Picture a 13th-century Welsh castle, its stone towers silhouetted against a grey sky, patrolled by armored sentries that look like they wandered straight out of Stormveil. That is the scene from a TikTok clip that has the ELDEN RING community buzzing this week, and it is the latest in a string of behind-the-scenes glimpses from director Alex Garland's upcoming live-action film.
Conwy Castle, built 1283-1287
The castle that screams "Stormveil IRL"
The clip, posted on TikTok by user mightbeliber and picked up by Culture Crave on X, shows armored guards patrolling the ramparts of Conwy Castle in north Wales. The caption reads "Stormveil IRL," and honestly, it is not a hard sell. The silhouettes, the heavy armor, the general vibe of "guys you would absolutely get murdered by" all track.
Here's the thing: the footage itself is not smoking-gun proof the way earlier leaks were. A clip from April clearly showed a Church of Marika set piece. Another, from later that same month, put the Loathsome Dung Eater front and center, which is about as subtle as a Grafted Scion through a window. This new video is more ambiguous. Without the caption, it could theoretically be any medieval production.
But context fills in what the footage leaves vague.
Why Conwy Castle makes complete sense
Back in April, the North Wales Pioneer reported that Conwy Castle was scheduled to close temporarily to accommodate filming on a project described as potentially linked to Alex Garland. Garland also briefly served as a director of London-based production company Katana Films, which sent letters to local residents about disruptions caused by the closure of the castle and surrounding facilities.
Put those two data points together and the "suspiciously familiar guys" stop being suspicious at all.
No official confirmation has come from the production or distributor. The connection between the TikTok footage and the Elden Ring film is based on circumstantial but credible reporting from North Wales Pioneer and the known involvement of Alex Garland's company in the area.
Conwy Castle itself has serious architectural credentials. Built between 1283 and 1287 under Edward I during his conquest of Wales, it survived multiple wars before falling into ruin in 1665. UNESCO now lists it as a World Heritage Site, citing it as one of the finest examples of late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe. For a film trying to recreate the oppressive stone grandeur of the Lands Between, you could do a lot worse.
Stormveil's soldiers in-game
What this means for the film's visual direction
The choice of a real medieval fortress rather than a purpose-built set tells you something about the production's approach. Garland appears to be leaning into practical locations to ground the Elden Ring world in physical, tactile reality. The soulslike genre lives and dies by atmosphere, and real stone walls carry a weight that CGI backdrops often cannot replicate.
The film is scheduled for release in March 2028, with a cast that includes Nick Offerman and Peter Serafinowicz. Which specific Elden Ring castle Conwy is standing in for remains an open debate, with fans pointing to Stormveil as the obvious candidate given the soldier designs visible in the clip.
For players who want to revisit the source material while the wait continues, the Elden Ring guides collection has everything from boss strategies to lore breakdowns to keep you occupied. The broader world of soulslike games is also worth exploring if the film has you in the mood for punishment.
