Borderlands Co-Creator Reacts to Movie’s Failure Like THIS

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As a die-hard fan who’s been eagerly awaiting the Borderlands movie since its inception, I can’t help but feel like I’ve just stepped into a bandit camp and been robbed blind. The hype was real, the expectations sky-high, but alas, the final product left me feeling as dry as Pandora itself.

In its heyday, the video game series Borderlands was cherished by gamers, and the upcoming movie adaptation had been eagerly anticipated. With such high expectations, the film unfortunately failed to live up to them, leaving many disappointed. The buildup for the release was immense, with fans eager to see their beloved game brought to life on the big screen. However, it appears that the movie has fallen flat since its release in cinemas.

Randy Pitchford’s response and the future of the franchise

The poor performance of Borderlands can largely be attributed to its underwhelming box office earnings and the negative critical response it’s been receiving. Debuting on August 9th, it managed to gross approximately $1.3 million during its initial release, a figure that is significantly lower than expected given its estimated budget of $110-120 million. This early return does not bode well for the film’s financial prospects. Despite having some time left to recover, the situation doesn’t seem optimistic. To add insult to injury, the reviews have been overwhelmingly negative.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but share my thoughts on the recent turn of events regarding the Borderlands movie adaptation. Over the weekend, Randy Pitchford, one of the co-creators of this epic video game series and the CEO of Gearbox Software, subtly addressed the situation through a tweet. He essentially said, “It seems you prefer the work my team and I have put into Borderlands games over what an incredible ensemble of filmmakers – some of the best in the business – have done for the movie. I’m truly touched by your appreciation! We’re pouring our hearts out to make sure the next project exceeds your expectations.”

The remark implies that despite the film’s disappointing performance, Pitchford continued to express a favorable view of the games, suggesting his fondness for them persisted.

Randy Pitchford, who was both involved in the film’s production and its lead character, acknowledged the negative response to the movie but chose to focus on his enthusiasm for the games instead. He didn’t forget to give credit to the talented cast, which included Cate Blanchett, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, all of whom graced the screen in this production. Additionally, Pitchford hinted at a potential new project, possibly alluding to the long-awaited Borderlands 4 game, suggesting that the franchise still holds a promising future despite the movie’s setbacks.

It’s fortunate that the Borderlands movie, which had been stuck in development for almost a decade, turned out to be a significant misstep. Unfortunately, director Eli Roth’s interpretation of the cherished source material didn’t hit its target with both critics and viewers, making it one of the biggest box office flops of 2024 thus far.

Randy Pitchford firmly believes Borderlands is not suited for anime format

For a considerable length of time, there have been rumors about an animated series derived from the game Borderlands. At last, Randy Pitchford has spoken up on the subject. According to Pitchford, while he thinks an animated film or show based on Borderlands would be fitting, he doesn’t believe it would work effectively if it were made in anime style. He argued that this specific approach wouldn’t suit this genre well.

In his words before the launch of the live-action movie, Pitchford openly expressed opposition to the idea of a Borderlands anime. When a fan inquired about this concept, he responded skeptically, stating something along the lines of, “A Borderlands anime? It sounds like you’re under the influence! That seems like a terrible notion.” Essentially, Pitchford suggested that the unique aspects of the Borderlands universe might not be effectively conveyed through the medium of anime.

After the debut of the Borderlands movie, Gearbox’s Pitchford has remained quite active within the fanbase, often taking the brunt of criticism due to the film’s largely negative reviews. Ever since, there’s been a lively debate among fans: could Borderlands have fared better as an animated rather than live-action production? However, Pitchford reiterated his previous stance on this matter: while an animated adaptation might be feasible, it shouldn’t be confused with anime. He clarified, “I think an animated Borderlands would be interesting, but I don’t equate that to anime. I believe anime is a distinct genre and I don’t feel Borderlands fits neatly into it.”

While the notion of an animated Borderlands adaption sounds intriguing, it seems unlikely that we’ll see one released anytime soon. The box office performance of the live-action Borderlands movie was dismal, earning just $8.8 million during its opening weekend in the U.S., which is only about 8% of its total budget of $115 million. This doesn’t even factor in additional costs for marketing and distribution, making a new adaptation seem highly improbable at this time.

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2024-08-13 13:27