The Lands Between are finally coming to the big screen. On March 3, 2028, the live-action film adaptation of FromSoftware and Hidetaka Miyazaki's masterpiece Elden Ring hits theaters worldwide. Bandai Namco and A24 (Midsommar, Everything Everywhere All at Once) are producing, with Civil War and Ex Machina director Alex Garland writing and directing. Reportedly A24's most expensive production ever at over $100 million, filmed in IMAX, the project finally begins principal photography this spring.

March 3, 2028: Release Date and Full Cast Revealed

On April 20, 2026, Bandai Namco Entertainment and A24 officially announced that the live-action Elden Ring movie will open worldwide on March 3, 2028. Filming is being shot in IMAX, with production beginning Spring 2026.

Writing and directing is Alex Garland, known for Ex Machina, Annihilation, Civil War, and Warfare. The full cast was revealed alongside the release date:

  • Kit Connor (Warfare, Heartstopper)
  • Ben Whishaw (Skyfall, Paddington)
  • Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War)
  • Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga)
  • Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms)
  • Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina)
  • Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes)
  • Ruby Cruz (Willow)
  • Nick Offerman (The Last of Us)
  • John Hodgkinson, Jefferson Hall, Emma Laird, Peter Serafinowicz

Producers include longtime Garland collaborators Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA Films, former Disney executive Peter Rice, and, critically, George R.R. Martin and Vince Gerardis. Martin, famous for A Song of Ice and Fire (the basis for HBO's Game of Thrones), originally contributed the mythological backstory to the game itself.

A24's Biggest Swing Ever, $100M+ Budget

According to The Hollywood Reporter and World of Reel, Elden Ring is set to be A24's most expensive production to date. The budget reportedly exceeds $100 million, with a 100-day shooting schedule planned.

This represents an extraordinary scale-up for A24. By comparison, Everything Everywhere All at Once was made for just $14–25 million, and Midsommar for a mere $9 million. The announcement comes right after Garland's previous film Warfare became A24's third highest-grossing release ever with $127 million worldwide, A24 is striking while the iron is hot.

This is effectively A24's first major push into big-budget franchise filmmaking. Combined with their parallel adaptation of Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, the indie powerhouse is clearly positioning itself as a serious player in video game adaptations, a territory long dominated by major studios.

Alex Garland: A Legit "NG+6" Tarnished

Perhaps the most reassuring detail for fans is that Garland is a genuine, hardcore Elden Ring fan.

As reported by Gamesradar+, Garland revealed in a recent Reddit AMA that he's deeply invested in the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: "Love Shadow Of The Erdtree. I'm on NG+6 currently. Don't even want to think about the hours I've clocked up. Can't seem to stop playing. Still discovering stuff."

For those unfamiliar: NG+6 means he's completed the full game six times and is currently on his seventh playthrough. Anyone who has played a FromSoftware game understands the weight of that number. According to industry reports, Garland personally pitched the film adaptation to A24, Bandai Namco, and FromSoftware, this wasn't a studio assignment but a passion project from a longtime fan.

The Reddit reaction was swift: "Okay, I was worried about the movie slightly, but now? Holy shit, he's one of us boys, this movie is gonna be peak." The Elden Ring community, notorious for its high standards, largely welcomed the news.

The Garland Collaborator Reunion

Many of the cast members have worked with Garland before:

  • Kit Connor → Warfare (2025)
  • Cailee Spaeny → Civil War (2024)
  • Sonoya Mizuno → Ex Machina, Annihilation, Devs
  • Ben Whishaw → The Woman in the Fifth (Garland screenplay)

Variety reports Kit Connor as effectively reuniting with Garland after Warfare. The ensemble feels like Garland assembling his trusted company of collaborators for his most ambitious project yet.

Japanese-British actress Sonoya Mizuno is a particularly welcome presence for international viewers familiar with her breakthrough role as Kyoko in Ex Machina.

2028: The Year of Video Game Movies

Elden Ring's March 3, 2028 slot sits within the broader video game adaptation boom. Recent successes include The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.36 billion worldwide in 2023), HBO's The Last of Us, The Minecraft Movie, and the continuing Sonic franchise.

2028 is shaping up as a major year: IndieWire reports that the Call of Duty movie releases June 30, 2028, followed by Pixar's new original film Ono Ghost Market, Jon M. Chu's adaptation of Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go!, and the Fast & Furious finale Fast Forever.

FromSoftware's adaptation wave is also accelerating. 2026 will see the theatrical release of SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT (animated film), and Sony Pictures announced an R-rated animated Bloodborne movie just weeks ago. All three of FromSoft's flagship IPs now have adaptations in development, a striking testament to the studio's creative cachet in Hollywood.

Why Adapting Elden Ring Is So Hard

For all the excitement, fans have legitimate concerns.

Elden Ring's defining narrative technique is environmental and fragmented storytelling, conveying a vast mythology through cryptic item descriptions and visual cues, with players piecing it together themselves. Subreddits like r/Eldenring and YouTubers like Vaati Vidya built entire communities around interpreting this puzzle. Translating that approach into a 2+ hour film is extraordinarily difficult.

Concerns voiced on social media echo one fan's widely shared comment: "I don't know how you fit so much lore and anything less than a $200M budget into a 2 hour movie and keep it appealing to a casual audience. Those screenwriters and producers better be on point."

Others are more optimistic: "If A24 does this right, it could be a weird fantasy thriller like The Green Knight, I'd be super into that."

Garland himself has acknowledged that Elden Ring isn't a linear story, it's a fragmented experience each player assembles. How the film will reinterpret that essence remains to be seen. Until March 2028, we can only wait for the golden circle to be forged anew.

Casting Speculation Fuels Community Buzz

Reddit's r/Eldenring lit up with role speculation immediately after the announcement. Who is Kit Connor playing, the Tarnished protagonist, or perhaps young Godwyn? Will Nick Offerman be the perfect Radagon or Godfrey? Might Jonathan Pryce take on Gideon Ofnir or one of the ancient lords?

Sonoya Mizuno is widely rumored for Malenia or Melina. Cailee Spaeny's name has been linked to Miquella or Queen Marika. Bandai Namco and A24 have not disclosed character assignments, but reveals are likely to roll out over the coming months.

How's It Playing in Japan?

Japanese social media has latched onto A24's horror filmography, specifically Midsommar and Hereditary, as an unexpectedly good match for FromSoftware's signature eeriness. "The windmill village Dominula is just Midsommar 2" has become a running joke online, suggesting A24's talent for pagan horror, ritual dread, and uncanny festivity aligns perfectly with the Lands Between.

There's also amusement that Garland publicly announced his "retirement" from directing a while back, only to return for Elden Ring. Japanese X users are noting the irony with affection.

Japan is watching with mixed feelings as FromSoftware's IPs are increasingly entrusted to international partners. How is this A24 epic being received in your country? And how much of Elden Ring's famously cryptic lore do you think can survive the jump to cinema? Let us know in the comments.

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