Borderlands Movie
Borderlands, the video game series that established the looter-shooter genre, is on the verge of expanding into its own cinematic universe, marking a long-awaited development. The franchise’s six core games have garnered affection from fans for their imaginative storytelling and eccentric characters. These beloved characters are set to make their debut on the big screen in the forthcoming film adaptation directed by Eli Roth.
The cinematic release of the film is scheduled for this summer, but there is still some time before it graces the theaters. In the interim, IGN had an insightful conversation with both Eli Roth and Randy Pitchford, the founder of Gearbox Entertainment and an executive producer of the film. This discussion delves into various aspects of the Borderlands universe in anticipation of the official trailer’s debut tomorrow. For an exclusive, brief preview of the trailer, you can watch it using the player above or the embedded link below.
As if that wasn’t sufficient, IGN has the exclusive privilege of unveiling the new poster for the Borderlands movie, Shown below.
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In their interaction, Pitchford and Roth, even during a video call, emanate a camaraderie that suggests a brotherly bond. They both radiate the same enjoyable and lighthearted spirit that defines the essence of Borderlands. The dynamic was particularly evident as the two creative minds consistently interrupted each other with humorous anecdotes from their experiences on the set
Setting humor aside, the professional synergy between the two is evident and augurs well for the video game adaptation. Roth had considerable creative freedom in the project, with Pitchford serving as a valuable resource, offering deeper insights into the original series.
Roth acknowledged the significance of stepping into a world that is the brainchild of Randy, stating, “Obviously, it’s Randy’s baby, it’s his brainchild, and it’s everybody’s brainchild. You’re stepping into a world that is so beloved and the fans are so hardcore that you think, ‘Okay, well, I really don’t want to screw this up.’”
Fortunately, Pitchford displayed a remarkable openness to various ideas. Roth shared an amusing anecdote about how Pitchford even entertained the notion of keeping the character Claptrap alive, considering and discussing Roth’s imaginative suggestions on how the robot could discharge bullets, including quirky ideas like “Is it like a tail goes up and… are they little rabbit pellets?”
The fact that this adaptation came to fruition reflects Pitchford’s trust in Roth as a director. Throughout his career in the gaming industry, Pitchford had consistently turned down requests to adapt his studio’s work into film. The breakthrough came when Ari Arad, now the producer of the upcoming Borderlands movie, approached Pitchford with multiple script iterations, eventually sealing the deal for the film adaptation.
Pitchford shared the unconventional genesis of the film deal, stating, “Finally, we were playing League of Legends together one day, Ari and I. He was the support, and I was the ADC. We were talking on chat, like on Discord, about the possibility of a movie while we were playing.”
In an ironic twist, Pitchford revealed that he was playing as Caitlyn, acknowledging that she was “completely ripped off from Mad Moxxi from Borderlands, by full comfortable admission of the Riot team.”
Their gaming sessions became more frequent, leading to increased confidence on Pitchford’s part, ultimately culminating in his approval to proceed with the development of a film adaptation for the Borderlands series. It seems traditional business deals might be shifting away from the golf course.
Similar to the game, the upcoming film is set on the fictional planet of Pandora, promising an action-packed adventure with iconic characters from the franchise. In this fresh interpretation of the video game series, audiences will witness the red-headed outlaw Lilith leading a team of unconventional heroes on a quest to find a missing girl whose existence could alter the course of the universe.
Reflecting on the decision-making process for character selection in the film, Roth emphasized the need to make definitive choices, stating, “At a certain point you just have to pick, these are our characters, this is the story we’re going with, and let’s just make the best one possible.”
As the movie exists outside the canon of the video game series, the creative team had the liberty to choose from the diverse cast of characters across the entire franchise, including those introduced in later games of the original storyline.
The film boasts a star-studded ensemble, with Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett taking on the role of Lilith, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Jack Black lending his voice to Claptrap, Jamie Lee Curtis portraying Tannis, Kevin Hart as Roland, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, and Gina Gershon as Moxxi.
Additional notable cast members include Edgar Ramírez, Bobby Lee, Janina Gavankar, Olivier Richters, Cheyenne Jackson, Benjamin Byron Davis, Charles Babalola, Steven Boyer, Ryann Redmond, Paula Andrea Placido, among others.
Expressing his creative vision, Roth said, “I was like, ‘Find me the weirdest, gnarliest people. We’ll put them in the movie.’ And everybody, they loved it.”
Roth and Pitchford provided insights into the process of persuading these actors to join the project, revealing the intriguing journey of convincing someone like Blanchett to say “yes.” Roth affectionately likened the acclaimed actress to one of the three greatest female performers in history. Their professional collaboration traces back to the director’s 2018 fantasy film, “The House with a Clock in Its Walls,” where Blanchett starred alongside Jack Black. When determining the ideal lead for the Borderlands cast, Roth had no hesitation in choosing the Oscar winner, emphasizing the trust and creative freedom they share.
“I think with me, she has permission to go a little bit weird and a little bit insane because it’s like, ‘Well, it’s Eli,’” Roth shared. “It’s just like, ‘Let’s go have fun.’ But she’s obviously very serious about her character.”
Curtis’ decision to join the cast was significantly influenced by her gamer daughter, a devoted fan of the Borderlands franchise, who insisted, “‘Mom, you have to do this movie,’” as recalled by Pitchford.
For Black, the connection runs even deeper. In 2012, he attended E3 with his son during the teasing of Borderlands 2. During this time, Black requested a demo of the game from Pitchford, who playfully informed him that he would need to portray Claptrap in a potential film adaptation of the franchise. The star of Nacho Libre enthusiastically agreed to the proposition.
“Whether you’ve played a Borderlands game or not, it’s a fun movie. It’s really a fun movie,” Pitchford emphasized.
Borderlands is scheduled for release in U.S. theaters by Lionsgate on August 9, 2024.
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