Forget 'The Winds of Winter,' George R. R. Martin's New Epic Fantasy Is Reportedly A24’s Most Expensive Movie Yet

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Published Oct 27, 2026, 11:46 AM EDT

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Despite the lengthy delays for The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, Game of Thrones mastermind George R. R. Martin is actually one of the most prolific creators around. Since 2011, he's been involved in three of the most successful television shows ever made, while also dipping his toe into screenwriting and penning numerous spin-off books and resources from A Song of Ice and Fire. But it's one of his most unexpected projects that might blow the rest of them away.

A24's upcoming adaptation of Elden Ring has reportedly become the most expensive movie in the studio's history, with a production budget approaching $200 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, the film, written and directed by Alex Garland (Civil War), is a gigantic financial leap for a company that's best known for smaller, indie fare. For comparison, A24's previous budget record was held by Timothée Chalamet's Marty Supreme, which reportedly cost between $60 million and $70 million. That means Elden Ring could cost almost three times as much, and significantly more than the $100 million budget previously rumored for the adaptation.

What Do We Know About the 'Elden Ring' Movie?

The official synopsis for the original game is just as flowery, mysterious and epic as you might expect. It states:

"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."

Martin helped develop the game's backstory and mythology alongside creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, making the adaptation another opportunity to bring his dark fantasy worldbuilding to the screen. The movie will star Kit Connor (Heartstopper) alongside Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus), Nick Offerman (The Last of Us), Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon), Ben Whishaw (Paddington), Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Havana Rose Liu (Bottoms), Emma Laird (Mayor of Kingstown), Ruby Cruz (Bottoms), Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes). Production began in April and wrapped on July 30, although A24 has yet to reveal an official synopsis.