Director Eli Roth is filming the movie based on the loot shooter series Borderlands. It seems that a very special film is in store for us. However, chaos ensued right at the announcement.
Who is Eli Roth? The director is mainly known for horror films such as Hostel, Cabin Fever, and Knock Knock. However, with The House with a Clock in Its Walls, he has also directed a film aimed at a younger audience.
A horror director for Borderlands
What happened at the announcement? Randy Pitchford, head of Gearbox, published an announcement tweet for Eli Roth as the director of the Borderlands movie, only to delete this tweet immediately. However, many had already seen it. Screenshots of it circulated on the internet.
Now the tweet has officially appeared again. Should Randy Pitchford have perhaps waited with this announcement of the director?
What does Eli Roth plan for the Borderlands movie? Eli Roth explained that he wants to realize his own visions and ideas. Randy Pitchford from Borderlands developer Gearbox is supposed to support him in this.
I am excited to bring my own ideas and vision into the wild, fun, and infinitely creative world of the game. Randy Pitchford and everyone at Gearbox have very much supported my ideas – it really feels like a perfect storm of creators coming together. We want to create a new classic that the fans of the game will love, but that will also find a new audience worldwide.
Eli Roth, Director
Who is writing the script? The script comes from Craig Mazin, who is known for the series Chernobyl, but also for funny films like Scary Movie 3 and 4 as well as the last two Hangover parts.
What kind of movie will this be?
What can we expect? It seems unlikely that we will get a horror film. According to Eli Roth’s statements, we can probably not expect a 1:1 adaptation of the game material. It seems that we will see something new that differs from the games.
Humor seems to play an important role, and with Craig Mazin, a suitable writer for the script has been found.
How can a Borderlands movie work? Implementing the multiplayer shooter Borderlands is certainly not easy. The comic-like graphic style of the games makes up a large part of the atmosphere. How this will be implemented in the film is still the big question.
Moreover, of course, the dark humor must fit and the excessive violence should also play a role without appearing tasteless.
What is the film about? An official plot has not yet been provided. However, in summer 2019, an alleged summary of the story surfaced. In it, Lilith is to be the heroine, although other well-known faces such as Claptrap also appear:
“The movie begins with Lilith in the Atlas Corporation’s space prison. There she has the chance to earn her freedom if she manages to rescue Tiny Tina, the daughter of the Atlas CEO, on the planet Pandora. The mission takes an unexpected turn when it becomes clear that the little girl is the key to opening a valuable alien vault that Atlas wants for itself.”
Some remain skeptical about video game adaptations
What do players think about this film project? You can sense a certain skepticism in the community. This is due to the fact that not many video game adaptations have been really successful. Just think of the movies based on Assassin’s Creed, Doom, or Hitman. Nevertheless, there is interest in seeing a Borderlands movie.
- xxBAshaggyxx says on reddit: “Eli Roth? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of his, but I don’t see him as the right man for something like Borderlands.”
- Mr__Classy believes: “An animated series would be better.”
- Aesorian writes: “I have always said a Borderlands movie could really work. They should just do it as a kind of apocalyptic Guardians of the Galaxy.”
When does the film premiere? Currently, there is no date for the theatrical release.
What do you think of Eli Roth as the director of the Borderlands movie?
To prepare for the film, you can play Borderlands 3. We tested the loot shooter for you:
