Another day brings a new casting rumor attached to the anticipatedElden Ringmovie, as one insider claims a rising star from theAlienfranchise may be joining the project, and fans are betting it’s for the role of Melina.Elden Ringis a 2022 action RPG developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, with director Hidetaka Miyazaki andGame of Throneswriter George R.R. Martin in charge of the worldbuilding. The base game received a popularShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion in 2024 and theElden Ring Nightreignspin-off multiplayer this year, meaning there’s no short supply of source material for the film to adapt.
Three years after the game’s release, production company A24 confirmed a film adaptation was in the works, withEx MachinaandAnnihilationdirector Alex Garland at the helm.Martin shared his candid opinion on the adaptationshortly after the announcement, and the writer will serve as producer to oversee the story and lore. Considering the production is already underway with casting, there’s a good chance filming could begin in 2026, potentially targeting a 2027 release date. Garland has completed work on penning28 Years Later: The Bone Templeand currently has no other projects in development, besidesElden Ring.
Elden Ring Movie Reportedly Eyeing Alien: Romulus' Cailee Spaeny
Posted on Twitter, insider Jeff Sneider reported that Alien: Romulusstar Cailee Spaeny was in talks to reunite with Garland in theElden Ringmovie, after the two worked together on 2024’sCivil War. No further details were given, but fans took the news and ran with it, predicting Spaeny could potentially be playing Melina. Images of the character appeared under the report on social media, with a few accounts commenting, “I think we all know who she is playing.” Others spammed “Melina” in the comments, with an alternative choice being Ranni the Witch. Spaeny’s rumored addition joins unconfirmed whispers ofHeartstopperstar Kit Connor joining the project in a lead role, which would reunite the actor with Garland after working on this year’sWarfare. Additionally, theElden Ringmovie was potentially eyeing aJames Bondstarto join the ensemble in an undisclosed role.
Spaeny started her career voicing Rain in Behaviour Interactive’s asymmetrical horror gameDead by Daylight, before appearing in the television miniseriesDevs(which was also created by Garland) andMare of Easttown, as well as the moviesThe Craft: LegacyandPriscilla. DespiteBella Ramsey doing a great job evolving Ellie in HBO’sThe Last of Us, fans of the Naughty Dog game series have always eyed Spaeny for the role, since the actor bears a striking resemblance to the protagonist.
While gamers wait for A24 to either confirm or deny Spaeny’s role,Elden Ringfans have other actors in mind for Melina. The character is an important figure in the game’s lore, but rather mysterious, only appearing at Sites of Grace to assist the Tarnished on their quest to become the Elden Lord. Popular fan casts for Melina include Zoe Kravitz, who played Selina Kyle in 2022’sThe Batman, andGame of Thronesactors Nathalie Emmanuel and Rose Leslie, who played Missandei and Ygritte, respectively.
