(Updated 02/21/2024)
Video games are among the greatest stress alleviators. Say you’ve had a bad day at work. Few things feel better than getting home and blasting monsters and aliens to oblivion. It’s no wonder they’re such a huge part of our pop culture landscape.
And BORDERLANDS is one of the biggest franchises in the video game world. First released in 2009, the original BORDERLANDS has sold over 75 million copies. Two sequels and several spinoffs have been successful as well.
So obviously there is only one thing to do… turn it into a movie! But a movie starring Cate Blanchett? That's wild! Here's everything you need to know about BORDERLANDS, including the first trailer.
What's the Borderlands Release Date?
Lionsgate has set an August 9, 2024 release date for BORDERLANDS.
Watch the First Borderlands Trailer
We've waited a long time to see footage from BORDERLANDS, and this trailer certainly suggests that the movie captures the spirit of the games. There's less impulsive weapon collection and more Guardians of the Galaxy-style team dynamics, but obsessive loot-grinding was never going to be the focus of the movie. And with actors like Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart and Jack Black in the mix, we love seeing the over the top character banter.
What Is Borderlands About?
Broadly speaking, BORDERLANDS is about a bunch of colorful characters meeting on a sci-fi Western-themed planet called Pandora (not James Cameron's Pandora), where they all shoot and blow each other up in a mad dash for money and treasure. It’s colorful, it’s loud, and it’s a whole lot of fun.
Specifically, the movie will be about an infamous outlaw named Lilith who returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of Atlas, one of the most powerful guys in the universe. Once there, she puts together a powerful if unstable team of miscreants who must battle aliens to find the girl and save the galaxy in the process.
So all in all, pretty close to the game.
Who Is in the Cast of Borderlands?
The cast image above tells you some of the names that are in the movie, but not quite everyone. Cate Blanchett (TÀR) plays Lilith, the lead. She’s joined by Jamie Lee Curtis (HALLOWEEN ENDS), Kevin Hart (JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE), Jack Black (KUNG-FU PANDA 4), Bobby Lee (PINEAPPLE EXPRESS), Gina Gershon (BOUND), and Edgar Ramírez (POINT BREAK).
That’s quite a cast, and one that is sure to turn the head of anyone who assumed this video game adaptation would feature lesser-known talent.
Who Made Borderlands?
Here's where it gets somewhat complicated. BORDERLANDS was directed by high-profile horror maestro Eli Roth (HOSTEL, THANKSGIVING), whose name brings a ton of credibility. While it’s unclear what rating the film will ultimately receive, Roth’s involvement ensures it’ll definitely come with an edge, something that should please fans of the game.
But while Roth was making THANKSGIVING, reshoots had to be done for BORDERLANDS. Since the original director was unavailable, Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) stepped in to guide the new section of production.
The draft of the movie originally filmed by Roth was written by Craig Mazin, who primarily writes comedies such as THE HANGOVER sequels as well as SCARY MOVIE 3 and 4. Zak Olkewicz (BULLET TRAIN) wrote new material for the reshoots, and the current script credit is given to Joe Crombie. Even if you’re totally unfamiliar with the game, this is going to be a wild one you don’t want to miss.
Read more about the ever-evolving history of video game movies!
All images courtesy of 2K Games, Gearbox Software, Lionsgate.