Borderlands‘s road to a movie adaptation hasn’t been an easy one. We first heard about plans for a film shortly after the success of the first two games, but it took a long time for the project to really get off the ground. Now we’re about to find out if the long wait was worth it. Here’s everything we know about the Borderlands movie.
Directed by Eli Roth (although behind-the-scenes rumors have cast doubt on that), the long-in-the-making film is based on Gearbox’s hit video game series and will transport audiences to the wild and colorful planet Pandora, where opportunities for wealth are as plentiful as life-threatening situations. Hero Team Leading the way Guardians of the GalaxyThose who enjoy space adventure games like Fallout 4 are willing to risk it all to get some great loot (and maybe do some good in the process).
If you’re looking for some sci-fi adventure before Borderlands, here are a few I’d recommend checking out (or rewatching): Best Sci-Fi Movies and TV program The best ever.
Borderlands release date
It had been in limbo for a long time due to reshoots and changes to Lionsgate’s theatrical release schedule. Borderlands is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters in the US and UK on August 9, 2024.
Some European countries, such as Denmark and France, will release the film a day or two earlier, but most international releases are scheduled for the same week, with the exceptions being the Philippines and Germany, which won’t open until August 21 and 22, respectively. Release dates for Asian markets such as China and Japan have yet to be announced.
What is the story of Borderlands?
From the start, when the big-name cast and their respective roles were announced, fans knew that the Borderlands movie wouldn’t be a direct adaptation of one of the games or add a new story to the existing canon, but instead remix several characters, plot elements, and locations from across the video game saga to wow both avid gamers and moviegoers seeing the series for the first time.
The story follows an aging Lilith (Cate Blanchett) who returns to Pandora to search for the daughter of business titan Atlas. Of course, things quickly get complicated and Lilith is forced to team up with a colorful cast of characters, including ex-mercenary Roland (Kevin Hart), Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), a pre-teen girl with an obsession for explosives, Tina’s giant guardian Krieg (Florian Munteanu), a scientist with a lot on her mind, Tanis (Jamie Lee Curtis), and the foul-mouthed robot Claptrap (Jack Black).
Together, this band of misfits will battle alien monsters, crazed Pandorian bandits, and corporate mercenaries while searching for the girl and finding the key to “unimaginable power.” Whatever the end outcome, this seems like a perfect fit for a Borderlands storyline.
Borderlands Trailer
So far, only two previews for Borderlands have been released online, but marketing is expected to ramp up as the August 9th release date approaches, with Lionsgate looking to make the most of its late-summer flagship release.
The first official trailer was finally released on February 21, 2024, and it gives us a good look at the film’s basic plot, its quirky main characters, and even the bad guys who’ll make their lives difficult. Watch it below.
More recently, the first “exclusive footage” clip was shared online on June 8, revealing some close-quarters combat with thieves and thugs trying to kill our gun-toting anti-heroes. Check it out here:
Borderlands cast
The cast of Borderlands includes Cate Blanchett (Lord of the Rings) as Lilith, Kevin Hart (Jumanji sequel) as Roland, and Jack Black (The Mandalorian) as Claptrap, Edgar Ramirez (Jungle Cruise) as Atlas, and Ariana Greenblatt (Ahsoka) Florian Munteanu as Tiny Tina (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) as Krieg, Gina Gershon (Thanksgiving) as Mad Moksi and Jamie Lee Curtis (Knives Out) as Dr. Patricia Tanis.
Olivier Richters (Indiana Jones and the Force Awakens) plays Crom, and Janina Gavankar (Star Wars Battlefront II) as Commander Knox, Cheyenne Jackson (American Horror Story) as Jacobs, Charles Bavarois (Black Mirror) as Hammerlock, Benjamin Byron Davis (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) as Marcus, Stephen Boyer (Trial and Error) as Scooter, and Ryan Redmond (Heels) as Ellie.
Borderlands directors, writers, and crew
Eli Roth (Hostel, Thanksgiving) is credited as director, with extensive reshoots being handled by Tim Miller (Deadpool, Terminator: Dark Fate) was brought in to power the action scenes. The original screenplay was written by Craig Mazin (The Last of Us) and rewritten by Jewel Taylor (Creed II) and Ross himself. Avi Arad (Venom) and Erik Feig (Strays) will serve as producers.
Cinematographer Roger Stoffers served on the film after previously collaborating with Roth on the 2018 remake of Death Wish and on Roth’s unusual family film The House with a Clock in Its Walls, which also starred Cate Blanchett and Jack Black.Transformers), familiar with the game saga Gears of Warcomposed the original music for this piece.
