Borderlands Movie Is Not Set In The Same Universe As The Video Game
The upcoming Borderlands movie will not take place in the same universe as the video game. Due to the incredible storytelling in the source material, many fans had hoped that the movie might pick up where Borderlands 3 had left off, or at the very least tell a story set in between the events of the games. But it seems the movie will instead be the start of a whole new story set in an alternate universe, which is usually how it goes for adaptations.
The original Borderlands game was created by development studio Gearbox Software and released by 2K Games in 2009. The game's space-western setting, co-op play, and dark humor were met with commercial and critical success. Soon enough, the franchise expanded to include four other titles, Borderlands 2 in 2012, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel in 2014, and Borderlands 3 in 2019, with another spin-off game released by TellTale Games in 2014 called Tales from the Borderlands. The series has become one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, and it was no surprise when Lionsgate Studios announced a film adaptation in 2015.
Gearbox Software president Randy Pitchford confirmed on Twitter that the movie does not take place in the Borderlands video game universe. Pitchford assured fans the film would be "authentic to characters, tone and style" but explained that setting it in a different universe allowed them to craft new stories better suited for films. Plus, building the stories outside of the established continuity will enable them to tackle new plotlines without worrying about what had already been done in the games, giving filmmakers and actors a bit more freedom when crafting the adaptation.
With Pitchford's words about staying true to the characters, fans can at least take solace in seeing the game's characters relatively true to form up on the big screen. If casting is any indication, it seems like director Eli Roth and his team are working hard to find actors comparable to their video game counterparts. With choices like Cate Blanchett playing Lilith, Jack Black voicing Claptrap, Kevin Hart as Soldier Roland, and Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Tannis, they have done relatively well in finding actors capable of embodying the essence of the characters from the game.
Few adaptations are ever one-hundred percent faithful to the source material. While fans may be disappointed at the decision, it makes sense to start a new continuity for the Borderlands movie. Filmmakers have a hard enough time trying to introduce characters and new sci-fi worlds to audiences without worrying about explaining character backstories that span four or five games that occurred beforehand. Dropping the continuity baggage allows the film to attract a broader audience to theaters, including people who never even heard of Borderlands the video game. Hollywood is all too aware that while hard-core fans may complain about changes to the source material, they will do so after having already bought their opening night tickets.
SOURCE: Randy Pitchford/Twitter