Dark Souls Fan Peter Serafinowicz Lands Role in the Upcoming Elden Ring Movie

Peter Serafinowicz says a simple run-in with fellow Dark Souls and Elden Ring superfan Alex Garland is what ultimately put him in the upcoming live-action Elden Ring movie—specifically, in the role fans will most remember: the male character’s death cries.

How Dark Souls led to the Elden Ring movie role

Serafinowicz is widely recognized in games and film for a range of voice work, including Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Pete in Shaun of the Dead, Garthan Saal in Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Sommelier in John Wick: Chapter 2. In a conversation with British comedian Russell Howard, he also singled out Dark Souls as one of his “Five Brilliant Things,” using the game as the centerpiece of a longer story about why it stuck with him.

In that interview, Serafinowicz described how Dark Souls’ notorious difficulty is exactly what makes it so fulfilling, arguing that once the game “clicks,” it becomes instantly rewarding. He compared the moment of understanding to realizing it’s the exact sort of game he had been waiting for, adding that it teaches players obstacles aren’t unbeatable—and that once it resonates, it’s hard to want anything else afterward.

He then explained how he became part of the Dark Souls universe in a way that later carried over into Elden Ring. For Serafinowicz, the key was not just voicing a character, but providing the male avatar’s dying sounds and pain grunts that players hear during those “you died” moments.

Bullying his way into voice work—and becoming “immortal” via death noises

Serafinowicz said he effectively “bullied” his way into a voice acting opportunity for Dark Souls 2. He explained that he loved the original game enough to be excited about the sequel, then reached out to the studio behind it after learning it was in development. His pitch was straightforward: he’s an actor who’s good at voices and would love to contribute.

FromSoftware eventually credited him as the voice behind Mild-Mannered Pate. But Serafinowicz emphasized that the bigger surprise was the request that he record exertion noises—especially the sounds used when playing as the male character. He pointed out that those death moments are a constant feature in FromSoftware games.

• Serafinowicz told how he contacted the studio after hearing Dark Souls 2 was being made, pitching himself as an actor who could voice in-game sounds.
• He said his character work in Dark Souls 2 involved relatively limited dialogue, but the studio asked him to record the male-player death and pain audio.
• He added that the game kept his recorded sounds in later FromSoftware releases, including Elden Ring.

To drive home what that means in practice, he joked that whenever he picks up Elden Ring and dies, he hears it and realizes it’s “him” making those noises. He called the whole setup a strange—but proud—form of immortality, framing it as one of his proudest achievements.

A chance meeting with Alex Garland sparked the full-circle casting

With that background in place, Serafinowicz connected the dots between his voice work in FromSoftware games and his appearance in the Elden Ring movie. He said it all began with a coincidence involving Alex Garland, who he described as both a writer-director and a major superfan of Dark Souls and Elden Ring.

Serafinowicz recounted that years earlier they were both in the same reception area: he was there for an audition, while Garland had a meeting. They didn’t know each other at first, but Garland approached, introduced himself, and recognized Serafinowicz. From there, the conversation quickly turned to games—specifically Dark Souls—until the two ended up bonding over shared enthusiasm.

He said Garland had to leave for the meeting, but Serafinowicz left his phone number with reception and asked that it be passed along so they could stay in touch. Serafinowicz described it as the start of a friendship, and then he jumped to the present: Garland is now directing the Elden Ring movie, and Serafinowicz is in it.

• Serafinowicz said he and Garland first spoke in a reception area years ago, with Serafinowicz there for an audition and Garland attending a meeting.
• He recalled Garland recognizing him and confirming they both shared a love for Dark Souls.
• Serafinowicz said he left his phone number at reception so Garland could contact him afterward.
• He concluded that the friendship ultimately led to Garland directing the Elden Ring movie and Serafinowicz being cast in it.

Serafinowicz also said that the cast includes other big fans. He told one actor he met during a costume fitting that his death-noise work is connected to FromSoftware’s games, and he described the reaction as a genuine “oh my god” moment when he demonstrated the sound.

He wrapped up his interview bit with an added punchline: the onscreen text effectively says “You died,” which he called funny enough to repeat with the kind of laughter that fits the whole premise of those iconic death moments.

Elden Ring movie details, cast list, and FromSoftware creative leads

The Elden Ring film adaptation—an action of live-action storytelling based on FromSoftware’s game—will hit theaters on March 3, 2028. Reporting also described Elden Ring as A24’s most ambitious project to date, citing a budget “well over $100 million,” and comparing its scale to productions like Marty Supreme and even Garland’s own Civil War.

Lead casting includes Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery), Ben Whishaw (noted for playing Q in James Bond films Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die, plus voice work as Paddington Bear), and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, The Last of Us).

• Lead talent: Cailee Spaeny, Ben Whishaw, and Nick Offerman.
• Release date: March 3, 2028.
• Project scale: budget reported as “well over $100 million,” with comparisons to other major releases.

Elden Ring full cast:

• Kit Connor (Warfare, Heartstopper)
• Ben Whishaw (Peter Hujar’s Day, This is going to Hurt)
• Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War)
• Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Black Bag)
• Havana Rose Liu (Tuner, Bottoms)
• Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina)
• Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes, The Crown)
• Ruby Cruz (Bottoms, The Threesome)
• Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Margo’s Got Money Troubles)
• John Hodgkinson (Dear England, Napoleon)
• Jefferson Hall (House of the Dragon, Oppenheimer)
• Emma Laird (28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, A Haunting in Venice)
• Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)

Garland, Miyazaki, and Martin: what’s shaping the adaptation

The Elden Ring movie is being made “under the guidance” of FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, and it’s also described as being based on a mythological storyline written by George R. R. Martin, who is known for Game of Thrones and has previously worked on the Elden Ring video game with FromSoftware.

Last year, The New Yorker reportedly said Garland had finished an “epic” 160-page draft, plus an additional 40 pages of visuals, writing the script on-spec before traveling to Japan to pitch the movie himself.

That level of commitment aligns with what Garland has shared about his own relationship with the game. In June last year, he said he was on his seventh playthrough of Elden Ring and explained which boss he found hardest to beat.

Speaking to IGN ahead of the release of 28 Years Later—Garland’s zombie apocalypse film he wrote 23 years after penning the first entry in that franchise—he named Malenia, Blade of Miquella as the most difficult foe in Elden Ring. He said, “It’s Malenia who’s the tough one,” adding that even after leveling up, getting more power, and having a strong sword, he still just keeps throwing himself at the fight again and again.

Garland also connected that approach back to Dark Souls, describing it as less about “getting better” and more like repeating the same process until the outcome finally changes—comparing the learning style to “monkeys and typewriters,” where persistence eventually leads to the enemy being beaten.

George R. R. Martin, who worked on the Elden Ring game with FromSoftware, has reportedly sounded enthusiastic about the project as well. He described Garland as a “first rate director” and A24 as “kickass.” Martin said his initial reaction to the announcement was “hopeful,” sharing a YouTube video titled “Why the Elden Ring Movie WON’T SUCK.”

Photo by Sam Simpson/Dave Benett/Getty Images for British Vogue.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].