Borderlands, the renowned video game franchise that established the looter-shooter genre, is on the verge of expanding into its own cinematic universe, which is long overdue. The franchise’s six base games have garnered a devoted fanbase due to their captivating lore and eccentric characters, all of whom will be making their highly anticipated on-screen debut in director Eli Roth’s upcoming film adaptation. However, there is still some time before the film graces the theaters this summer. In the meantime, IGN had the opportunity to sit down with Roth and Randy Pitchford, the founder of Gearbox Entertainment and an executive producer on the movie, to discuss all things Borderlands in anticipation of the release of the first official trailer tomorrow. You can catch an exclusive sneak peek of the trailer via the player above or the embedded video below.
As if that wasn’t enough, IGN also has the privilege of exclusively unveiling the new poster for the Borderlands movie, which is displayed below.
The dynamic between Pitchford and Roth is evident even through a video call, as they exude a similar lightheartedness and playfulness that perfectly encapsulates the essence of Borderlands. This was particularly evident in the way these two creative minds continuously interrupted each other with comedic anecdotes about their experiences on set.
However, beyond the jokes, their professional synergy is apparent, which bodes well for this video game adaptation. Roth was granted significant creative freedom for the project, while Pitchford served as a valuable resource, offering deeper insights into the original series.
“Undoubtedly, it’s Randy’s brainchild, and it belongs to everyone,” Roth acknowledged. “Stepping into a world that is so beloved and has such a dedicated fanbase, you can’t help but think, ‘Okay, I really don’t want to mess this up.'”
Pitchford further elaborated, “Finally, one day while playing League of Legends together, Ari and I were discussing the possibility of a movie. He was the support, and I was the ADC. We were chatting on Discord about it.”
Overall, the collaboration between Roth and Pitchford holds great promise for this highly anticipated video game adaptation.