An Elden Ring movie wouldn’t need to change much from the game

There have been discussions of an Elden Ring movie floating around as of late, inspired in part by the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

But whilst Elden Ring as a game appears on the surface to be difficult to translate from game to screen, it doesn't have to be. There are a multitude of movies that have released in recent years that demonstrate just how this could be achieved, and the truth is that a movie adaptation of Elden Ring really wouldn't have to change much.

An Elden Ring movie might be easier than you think

By now we've all seen the terrible game to movie adaptations. I thought the Max Payne movie was a fever dream I must've had when I was ever so terribly sick, but it turns out that it's real, and it's 'bad' in the way that a swarm of locusts is bad, which is to say it's biblically bad. But, we've also now since had our fair share of genuinely fantastic adaptations, and whilst I might've had gripes with the Fallout TV show in how it treated some of the older material, I couldn't deny the clear showing of outstanding direction, unparalleled prop and set design, and genuine charm.

And whilst yes, I'm very aware that Fallout is wildly different to Elden Ring, it's one great example of a game translating well to a completely different medium despite the difficulties involved in converting the source material. But what about something that does share DNA with Elden Ring? Well one such example is the brilliant 'The Green Knight', released in 2021 and directed by David Lowery.

If you break Elden Ring down into its base components, and I mean really break it down, ultimately it's about going on a quest you absolutely don't understand (at first), in a world you're absolutely terrified of, in which everything is out to kill you. The Green Knight is about a man on a quest he absolutely doesn't understand (at first), in a world he's absolutely terrified of, in which everything is out to kill him. He speaks to a fox; you to a jar. He's out to meet a man made out of trees; you're out to meet a weird dragon made of stars.

The similarities don't stop there, as both The Green Knight and Elden Ring share DNA in the form of long stretches of quiet introspection. There are grand and beautiful landscapes, interlaced with the imposing statures of giants and the threat of monsters around every corner. There are people, some kind, some strange and some twisted, who all seem to know more than you about the nature of the world and especially your quest.

And finally, shortly before embarking on his quest of getting his head cut off, Sir Gawain elects to gently imply to his beloved that he has no intention of making her his lady when he returns victorious. Which means he sets off on his bizarre adventure... maidenless. Maidenless in the same way your very own Tarnished is Maidenless, a fact which you are told by the very first NPC you can speak to as you start the game, and are frequently reminded of thereafter.

Peculiar narrative similarities aside, The Green Knight really does show that an Elden Ring movie made with the same level of visual artistry could be an outstanding piece of media indeed, as both game and film demonstrate that you don't need constant yapping or violence to tell a strange but ultimately powerful and inspiring story.

But let's be real, an Elden Ring movie really has to throw some bananas action out there a good few times.

Death and combat in an Elden Ring movie

For combat, The Northman (released in 2022 and directed by Robert Eggers) could be one of the best sources of inspiration... at least partially. What The Northman does exceptionally well is show the true speed of battle. Sword fights are not typical long and protracted duels that end in a curt bow and no hard feelings; they end quickly and in bloodshed.

The Northman demonstrates this in spades, and it also shows the true frailty of a mortal body. Now yes, whilst you may not be 'mortal' in Elden Ring, you can bet your sweet bippy that you'll die a lot, and it is this approach to death present in every SoulsBorneRing game that absolutely could not be ignored in a movie adaptation. It's too foundational, too fundamental to the series as a cultural movement to be passed over in favour of having some protagonist that simply doesn't die despite the monumental task before them. You're effectively charged with killing God, and that's gonna cost you.

Now whilst The Northman may not deal with anything quite so esoteric as a pair of large gentlemen dressed in white, one of whom can inflate like a balloon and the other who can extend like one of those car showroom inflatables, it does deal with the punishing brutality of combat, and the ultimately nil-sum game of revenge. And make no mistake, whilst maybe not traditionally, Elden Ring is a story of revenge: the Tarnished is spurned by the Grace of Gold and sent away to wage a never ending war so that one day they may return to their home and wage Holy war against their creators. And The Northman, with a boy robbed of his future, who dedicates himself to returning home to enact extreme vengeance upon the one who stole it from him. This might be a looser thread, but it's undeniable that it exists.

We still need you, Miyazaki

Hidetaka Miyazaki, game director of Elden Ring (and many of the other FromSoftware titles), has stated that whilst he could absolutely get behind the idea of an Elden Ring movie, he'd only do so if he had a strong partner. This is because Miyazaki understands that being a video game director does not perfectly translate to directing for the screen, and his recognition of this is important.

Despite this, I still strongly maintain that Miyazaki and the FromSoftware team would need to be involved for one major part of production. Now as mentioned, neither The Green Knight nor The Northman deal with the monsters that truly plague our existence in The Lands Between, and this is where I believe Miyazaki and the FromSoftware team would be able to truly provide the insight and skill they've been able to bring to the various franchises we've come to know and love. Whilst there may be monster slaying movies out there, I can't find much in Pacific Rim that Elden Ring could take inspiration from, as much as I'd love to.

The FromSoftware team have been hand crafting these nightmares for us since the release of Demon's Souls back in 2009, and absolutely nobody has been able to do it like them since... so why should someone else do it?

The scale, the design, and the true horror of these foes would be difficult to capture for anyone who hasn't lived and breathed them for what is quickly approaching two decades. And aside from the visuals and the various scores, it's the way these creatures act that would be difficult to capture. Some bosses will roar and scream and thrash around, some will lurk and prowl, but all of them will rip you to pieces if you put a foot wrong. And each and every single one of them has an expertly written reason for why they act the way they act. No one boss in Elden Ring is ever just a boss, and this cannot be forgotten.

An Elden Ring movie with the visual and atmospheric mastery of The Green Knight, the raw brutality of The Northman, and the boss expertise only FromSoftware can provide could all come together to make something truly remarkable, and I can only hope that I get to see it for myself one day.

If you've enjoyed this piece and you're looking for some more Elden Ring content from us here at Pro Game Guides, check out our If you're looking for some more Shadow of the Erdtree content from us here at Pro Game Guides, check out our piece on the Unknown YouTuber who was first to beat Shadow of the Erdtree bosses at level 1, or our guide on How to reach Scorpion River Catacombs in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree.