Alex Garland, whose work on Ex Machina and Civil War pushed the boundaries of sci-fi and drama, is taking A24 into its most expensive territory yet. According to reports from the week of April 20, 2026, the studio is investing well over $100 million into a live-action adaptation of the epic fantasy game Elden Ring, and embarking on a production of this scale without a massive budget would not feel right.
A24 and Bandai Namco confirm ‘Elden Ring’ movie will be filmed for IMAX
The project, which began principal photography in the UK this week, marks a massive shift for the studio, typically known for independent films. Written and directed by Garland, the movie is set for approximately 100 days of principal photography to capture the vast, hostile beauty of the Lands Between.
“This is the largest and most ambitious project A24 has ever worked on,” a source close to the production shared following set leaks in England showing a real-life Limgrave and a reconstructed Church of Marika.
The film has officially secured a release date of March 3, 2028, and is being shot specifically for IMAX theaters to match the scale of the source material.
For the creative team, the adaptation is inseparable from the high standards of the original game created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin.
They have repeatedly said they want to honor the game’s atmosphere, and the massive budget—shattering the $70 million record previously set by Marty Supreme—reflects that commitment. In their view, any version of Elden Ring that didn’t feel like a massive event for the screen would simply fall short.
The full cast was recently confirmed, featuring a mix of Garland regulars and major stars. Kit Connor, known for Heartstopper and Warfare, leads the ensemble alongside Ben Whishaw and Cailee Spaeny.
The cast also includes Tom Burke, Havana Rose Liu, Sonoya Mizuno, Jonathan Pryce, Nick Offerman, Ruby Cruz, and Peter Serafinowicz.
Recently, insiders addressed the “elephant in the room” regarding how a traditionally indie studio handles a nine-figure blockbuster.
Despite the financial leap, they said they truly believe that too many modern adaptations ruin the spirit of the original by playing it safe, whereas Garland’s version aims for the same feeling of “suffering and accomplishment” that defined the game.
“We’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect,” the production team noted. “It definitely helps to pinpoint and know exactly what you want to do with a world this rich.”
Instead, the producers believe that focusing on practical sets—recreating locations like Stormveil and the streets of Leyndell spotted at Greenwich Naval College—remains the perfect way to ground the fantasy.
Although the film is nearly two years away, the creators have continued expanding the vision in other ways. They see the 100-day shoot as a companion to the grueling challenge of the game itself rather than a standard Hollywood production.
The studio is also reportedly working on a new retrospective project regarding the rise of A24 from micro-budget horror to the $100 million Elden Ring, which is expected to be released in 2027 and look back at the making and legacy of the studio’s evolution.
