who knew, right? His script for 28 Days Later was apparently inspired by Resident Evil. And The Beach? There’s even a game-like scene in there, which incidentally has Leonardo DiCaprio channeling Banjo-Kazooie vibes… go figure.

There’s this quote about how Warfare’s vibes echo the Elden Ring experience. Both leave you feeling outmatched and on the edge, clinging to survival. Swap out Iraqi landscapes for Limgrave, and you might actually see Garland pulling off something rather unique.

Rumor mill says he’s eyeing Kit Connor for the lead role, which kinda hints at a similar eerie, tense tone you’d expect from Garland. Everyone’s hoping he’ll bottle up that intimidating thrill for Elden Ring. Capturing the essence of the struggle – not just the grand lore – might be the way to go.

Ultimately, it’s about nailing that existential turmoil, not just showing off some flashy heroics. Garland could do well leaning into that. And if he nails it, Elden Ring might be something special on the big screen. Fingers crossed.