Whatever happens in the plot of the Elden Ring movie, Marika is sure to be a central character. Her rise to godhood is what FromSoftware’s largest game yet was built upon, and she, of all characters, has shaped the Lands Between the most. The tale of Marika is one of tragedy and lack of agency, and it would be a perfect one to explore in the film.

Marika has many sides to her. To some, she is the holiest figure in the world, whose benevolence has given them prosperity. To others, she is a being of ruin and deceit, and her dual nature with Radagon would make her one of the most interesting characters to cast in the Elden Ring movie. As an undying god, there is room for her to be portrayed by an actress of almost any age, and there are plenty of ideal candidates.

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5 Actresses Who Would Be Perfect as Marika in the Elden Ring Movie

Cate Blanchett

Many people will probably associate Cate Blanchett with her role as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings most of all, and the association has made her a favorite casting for aloof, fay characters. This experience from Peter Jackson’s trilogy obviously shows she can embody a role like Marika pretty well, but Cate is a much more flexible actress than that, having appeared in anything from cameo comedy roles in Hot Fuzz to the Borderlands movie last year.

Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh got her start in more action-oriented films, where she was known for doing a lot of her own stunts, but her later career has seen her adopt roles that require her to be far more composed, with two feet on the ground. Her role as strict mother in Crazy Rich Asians would be an example of how a more active Marika could look, scolding her children for their failures, though she could also lean more into the concerned, confused parent she was in Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, showing Marika struggling with her divinity and keeping her family together at the same time.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton sits in a similar boat to Cate Blanchett, embodying a certain ethereal quality that has seen her play mythical authority figures, such as The Ancient One in Dr. Strange. The film The Souvenir stars Tilda Swinton alongside her daughter, and the way she can balance blockbuster Hollywood roles with more intimate parts such as this shows the range she could bring to Marika. Coming from a Scottish lineage couldn’t hurt either, as Hidetaka Miyazaki drew a lot from Celtic mythology in building Elden Ring’s rich lore.

Florence Pugh

If a younger interpretation of Marika is more suitable, then Florence Pugh could be a good fit. Recently appearing in the highly-rated Thunderbolts*, she’s also well known for playing the unstable Jean Tatlock in Oppenheimer. Pugh would be a great pick to show the queen’s early life as well as the terrible acts Marika committed, painting a deeply sympathetic picture of someone chosen by an uncaring god, and how far they eventually fall.

Natalie Dormer

It’s been a while since Natalie Dormer was seen in Game of Thrones, but her portrayal of Margaery Tyrrel has long been remembered. She seems to have a talent for playing scheming royals, as her role as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors would indicate, and she’d be perfect for showing a more manipulative side to Marika. She has some experience with video game-related roles too, as Natalie Dormer was in Mass Effect: Andromeda, and though she has taken a bit of a break from acting, she seems to have returned, and a role like Marika could be a great way to come back in style.

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Top Critic Avg: 95 /100 Critics Rec: 98%
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Released
February 25, 2022
ESRB
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
From Software
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The Erdtree in Elden Ring
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DIGITAL
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Engine
Proprietary
Genre(s)
RPG, Action