Borderlands star Édgar Ramírez says the movie is "respectful" to the video game's tone
"I’m very excited for the fans of the game to see it and see how respectful we were to the tone of the game"
Borderlands star Édgar Ramírez, who will play Atlas in the movie, has said that he thinks people will enjoy the film even if they haven't played the games on which it's based.
"In the end, games, movies, it’s all about storytelling," Ramírez told CinemaBlend. "And the most iconic games, such as Borderlands, [it's] the storytelling and the tone of the games what have made them so special. So now I know the game. I didn’t know it before. And the tone is spectacular."
However, he seems certain that fans of the games will be satisfied, too, adding: "I mean it’s so dark and so witty and so whimsical as well. It’s so in on the joke and kind of like impudent. There’s a 'I don’t give a damn' attitude to the game, and that’s what we rescued and put into the movie so I’m very excited for the fans of the game to see it and see how respectful we were to the tone of the game."
The movie also stars Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Patricia Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap. Eli Roth, who previously helmed the Bruce Willis-led action thriller Death Wish and fantasy comedy The House with a Clock in Its Walls, is directing the video game adaptation, while Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin co-wrote the screenplay with Roth.
"It's bonkers. It is badonkadonk bonkers," Curtis told GamesRadar's sister publication Total Film. "It is incredible what they have done visually and creatively, from set design, costume design, camera design, a great script, and an eclectic but very fun, wonderful family of actors, leading it all off with Cate [Blanchett], who was beyond – and so committed and dedicated to this work. I think you are going to be so happy."
The video game that provides the source material for the movie follows four “Vault Hunters” in the distant future who travel to the distant planet Pandora to hunt down an alien vault rumored to contain advanced alien technology. The hunters piece together clues to find the vault while battling the savage wildlife of Pandora and the bandits and outlaws that populate the planet, ultimately banding together to prevent paramilitary forces from reaching it first.
The Borderlands movie has wrapped filming and it's set for release sometime in 2022. While we wait, check out our list of the best video game movies of all time.
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I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.