‘Elden Ring’: Ben Whishaw Reportedly Eyed For Alex Garland’s Grim Fantasy Video Game Adaptation

Not too long ago, screenwriter-turned-director Alex Garland (“Civil War,” “Warfare”) had signalled his desire to hit the pause button for helming features, but he quickly backtracked on that declaration after officially attaching himself to adapt the fantasy video game “Elden Ring” for the genre-friendly studio A24.

A new actor is said to be in the mix for the project, as TheInSneider is reporting that British actor Ben Whishaw (“Black Doves,” “Skyfall”) is the latest name in orbit for a role in the “Elden Ring” movie and is “in talks” after trades previously said “Warfare” breakout Kit Connor is looking to reunite with Garland on the project.

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The extremely popular and critically acclaimed mature game boasts some major creatives as it was co-directed/co-written by Hidetaka Miyazaki of “Bloodborne” and “Dark Souls” fame (two equally beloved video games) with world-building contributions from “Game of Thrones” creator George R.R. Martin.

A logline for the game via publisher Bandai Namco:

Rise, Tarnished, and be guided by grace to brandish the power of the Elden Ring and become an Elden Lord in the Lands Between. In the Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the Elden Ring, the source of the Erdtree, has been shattered. Marika’s offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring known as the Great Runes, and the mad taint of their newfound strength triggered a war: The Shattering. A war that meant abandonment by the Greater Will. And now the guidance of grace will be brought to the Tarnished who were spurned by the grace of gold and exiled from the Lands Between. Ye dead who yet live, your grace long lost, follow the path to the Lands Between beyond the foggy sea to stand before the Elden Ring. And become the Elden Lord.

This marks Garland’s first major entry into the world of gritty fantasy after spending a good chunk of his career tackling thrillers, horror, and sci-fi. Most recently, he teamed up with directors Danny Boyle and Nia DaCosta (“Candyman”) for a “28 Years Later” trilogy at Sony Pictures with DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” shot and set to be released on January 16.

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“Elden Ring” isn’t the only video game adaptation A24 is working on, as Michael Sarnoski (“Pig”) was recently tasked to write and direct a film version of “Death Stranding“ as the PlayStation exclusive title recently saw a sequel game released this summer.