What If: What if Guillermo del Toro Directed an Adaption of Dark Souls?
Written by Cameron Geiser
Recently after a particularly intense round of the button-mashing and teeth-gnashing insanity that is From Software’s latest video game, Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon, a couple of friends and I all agreed that an anime series or film adaption of the giant mech sci-fi shoot 'em up would be an ideal expansion for the twisty tale of corporate greed spread across the galaxy. Though an even more salivating topic arose when one friend piped up to say that if any of From Software’s titles were to be adapted, Dark Souls should be the first given its importance to the medium and because it's such a well-known IP. This immediately grew into an even larger debate, as this particular video game takes great effort to hide the narrative behind all of the swords, monsters, and magic at hand. On top of the magnitude of uncovering what the story of Dark Souls actually is- the biggest element remains, who should be given the reins to adapt such an opaque tale? Ladies and gentlemen, I nominate Guillermo del Toro as the director of the Dark Souls adaptation. Let me tell you why he's the obvious choice.
Del Toro has already shown interest in Video Games and Anime
Over the years Guillermo del Toro hasn't just mentioned his love of narratives in other mediums like video games and comic books- he's directly participated in bringing several comics and iconic characters like Blade and Hellboy to the silver screen. There have also been a couple of interviews over the years where the director has mentioned his love for the Bioshock games and anime as a whole, with particular accolades for the iconic Studio Ghibli. He even appears in Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, though he wasn't involved creatively, only providing his likeness for the character of Deadman. That's all before mentioning Pacific Rim, which is essentially just a live-action anime Kaiju/Mecha movie, but it's also one of the most viscerally fun genre efforts from the last decade. This is all to say that Guillermo del Toro isn't new to this corner of cinema and that he'd fit comfortably within this arena of filmmaking.
Del Toro's aesthetic already lends itself to the look of Dark Souls
The world of Lordran (the setting of Dark Souls) doesn't shy away from landscapes and architecture both disgusting and beautiful in nature. It's a long-decayed world at the end of an era, and that's increasingly evident in every corner of Lordran as you wander through it. Guillermo del Toro already has experience in fantasy settings in some of his work, but what he and Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki have most in common is the exquisite ability to let the setting tell the story. This is especially evident when considering the production design and color palette choices in both Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Just listen to any of Guillermo del Toro's commentary tracks for his films to hear him dive into all the details behind the choices made on the final cut. The second Hellboy film has one of my favorite commentaries from him, especially when he gets into the production design and how everything from prop placement to color choices was in service of the narrative. In crafting a world that's often torn between nature and mankind, between light and darkness, Guillermo del Toro's aesthetic would pair well with the mythic world of Lordran.
Casting from the Guillermo Del Toro pool of regulars
While Guillermo del Toro has worked with a number of Hollywood's most well-known talent over the years he's added to his cadre of collaborators over time and some of them would be near-perfect matches for the few characters in Dark Souls that actually speak to the player. First and foremost, however, the casting of “The Chosen Undead”. Back before Guillermo del Toro left the production for the sequel to Pacific Rim there were ongoing talks for Karl Urban to join the project, and I say now's the time for the actor and director to join forces. Let Karl Urban have one of the many masked man roles seemingly relegated to Tom Hardy's inbox alone, his Judge Dredd was a particularly fun obscured face role to be fair. Karl Urban has enough range to play the unruffled undead with solemn heroism and his IMDB page is littered with the franchises that he's been a part of. From The Lord of The Rings to Star Trek or The Boys, Karl Urban has the experience and skill to rekindle the first flame and continue the age of fire.
Aside from our protagonist, there are a few popular side characters that could offer up opportunities for dialogue and a bit of a break in between all the killing, death, and rebirth of it all. As with any Guillermo del Toro film, if there's space for Ron Perlman, he's gonna be there. I'd cast Perlman as fan favorite Knight of The Sun, Solaire of Astora. Solaire is the epitome of optimism, camaraderie, and the antithesis of what one would expect from the inhabitants of Lordran. It's a smaller role to be sure, but Ron Perlman could chew that scenery with ease and offer our Protagonist a glimpse at friendship. Two smaller roles that have just enough personality to build out the narrative would be another undead adventurer (like Solaire and the chosen undead) in Siegmeyer of Catarina and Kingseeker Frampt- a primordial serpent who gives the chosen undead crucial direction after they've rung the two bells (the only goals you're given in the opening of the game).
For Kingseeker Frampt I would go for Willem Dafoe. For a character that's essentially just a quick exposition dump, utilizing the most expressive face in cinema couldn't hurt. Besides, Dafoe could make a mountain out of a molehill, get in and get out while crafting a memorable presence. As for Siegmeyer of Catarina, Patton Oswalt seems like the perfect fit. He's a jolly, polite knight who blunders about throughout Lordran and while he often doesn't seek assistance, his morale is slowly chipped away as the chosen undead bests each challenge for him. Ultimately he can be saved at the end of his natural storyline, but this presents a rich opportunity narratively speaking. Guillermo del Toro could use Siegmeyer as a parallel to Solaire, the charismatic friendly Sun Knight who unfortunately goes mad at the typical end of his storyline when a creature attaches to his head and turns him hostile. Thus we have the perfect chance to have the chosen undead experience loss and failure, but then be presented with the possibility of saving Siegmeyer in order to mend his inability to do so with Solaire.
Plot Mechanics
For the hook, or main concept, I would incorporate a similar style of narrative as depicted in films like Edge of Tomorrow or the Happy Death Day films. The marketing team should definitely lean into the same strategy as the original game with the tagline: Prepare to Die. By having our chosen undead repeatedly die and awaken at the bonfires we can have montages of the learning process in popular areas of the game. As with any video game adaptation, we should take the opportunity to playfully wink and nod at things every player has done or tried, such as having our lead come across a note saying “You can make it” next to a clearly impassable chasm. Or, say, during a moment of frustration have the chosen undead lash out with his sword at a wall only to have it dissipate, opening up a new path forward.
Okay, so maybe the last point wasn't exactly specific to Guillermo del Toro, but one of the crucial aspects that he would bring to an adaptation of Dark Souls is his love of monsters. Dark Souls is brimming with fantastical monstrosities that are trying to kill you. However, just as with the main storyline, the monsters you come across have more depth than you might expect. Sif the Great Grey Wolf, or Seath the scaleless Dragon are great examples of this. I trust in Guillermo del Toro's ability and skill to adapt this video game into a truly great fantasy adventure that proves that through sheer grit, and a whole lot of dying, you can survive impossible odds and save the world from a horrific descent into darkness.
Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.