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Borderlands, the upcoming action-adventure filmstarring Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others, is currently one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year. While this may be particularly attributed to the cast members who have been in some phenomenal movies over the years, includingHalloween(Curtis),Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle(Hart), andThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring(Blanchett), it is partly due to the film beingbased on a popular video game franchiseof the same name.
Audiences have high expectations forBorderlands, because of the success of the original video games and the impressive cast, and many are curious to see if it will measure up to the source material it is based on. Before that, though, those who played the video games are unsure if the film sticks to the plot from the original — especially after watching the official trailer, which left a misleading impression.
Borderlands Does Not Take Place in the Same Universe As Games
Borderlands
SinceBorderlandsoriginates from an existing source material rather than a newly written screenplay, it is only plausible that many people would assume it tostay faithful to the original. However, Gearbox founder Randy Pitchford stated in a tweet thatThe Borderlands Cinematic Universe, which will commence with the movieBorderlands, won’t be set in the same universe as the original games.
In fact,aside from the tone, characters, and setting, everything will be different, including the main storyline. While the film’s story is centered on a mission that unites a motley crew of adventurers in a dystopian land, the original games tell a completely different story. The plot of the games revolves around a group of Vault Hunters, who travel to Pandora in search of a vault thought to hold invaluable riches. As if deviating from the core story isn’t enough, there are also a ton of variations in terms of character and casting choices.
Compared to the video games, Lilith (Cate Blanchett) and Tannis (Jamie Lee Curtis) are older in the film, where the former was 27 years old when the first game was released, and the latter is around the same age group. However,the casting of Blanchett and Curtis in these roles, who appear a little older than they do in the game, suggests that the movie has other plans. While it is possible that the independent story would benefit from the cast, Tannis doesn’t seem to be as interested in women in the film as she was in the original video games.
Furthermore, Kevin Hart and Ariana Greenblatt’s characters have undergone significant changes from their previous iterations in the games. Hart’s Roland is a weapons expert who is built like a truck, whereas Tina is an unstable teenage girl who likes blowing things up. Given all the changes that have been made in the film compared to the video game, it is safe to assume that only a few elements of the original will be found in the upcoming adaptation.
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Borderlands Works Better as an Independent Film Franchise
When a moviedeviates from the original, it nearly always ends badly, but in the case ofBorderlands, it works in its favor. Even though the original game heavily relied on the stories, they are constantly present in the background and never the focal point of the player’s experience. Rather, the games follow a loot-based progression that is spiced up with the addition of new characters.
If the upcoming film were to remain true to the video game, there wouldn’t be much to draw from it in terms of story, although it would satisfy the fans of the original games. That said,Borderlandswill still borrow many elements from the source material, such as the lore, the setting, and its distinctive style, even for a dystopian world.
Since the film is loosely based on the video game,it will have the freedom to become less technical, allowing those who haven’t played the games to still enjoy the story to the fullest without missing out on anything. This way, the creators can come up with their own scenarios within the world ofBorderlandsand combine them with the best bits of the source material, creating an unforgettable experience for viewers, who might even find it more enjoyable than they had imagined.
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The film’s new approach could also contribute to the evolution of the games in the future by offering new narrative paths, which is a win-win situation for Gearbox. Therefore, after all that is said and done,Borderlandswill still be a great film to look forward to, thanks tocreative minds like Eli Rothand Joe Crombie, who will ensure that it is worthwhile to see on the big screen.
Borderlands will be released in theaters worldwide on June 04, 2025.
