A24 is reportedly spending nearly $200 million on its live-action Elden Ring movie, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal [2]. Writer and director Alex Garland is leading the shoot, which sets a record as the highest film budget in the company’s history [3]. The big-screen version of FromSoftware’s dark fantasy game is scheduled to hit cinemas on March 3, 2028, with a cast that includes Kit Connor and Cailee Spaeny [4].
Elden Ring Movie Leads Record A24 Budget Jump
The Wall Street Journal ran details about the film on October 23, revealing that A24 is spending nearly $200 million to bring the fantasy world to the big screen [4]. The reported sum excludes marketing costs, meaning overall costs will climb before release day [5]. Earlier reports in April put the budget at “well over” $100 million, but the latest estimate shows that A24 expanded its spending as planning moved forward [2]. The movie needs heavy visual effects to recreate the dark setting for the live-action Elden Ring movie, which helps explain why costs rose well past early expectations [1]. By committing that level of funding, A24 is treating the game property as its main cinema release [4].
At $200 million, the film enters spending territory rarely seen outside major Hollywood studios. A source told The Wall Street Journal that the film boasts the budget of a Marvel movie. For an indie film company that built its name on lean dramas, taking on a movie of this scale is a bold change in direction [3]. Yet A24 seems set on paying for the film itself instead of selling off film rights to a rival backer [4].
Gaming communities can power massive box office runs when films treat the source lore with care, but betting $200 million on a grim, punishing action game brings financial hazards that colorful, family-friendly game movies never face [3, 6]. Hits like Sonic targeted children [3]. Elden Ring targets older gamers [6].
Previous Spending Records at A24
Before backing this fantasy film, A24’s top spending mark belonged to Marty Supreme, a film directed by Josh Safdie and starring Timothée Chalamet [5]. Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme cost about $70 million, but the sports comedy about table tennis became a profitable hit by more than doubling that initial outlay during its run in theaters [1, 3]. Before that, Civil War held the company record at roughly $50 million. The new $200 million price tag nearly triples that mark [2]. It is A24’s biggest bet [3].
A24 has often made its highest profits from much smaller films. The viral horror hit Backrooms, directed by Kane Parsons, cost just $10 million to make and pulled in more than $200 million worldwide. That box office run gave the business plenty of cash cushion [3]. The windfall also helped leadership fund bolder films without relying on outside banks [4].
Industry partners continue to praise A24’s steady growth. Telluride Film Festival director Julie Huntsinger described the distributor to The Wall Street Journal as a “Goldilocks company. Just the right amount of people doing just the right amount of things” [2]. Reporting from Polygon notes that A24 carries a valuation of over $3.5 billion as it seeks ways to stay independent while growing. Bigger budgets help it compete against Hollywood giants without giving up creative control [4].
Cast Members and Welsh Filming Locations
The film has put together a notable group of actors for the story. Confirmed cast members include Kit Connor, Ben Whishaw, Cailee Spaeny, Tom Burke, Havana Rose Liu, Sonoya Mizuno, Jonathan Pryce, and Nick Offerman [2]. All of their roles remain secret, keeping fans guessing about which figures from the lore will appear on screen [4]. The mix of seasoned talent and young actors suggests that the script balances high drama with grounded character scenes within its broader narrative framework [2]. A24 chose to cast proven dramatic talent rather than chasing marquee action stars. The cast has kept story details quiet as filming continues [4].
Filming has taken place at historic sites in the United Kingdom. Over the summer, leaked video footage revealed that shooting took place at Conwy Castle in North Wales. Local paper North Wales Pioneer had previously reported in April that Garland’s crew planned to shoot scenes at the fortress. Leaked footage captured human soldiers guarding the castle walls before the Shattering [2].
Leaked details suggest that the story will feature familiar game characters as well as low-level enemies. Reports indicate that the notorious Dung Eater will make an appearance, which fans see as a sign that the movie will stay true to FromSoftware’s dark themes. Screenings in IMAX are also planned. Garland is shooting the film for IMAX screens to capture the vast scale of the Lands Between [2].
Alex Garland Directs Elden Ring Movie Adaptation
Alex Garland brings deep experience with sci-fi and high-concept films to the job [3]. He previously wrote and directed Ex Machina, Annihilation, and Civil War, while also penning the screenplay for the cult comic movie Dredd [4, 6]. His background in managing layered stories makes him a natural pick for FromSoftware’s world [6]. Garland’s script acts, at least partially, as a prequel that looks at the political and social rifts in the realm before the Shattering broke the land apart. Exploring the world before that fall gives the movie room to construct original drama without feeling compelled to retread every major boss fight from the game [2].
A few months ago, A24 signed a partnership with Google to develop AI tools for film sets, which led Destructoid to question whether generative software might seep into fantasy filmmaking. Many players hate the idea. They fear software replacing human craft [1].
Civil War faced similar heat when A24 put out several “AI-assisted” posters that drew public mockery online for visual glitches. Soldiers of strange sizes and warped landmarks cluttered those promo prints. The final film cut of Civil War contained no AI footage, and Garland’s role in the poster campaign was never confirmed. Fans hope the Elden Ring movie relies on practical craft instead of automated visuals [1].
Commercial Stakes for Video Game Adaptations
The source game carries huge commercial weight into the film [5]. Bandai Namco and FromSoftware released Elden Ring on February 25, 2022, directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with world lore by author George R.R. Martin. The game earned a top critic average of 95/100 on OpenCritic, with 97% of critics recommending it [6]. Analyst Rhys Elliott reported that the game has sold more than 36 million copies, generating over $2 billion in revenue. Player interest matches that commercial scale, with nearly 10 million players logging over 100 hours in Elden Ring. Those gamers give the film an eager core audience on day one [5].
Turning gaming fame into cinema ticket sales remains tricky for Hollywood. Family films like Super Mario, Minecraft, and Sonic the Hedgehog topped a billion dollars by pulling in young crowds. Grim fantasy films have rarely won that kind of studio cash [3]. Hit shows like Fallout and Castlevania proved that mature game worlds can win over viewers, but films face stiffer box office tests [6].
The year 2028 will bring a major test for game films. Along with A24’s fantasy movie, fans can look forward to a Helldivers movie from Sony Pictures and a Call of Duty film from Skydance [4]. A24 is also planning a film based on Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding. If the Elden Ring movie performs well at the box office, it could encourage studios to invest in complex, mature video game worlds for years to come [3].
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- ONLINE NEWS Franzese, T. (2026, October 25). Elden Ring has quietly become A24’s most expensive movie yet. Polygon. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Serin, K. (2026, October 25). The Elden Ring movie is reportedly A24’s most expensive production ever. GamesRadar+. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Manning, M. (2026, October 25). The Elden Ring movie is set to be A24’s most expensive project ever. DualShockers. [Article Link]
