There was a time, not that long ago, when most movies and TV shows based on a video game stunk. That’s obviously not true anymore. Sonic the Hedgehog, The Super Mario Bros., Halo, Arcane, and The Last of Us have all found recent success in a different medium. Now, there’s a new contender ready to join them on that list of successful video game adaptations. The fun first trailer for Borderlands promises an exciting space adventure with an all-star cast. That includes Cate Blanchett in a role she, and she alone, was born to play—the coolest person in the universe.
Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, and Gina Gershon join Oscar-winners Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis in what looks like a Guardians of the Galaxy-inspired space romp. They’ll make their way through the sci-fi western world of Gearbox Software and 2K’s Borderlands video game franchise. This unlikely group will be doing more than just looking for a valuable Vault, though.
Here’s the official synopsis for Borderlands to bring the trailer into focus:
Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Ramírez), the universe’s most powerful S.O.B. Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits – Roland (Hart), a seasoned mercenary on a mission; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound protector; Tannis (Curtis), the oddball scientist who’s seen it all; and Claptrap (Black), a wiseass robot. Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora’s most explosive secrets. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.
Borderlands comes from director Eli Roth (Thanksgiving, Hostel). He co-wrote the script with newcomer Joe Crombie. (Well, he’s either a newcomer or Roth’s co-writer used a pseudonym.)
What Is the Release Date for the Borderlands Movie?
Will Borderlands end up joining the short list of successful video game adaptations or the long one of complete duds? We won’t know until it lands in theaters this summer on August 9, 2024. But if we had to bet our hidden fortune on either we’d go with successful. How can a movie be bad when it’s got Cate Blanchett playing a perfect part.