10 Elden Ring Boss Designs that Look Like Famous Movie Antagonists

While FromSoftware's creations have inspired hundreds of games throughout the industry, the company has also amassed many muses over time.

It's easy to see how manga like Berserk or interactive works like The Legend of Zelda have been indispensable to the Soulsborne ethos, and this also includes films of all kinds.

Although it may not seem like it, there's a substantial filmography that has directly or indirectly influenced the Japanese developer's work over the last couple of decades, allowing us to further understand the motivations or aesthetics behind certain decisions.

Therefore, in order to delve deeper into FromSoftware's fascinating work but from a somewhat unusual perspective, I invite you to read this list of ten Elden Ring boss designs that mirror famous movie villains.

10 Scadutree Avatar

Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors

FromSoftware tends to turn everything imaginable into a beast, from chests to statues and even dogs, but the idea behind Scadutree Avatar from Shadow of the Erdtree has a particular precursor: Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors.

Although, conceptually, they show subtle differences in both color and plant type, the alien carnivorous entity is an unavoidable precedent when it comes to villainous flora, thus influencing the manifestation of this dark sunflower.

It's a superficial symmetry insofar as it boils down to their villainous nature, but this is more than enough to establish the connection when you realize how few malevolent and antagonistic plants exist in the same way (conscious, vile, powerful, etc.) in the world of entertainment.

However, one thing is clear to me: we need more twisted plants among the villains, as I find it particularly fascinating when one of the greatest representations of life on our planet turns against us.

9 Godrick the Grafted

Frankenstein's Monster from Frankenstein (1931)

Grafts are a fundamental part of the body horror genre, which hasn't been as vividly explored in video games as in film, but Godrick the Grafted is among the best reinterpretations of Frankenstein's Monster that come to mind.

Again, the aesthetics diverge from the underlying idea, though their symmetry is quite palpable when you consider that both symbolize the search for eternity, power, and the transcendence of the flesh through the manipulation of bodies.

In turn, there's a shared underlying tragedy in the desires they embody, as they stem from weak psyches that, unable to accept limitations and honestly overcome them, resort to vile acts to achieve what they cannot through willpower alone.

Godrick and Victor Frankenstein and his creation, with their paternal traumas and their obsession with overcoming death, are two sides of the same coin, even though one of them has an entire dragon's head attached to his arm.

8 Mohg, Lord of Blood

Lord of Darkness from Legend

Red, horned beings serving as villains in the world of cinema are by no means few, especially since this symbol has been historically associated with evil since biblical times, but the similarities between Mohg, Lord of Blood, and Lord of Darkness from Legend are undeniable.

First, because their aesthetics are more than similar: both are muscular, large beings with prominent horns and a color palette that ranges from red to black, making the resemblance immediately apparent.

But second, because they are villains with similar circumstances, both seeking to eliminate the light from their worlds in order to establish a new reign of power; one through darkness, the other through blood.

If you were to give the Lord of Darkness a robe, or take one away from Mohg, I'm sure he could join the ranks of Godfrey and Marika's offspring, with the exception that his name doesn't begin with M.

7 Messmer the Impaler

Count Dracula from Bram Stoker's Dracula

At this point, I'd say it's completely impossible to hear the word “impaler” and not immediately think of Dracula, just as it's difficult not to when you see Messmer in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Although the Count has been interpreted numerous times in films over the decades, his portrayal in Bram Stoker's Dracula is where I notice the most similarities, mainly due to the pallor of their skin, contrasted with the stark red of their clothing.

They were abandoned by their parents and unleashed terror through impalement, and although they differ in the nature of their motivations, both are tragic figures who have committed atrocious acts.

Vlad III has been the ultimate inspiration for countless fictional characters throughout history, and although Messmer isn't a vampire nor does he have a personal motivation, the influence is undeniable.

6 Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy

The Thing from The Thing (1982)

There are beings that, with just a glance, are capable of wreaking havoc on even the most powerful psyches, and I can think of no better example to describe what Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, and The Thing generate.

Like Mohg and the Lord of Darkness, the similarities go beyond appearances, since both Rykard and The Thing share the goal of conquering their worlds, being beings capable of assimilating life forms to increase their power.

