Alex Garland’s ‘Elden Ring’ Wraps 4-Month Shoot, With More Than a Year of Post-Production Ahead

Alex Garland is stepping into the world of “Elden Ring” for A24. What a weird combination, but one that Garland has apparently been heavily invested in.

The idea of an “Elden Ring” movie seems very pricey. Just imagine the amount of VFX that would have to be used. The result might very well be the most expensive movie A24 has ever made — what are we thinking? $100 million? Maybe more. A24’s dream of becoming a major studio has taken another step forward with “Elden Ring.”

That’s to say, “Elden Ring” has wrapped production in the UK after four months of shooting. The film isn’t due to hit theaters until March 3, 2028 — so how much post-production could it possibly need? Apparently, well over a year’s worth. There must be a massive amount of VFX work ahead.

Prop maker Sean Schofield, whose credits include “The Witcher” and “The Rings of Power,” confirmed the film had wrapped production on Thursday via Instagram. The ensemble includes Kit Connor (“Heartstopper”), Ben Whishaw (“Skyfall”), and Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla,” “Alien: Romulus”), who are all said to have the three lead roles.

Just a reminder: it’s Garland who went to FromSoftware and Bandai Namco with his pitch for “Elden Ring.” This movie is only happening because of his persistence. Garland aggressively pursued the A24-backed adaptation of the mega-hit game. His pitch? Writing a sprawling 160-page script — plus 40 pages of visuals — entirely on spec. He even flew to Japan himself to pitch the idea directly to Hidetaka Miyazaki, who ultimately gave Garland his blessing.

Released in 2022 and co-created with George R. R. Martin, “Elden Ring” sold more than 30M copies worldwide and was crowned Game of the Year. The story follows the Tarnished, a group of outcasts summoned to the mystical Lands Between. Their mission? Reassemble the shattered Elden Ring, defeat a laundry list of grotesque demigods, and ascend to power as the new Elden Lord. Casual stuff.

Garland, known for his cerebral and visually striking work — which includes “Ex Machina,” “Annihilation,” and “Civil War” — had recently hinted at retirement, but he’s clearly not easing back whatsoever. On top of that, he recently revived the “28 Days Later” franchise with “28 Years Later” and its sequel, ‘The Bone Temple,’ both of which he wrote and is producing.