HOLLYWOOD — The entertainment landscape shifted significantly this week as two major projects from industry titans were confirmed, promising to redefine both the fantasy and crime-drama genres.
A24 Takes on the Elden Lord: Alex Garland to Direct IMAX Epic
In what is already being hailed as the most ambitious project in A24’s history, the independent powerhouse has officially partnered with Bandai Namco Entertainment to bring the award-winning video game Elden Ring to the big screen.
The live-action adaptation, slated for a March 3, 2028 release, will be written and directed by Alex Garland (Civil War, Ex Machina). Garland, a self-professed fan of the game, reportedly pitched the “sprawling dark fantasy epic” directly to Hidetaka Miyazaki, the visionary president of FromSoftware.
Key Details of the Adaptation:
- A Star-Studded Cast: The ensemble features Kit Connor (Heartstopper), Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus), and Ben Whishaw (Skyfall). Other confirmed stars include Nick Offerman, Jonathan Pryce, Tom Burke, and Sonoya Mizuno.
- The Creative Powerhouse: George R.R. Martin, who famously crafted the lore for the 2022 game, will return as an executive producer alongside Peter Rice and Andrew Macdonald.
- Filmed for IMAX: Principal photography is set to begin in the UK this month, with a budget rumored to exceed $100 million—a record for A24.
The film aims to capture the “Lands Between” on a scale never before seen, tasking its leads with the brutal journey of the Tarnished to reclaim the shattered pieces of the Elden Ring.
James Mangold Returns to Garrison: ‘Cop Land’ Series Heats Up
Nearly 30 years after his 1997 crime-drama Cop Land hit theaters, director James Mangold is returning to the gritty world of New Jersey corruption. Deadline reports that a TV series adaptation is currently in development and is rapidly “heating up the marketplace” with multiple offers.
The project is a major collaboration between Paramount Television Studios and Miramax Television, with Mangold set to co-write, direct, and executive produce.
The Reboot Strategy:
- The Showrunner: Robert Levine (The Old Man) will serve as the series showrunner and co-writer alongside Mangold.
- The “Prestige” Push: The move follows Paramount’s recent strategy of converting classic adult dramas (such as Fatal Attraction and Sexy Beast) into long-form streaming series.
- Expanding the Lore: While the original film starred Sylvester Stallone as a half-deaf sheriff caught between honest policing and a corrupt New York City cop enclave, the series is expected to dive deeper into the political and systemic rot of the fictional Garrison, New Jersey.
A Busy Week for Deadline Reports
These announcements highlight a trend of “big-swing” intellectual property adaptations. Between Garland’s move into high-budget fantasy and Mangold’s return to his cinematic roots, the industry is betting heavily on visionary directors to steer the next wave of prestige content.
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