Turning one of gaming’s biggest fantasy worlds into a Hollywood blockbuster was always going to be expensive. However, the Elden Ring movie is entering a different financial league. With an estimated budget reaching $200 million, A24 is betting on a production unlike anything it has previously financed.
The adaptation, written and directed by Alex Garland and starring Kit Connor, is heading to the American Film Market (AFM) in Los Angeles this week. Its arrival comes with an unusual distinction: it is reportedly the most expensive stand-alone project ever offered at a film or television market.
More importantly for fans, filming has already finished. With a March 2028 theatrical release planned, attention is shifting toward the film’s visual effects, international distribution and the challenge of translating FromSoftware’s mysterious world into cinema.
The Elden Ring movie puts A24 in blockbuster territory
A24 has built its reputation around distinctive filmmaking, but its latest fantasy production represents an extraordinary financial commitment. According to Deadline’s exclusive report, the adaptation carries a budget between $180 million and $200 million.
That makes it A24’s most expensive film to date. Furthermore, the company is fully financing the project rather than relying on another studio to cover its production costs. The scale is particularly striking for a film based on a game famous for its cryptic storytelling and demanding combat.
AFM provides an opportunity to introduce this ambitious production to international buyers. Deadline also reports that a presentation could take place during the market, potentially featuring footage. Nevertheless, no public trailer or footage screening has been confirmed.
The film is not the only interesting production being introduced at this year’s market. Another example is Insomniac City, starring Jonathan Bailey and Bill Nighy, which is also being presented to prospective buyers. The contrast illustrates how AFM brings together intimate dramas and enormous fantasy productions.
The Elden Ring movie has a confirmed cast and a March 2028 release
Unlike adaptations announced years before cameras begin rolling, Garland’s project has already completed principal photography. Filming wrapped during summer 2026, and the movie is now in post-production with Industrial Light & Magic.
That stage is especially important for a fantasy adventure expected to feature battles against monsters and dragons. Visual effects will play a major role in bringing the Lands Between to life, although the final appearance of those creatures remains undisclosed.
Here are the essential details confirmed about the production:
- Movie: Elden Ring, a live-action adaptation of FromSoftware’s action RPG.
- Writer and director: Alex Garland.
- Protagonist: Kit Connor, whose character’s name has not been revealed.
- Supporting cast: Ben Whishaw, Cailee Spaeny, Tom Burke, Havana Rose Liu, Sonoya Mizuno, Jonathan Pryce, Ruby Cruz and Nick Offerman.
- Estimated budget: $180 million to $200 million, fully financed by A24.
- Production status: Filming completed in summer 2026; post-production underway with Industrial Light & Magic.
- Release date: March 2028, in theaters and IMAX.
- U.S. streaming: Expected on HBO Max after its theatrical run through A24’s pay-1 output agreement.
- International streaming: Amazon MGM Studios has acquired pay-1 rights across numerous international markets.
- Producers: Peter Rice, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, George R.R. Martin and Vince Gerardis.
The creative team also includes Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan, production designers Mark Digby and Michelle Day, and cinematographer David J. Thompson. Their work will help shape how the Lands Between look on the big screen.
Meanwhile, Connor has another major franchise role on his schedule. He is also set to portray Cyclops in the next X-Men movie, meaning both productions are currently expected to reach theaters in 2028.
Amazon takes international streaming rights while HBO Max is expected in the U.S.
One of the most interesting aspects of this deal is that theatrical distribution and streaming rights do not follow one identical worldwide arrangement.
Amazon MGM Studios has moved ahead of competing interest by securing international pay-1 streaming rights in a substantial number of markets. These rights concern the first subscription streaming window following theatrical distribution, rather than the movie’s initial cinema release.
In the United States, however, the situation is different. The adaptation is expected to arrive on HBO Max after its theatrical run, consistent with A24’s existing pay-1 output deal.
Consequently, Amazon’s deal does not cover every territory, and no streaming premiere date has been announced.
This distinction matters because the film is being positioned as a major theatrical event, complete with an IMAX release. Its eventual streaming availability will depend on territory-specific arrangements rather than a single confirmed global platform.
Alex Garland faces the challenge of adapting a mysterious world
Money and visual effects are only part of the equation. Elden Ring presents a particularly difficult storytelling challenge because its original narrative is discovered through exploration, fragmented conversations and environmental clues.
Players gradually piece together the history of the Lands Between. A movie, by contrast, needs to guide viewers through a more concentrated experience without losing the uncertainty that makes this universe compelling.
Garland’s screenplay is being kept under unusually tight security. A24 is reportedly sending representatives to supervise international buyers while they read it. According to Deadline, the document runs at least 180 pages when visuals are included.
That length suggests the finished film could approach three hours, but it does not establish an official runtime. Screenplay pages containing visual material cannot be converted directly into minutes of footage.
The adaptation is described as faithful to the original game, following Connor’s character through a dangerous journey involving battles against monsters and dragons. Beyond that broad premise, specific story developments remain confidential.
For fans, the unanswered question is not simply how many recognizable enemies appear. It is whether Garland can preserve the sense of discovery that makes Elden Ring memorable while giving moviegoers a coherent central journey.
The original game explains why this adaptation matters so much
Before becoming a major Hollywood investment, Elden Ring established itself as one of FromSoftware’s biggest commercial achievements. Its combination of open-world exploration, challenging encounters and fragmented fantasy lore attracted an enormous audience.
For viewers unfamiliar with the source material, these are the most important facts about the game:
- Original release: Elden Ring launched in 2022.
- Developer: FromSoftware, the Japanese studio behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
- Publisher: Bandai Namco.
- Game director: Hidetaka Miyazaki.
- Worldbuilding: George R.R. Martin contributed the foundational history and mythology.
- Setting: The Lands Between, a fantasy world shaped by conflict and the shattered Elden Ring.
- Player objective: Defeat the corrupted demigods known as Shardbearers, restore the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord.
- Gameplay: An action RPG built around exploration, challenging combat and character progression.
- Commercial performance: More than 30 million copies sold worldwide.
A massive player base raises the stakes for the adaptation
That commercial success gives A24 a substantial existing audience. However, recognition alone does not guarantee a successful adaptation. The game allows players to spend countless hours discovering optional areas and uncovering details at their own pace.
There is also a wider FromSoftware connection worth considering. As Battle4play recently explored, Bloodborne’s continuing sales in 2026 demonstrate the lasting appeal of the studio’s older adventures. Its distinctive worlds can maintain an audience long after their original releases.
George R.R. Martin’s involvement as a film producer provides another connection to Elden Ring’s creative origins. Nevertheless, his presence does not reveal which elements of the game’s mythology will appear in Garland’s screenplay.
Ultimately, the Elden Ring movie is more than an expensive video game adaptation. It represents a major test of whether an unusually mysterious RPG can retain its identity inside a large-scale Hollywood production. With filming complete, international sales underway and March 2028 on the horizon, the next major question is how much of the Lands Between audiences will finally get to see.
Creator of the website, Pokemon trainer by nature. Trying to report on everything related to the world of video games, series and movies. Yu-Gi-Oh is my weakness, collecting cards since the dawn of time.
