Right, Who Let All These Normal People Into The Lands Between? Decoding the Elden Ring Movie Leaks
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
Leaked set photos for the A24 Elden Ring movie reveal a surprisingly populated world, suggesting we might finally see the Lands Between before everything went to hell.
I’ve spent hundreds of hours in The Lands Between. Most of that time was spent being poked by things I couldn’t see, falling off cliffs because I thought I saw a 'hidden' path, and getting my lunch handed to me by bosses with names I can’t pronounce. But in all those hours of digital suffering, do you know what I never saw? A bloomin’ vegetable market.
I’ve seen plenty of shops, sure, but they’re usually run by a depressed Santa Claus sitting in a damp cave or a giant turtle wearing a hat. I’ve never seen a crowd of regular people just... existing. That is, until now.
As first reported by Rebekah Valentine at Kotaku, some leaked set photos from the upcoming A24 Elden Ring film adaptation have surfaced, and they’ve hit me like a misplaced 'You Died' screen. They show something I honestly thought was impossible in a FromSoftware world: a town bustling with actual, living, non-zombified humans. It’s like finding a Starbucks in the middle of Caelid—it just doesn’t compute, but bloody hell, it’s fascinating.
### The Leaks: Executions and Eccentric Millinery
Before we dive into the existential crisis of seeing a FromSoft character who hasn't lost their mind, let’s look at the goods. These leaks, which you can find on UnBoxPHD’s YouTube channel if you’re quick, are short but punchy. We’re talking snippets of a world that looks suspiciously well-funded and hauntingly beautiful.
First up, there’s a scene featuring the Loathsome Dung Eater. Now, if you’ve played the game, you know this bloke is essentially the patron saint of being a total jerk. In the film, he’s apparently being publicly executed and pelted with food scraps. It’s a moment we only see briefly in the game’s cinematic intro, but seeing it translated to live action? It’s wild. The costumes are the real stars here—especially the women’s hats. One looks like a red vase. I reckon if I tried to wear that in London, I’d be arrested for fashion crimes, but in The Lands Between? It’s just Tuesday.
Then we have Queen Marika herself. Or, at least, someone who looks exactly like her, striding through a set in a billowy blue dress with those trademark long gold braids. She’s wearing these eccentric gold shoes that look entirely impractical for dodging a Greatsword, but then again, she’s a god, so I suppose she can afford the lack of arch support.
### Where Did All These People Come From?
But the real kicker—the thing that’s kept me tinkering with my digital crystal ball all morning—is the market scene. It’s just a crowd. People buying things. People talking. People who aren't currently trying to rip your lungs out.
If you’ve played a FromSoftware game, you know the vibe is usually 'post-apocalypse but with dragons.' By the time we arrive as players, civilization has already packed its bags, moved out, and left the lights on for the monsters. Most NPCs are crusty husks or elusive wizards hiding in ruins. Seeing a functional society feels almost... wrong? Like seeing a magician’s trick from the wrong angle.
But what does this mean? (Rhetorical question, stick with me.) It suggests director Alex Garland might be giving us a glimpse of the world *before* the Shattering. Or perhaps a very long flashback. We’ve always had to imagine what the Golden Order looked like at its peak—the ruins we walk through are just the echoes of that glory. The film seems intent on actually showing us the 'Why' behind the rot.
### A Cautiously Optimistic Wizard's Take
Now, here’s where my gentle skepticism kicks in. Alex Garland is a brilliant director (I’m still recovering from *Ex Machina*), and A24 is the darling of the indie-prestige world. But translating Elden Ring’s 'environmental storytelling'—which is fancy dev-speak for 'read the item description of this soiled rag to understand why the king is sad'—to a 120-minute movie is a tall order.
How do you capture the feeling of isolation and discovery when you’ve got a market full of people? If the movie becomes a standard political drama with some magic thrown in, it might lose that 'weird little freak' energy that makes Hidetaka Miyazaki’s work so special. I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’ve got my eye on you, Garland. Don’t make it *too* normal.
### The Web3 Connection (Or Lack Thereof)
In the world of Web3 and digital ownership, we often talk about 'community-driven lore' and the idea of players truly owning a piece of the world. Elden Ring already feels like a community-owned mythos because of how we’ve collectively pieced the story together over the years. Seeing a film adaptation feels like the ultimate 'on-chain' validation of that lore. We’re moving from pixelated theories to a physical set. It’s a transition from digital scarcity to cinematic abundance, and honestly, I’m here for it.
### Final Thoughts: Mark Your Calendars
With a release date set for March 3, 2028, we’ve got plenty of time to speculate. Will the Dung Eater be as loathsome as we hope? Will the 'Weird Little Freaks' get their time in the spotlight? Or is this going to be a shiny, sanitized version of our favorite crumbling world?
I reckon it’s going to be a bit of both. FromSoftware has a way of making even the 'normal' stuff feel slightly off-kilter, and with A24’s penchant for the surreal, I’m betting this movie will be weirder than these market scenes suggest.
Until then, I’ll be here, reading the digital tea leaves and wondering if I can find a replica of that vase hat. It’s for research, I promise.
*Credit where it’s due: This analysis was sparked by the reporting of Rebekah Valentine at Kotaku. You can check out her original deep dive into the leaks on their site.*
Tags: Elden Ring, Gaming News, A24, FromSoftware, Alex Garland
Original article: kotaku