With their deformed faces, clearly distinguishable from the rest of their bodies, attempting to project a faint, dissociative sense of familiarity that confuses their prey, their hunger to consume everything around them is so deeply ingrained that they couldn't hide it even if they wanted to.

Like any other villain who fits the same description of bodily deformity resulting from unwanted symbiosis between different beings, Rykard draws from John Carpenter's creation in Elden Ring like few others, and I think that's why his design stands out so much.

5 Alecto, Black Knife Ringleader

Nazgûl from The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings is among the greatest influences on all medieval works, and Elden Ring is not only no exception. It constantly pays tribute to Tolkien's work through inspirations such as the Nazgûl's influence on the Black Knives.

The design of both sets presents one of the clearest similarities the video game shows to a film, repeating the dark clothing, the prominent black hood, and the inability to directly see the faces of their wearers.

Although the Night's Cavalry could also occupy this position, it is with the warriors in Ranni's service that the resemblance is most noticeable, also due to the notion that they are a group that follows the orders of an all-powerful entity to control the fate of the world.

They don't speak, they are lethal, terrifying to behold, and carry death on their shoulders to distribute it as their leaders see fit, so they could be swapped between franchises and neither would seem out of place.

4 Elemer of the Briar

Darth Vader from Star Wars

You might be wondering how Darth Vader might have influenced Elemer of the Briar, considering the former belongs to a hyperfuturistic science fiction world and the latter to a medieval fantasy, though it's simply a matter of looking beyond the context.

When you disregard certain formalities, both are swordsmen who use telekinesis to manipulate their weapons, whose distinct red borders allow their arrival to be anticipated even from several meters away.

They share the presence of armor that represents their origins, helmets that signify the absence of all humanity, and permanent attack stances that make experiencing fear upon seeing them an automatic reaction.

If you tell me that Elemer is merely a medievalized version of Darth Vader, I think it's difficult to refute the possibility, so I'll ask Hidetaka Miyazaki personally if I ever have the chance, just to clear up the doubts about something that, nevertheless, seems obvious to me.

3 Bayle the Dread

Balrog from The Lord of the Rings

I wasn't lying when I said FromSoftware draws heavily from Tolkien's creations, nor when I said there are many horned enemies with a demonic aesthetic, and both are true once again with the figure of Bayle the Dread in relation to Balrog.

The Lord of the Rings once again serves as a source of inspiration for Elden Ring, this time shaping the mythical dragon that awaits us in the DLC with its lightning, fiery breath, and indescribable hatred for all that moves.

From their faces to their color palettes, and including their aggressive and highly violent behavior, Bayle and Balrog are so similar that I don't need to give any further reasons to justify their presence on this list.

They are equally devoted to destruction, surrounded by fire, display a gaze that reveals a great desire to kill, and have an adversary in both Gandalf and Igon, who, eventually, emerged victorious, thus creating an unmistakable parallel.

2 Mimic Tear

T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Until now, most of the cinematic influences on Elden Ring have been relatively thematic, which is why I was so astonished to discover the obvious yet subtle link between the Mimic Tear and T-1000.

Although a minor boss in the game, it's an absurdly faithful representation of the villain from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, not only replicating its characteristic silver color and malleability, but also its ability to mimic its victim's clothing and weaponry.

They can adapt their bodies to create razor-sharp blades, and they seem like emotionless beings acting almost on autopilot, making it hard to believe FromSoftware didn't look directly to James Cameron's film when designing the boss.

I'd be lying if I said it was the first thing that came to mind when I first encountered the Mimic Tear, but now that I've made this connection, I'm afraid I'll never be able to see either character the same way again.

1 Dragonlord Placidusax

Ghidorah from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

Despite all of the above, I don't think there's a connection as direct in all of Elden Ring as the one between Dragonlord Placidusax and Ghidorah from Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, because it seems practically an adaptation.

The mere fact that both are giant, three-headed dragons capable of controlling lightning and storms, descriptors I can't think of that could be used for any other creation in popular culture, makes it clear why they're in the first place.

However, when you consider that Placidusax and Ghidorah are ancient entities that reigned in their respective eras, being predecessors of the established order of their franchises' worlds, and that both have unusual relationships with time, it all becomes even more evident.

When you see a side-by-side comparison, the similarities are so numerous that they could pass for the same figure in different media, so I have no doubt they should close the list as the most similar of all the possibilities.