Alex Garland, the acclaimed director of the upcoming *Elden Ring* movie, has shared insights into his deep connection with FromSoftware’s monumental RPG. Currently on his seventh playthrough of *Elden Ring*, Garland opened up to IGN about the most challenging boss he faced during his journey through the Lands Between — and it turns out, Malenia, Blade of Miquella, stands tall as the toughest foe in his eyes.
“It's Malenia who's the tough one,” Garland admitted. “I'm now on my seventh playthrough of that game. I've leveled up, I've got lots of juice, and a cool sword, and stuff like that, and I just throw myself at them again, and again, and again, and again.”
He elaborated on how his strategy for defeating difficult bosses evolved through repeated attempts, borrowing lessons from the Soulsborne series: “That was the technique I learned with *Dark Souls*. It's not that you get better, it's more like monkeys and typewriters. You just keep doing it, and eventually, one day they're dead.”
Interestingly, Garland didn’t find Starscourge Radahn nearly as daunting. In fact, he offered a quick tip for players struggling with the gravity-wielding warrior: “Radahn's really easy. I thought Radahn was quite easy, because as long as you sort of activated the people who can assist you in that fight, they get on with fighting him, and they take off whatever it is, half his energy, and you finish him off. It's all about activating those little summon signs dotted around.”
So, could either Malenia or Radahn make an appearance in A24’s upcoming *Elden Ring* film adaptation? Garland remained tight-lipped, offering no concrete details about the direction of the movie. As it stands, very little is known about the film itself, which is being developed by A24 and Bandai Namco in collaboration with Garland, who serves as both writer and director.
The project also brings aboard *Game of Thrones* author George R. R. Martin — who contributed to the original lore of *Elden Ring* — as a producer, alongside Vince Gerardis. Additional producers include Peter Rice from DNA, as well as Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich. Whether FromSoftware or its visionary director Hidetaka Miyazaki will be creatively involved remains unclear.
As anticipation builds, fans are left wondering what narrative path the film will take. One compelling idea is to explore a prequel centered around The Shattering — the cataclysmic event that set the stage for the game. What’s your vision for the *Elden Ring* movie? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
