A new look at Eli Roth’s live-action Borderlands adaptation has been released – and fans are all saying the same thing

Borderlands
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Lionsgate has released a new look at its upcoming live-action Borderlands movie – but fans still aren't convinced.

The photo, shared to the official Borderlands movie Twitter account, depicts main cast members Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg,  Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Patricia Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap. Fans have pointed out, however, that two prominent franchise characters are absent from the photo.

Brick and Mordecai, two of the four playable characters in the original Borderlands, are absent from the latest look at the film as well as the official trailer. The characters aren't mentioned in the synopsis or listed on the film's IMDb page either. Mordecai, a founding member of the Crimson Raiders, is a skilled sharpshooter accompanied by an alien bird named Bloodwing (who he says is 'better than a gun'). Brick, on the other hand, is a Berserker class character with immense size and strength – and enters a cool rage mode that enables him to regenerate his health. 

Both seem to be absent from the film, despite being considered core characters in the game. However, we understand the appeal of focusing on fan-favorite characters like Roland and Lilith – especially when it comes to appealing to a mass audience that may not be familiar with the franchise.

Borderlands was adapted for the big screen by Eli Roth, with Deadpool director Tim Miller taking over for reshoots. Craig Mazin penned the original screenplay, which is now credited to a writer named Joe Crombie.

Borderlands is set to hit theaters on August 9. For more, check out our ever-growing list of upcoming video game movies.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.