From Civil War to the Lands Between: Alex Garland to Direct Elden Ring Film

Another hit video game is being adapted into a live-action film, but this time, the team behind it is truly exciting!

Variety reported yesterday that Alex Garland, the acclaimed director and writer known for Ex Machina and Civil War, will adapt the popular fantasy video game Elden Ring into a live-action film, which he will also direct. Like Garland's previous works, Ex Machina, Men, Civil War, and this year's Warfare, this film will be distributed in the US by the independent studio A24. Elden Ring, released in 2022, was co-directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki and Yui Tanimura, with Miyazaki co-writing the script alongside George R. R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. To date, it has sold over 30 million copies, making it one of the best-selling video games of all time; it has also won numerous Game of the Year awards and is considered one of the best video games ever made.

Here's a brief overview of the Elden Ring game:

The Golden Order has been broken.

In the Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the Elden Ring, the source of the Erdtree, has been shattered.

Marika's offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring known as the Great Runes, and the mad taint of their newfound strength triggered a war: The Shattering. A war that meant abandonment by the Greater Will.

And now the guidance of grace will be brought to the Tarnished who were spurned by the grace of gold and exiled from the Lands Between.

Ye dead who yet live, your grace long lost, follow the path to the Lands Between beyond the foggy sea to stand before the Elden Ring.

And become the Elden Lord.

Alex Garland is a highly regarded screenwriter, having penned 28 Days Later, Sunshine, and Dredd (he was also uncredited as a co-director on the latter). In 2014, he made his official directorial debut with Ex Machina, winning British Independent Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, and receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. His subsequent self-written and directed works, Annihilation, the series Devs, and Men, all received critical acclaim. Last year's Civil War and this year's Warfare marked a shift from his usual sci-fi and horror themes to war-centric narratives, also earning very positive reviews. After Civil War's release, he stated in an interview that he wouldn't direct again in the foreseeable future. It's surprising that this "foreseeable future" turned out to be just two years, and this venture into the fantasy genre is also a new departure for him. In addition to Elden Ring, he has also written the latest 28 Years Later trilogy. The first film, 28 Years Later, is set to release next month, once again directed by Danny Boyle, who helmed 28 Days Later and Sunshine. Its sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, will follow in January next year, directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels).

In recent years, Hollywood has adapted many popular video games into live-action films and series, with mixed critical reception. Notably, The Last of Us and Fallout were both adapted into highly acclaimed series, earning Emmy nominations for Best Series. Monster Hunter and The Witcher were also adapted into a film and series, respectively, but received more lukewarm reviews. Alex Garland's past works have mostly garnered strong praise, so here's hoping Elden Ring can also be adapted into an excellent film!

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Photo: Playstation

Source: Variety, Playstation