Borderlands is Getting a Movie
Variety has originally reported the following:
Lionsgate is developing a tentpole movie based on the videogame “Borderlands,” with producers Avi and Ari Arad.
“Borderlands,” (2009), is a first-person shooter RPG (Role Playing Game) created and developed by Gearbox Software and published by Take-Two Interactive Software’s 2K label.
Avi Arad and his son Ari Arad have been involved in the creation of the film franchises for Iron Man, Spider Man, The Amazing Spider Man, X-Men, Ghost Rider and Blade.
“Part of our strategy in entering the game space under Peter Levin has been to source new brands with built-in audiences that will translate into great films and television shows,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger. “The ‘Borderlands’ games don’t pull any punches, and we’ll make the movie with the same in-your-face attitude that has made the series a blockbuster mega-franchise.”
“Lionsgate has emerged as a major creative force in the global marketplace with an incredible portfolio of brands; our partners at Gearbox have pioneered and cultivated an iconic property; and Avi and Ari Arad are two of the most successful producers of action franchises,” Take-Two Interactive Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This alliance is ideally positioned to create a bold, provocative, no-holds-barred motion picture phenomenon that will delight ‘Borderlands” current legions of fans and captivate moviegoers around the world.”
No release date or further information has been given.
My thoughts - The Borderlands video games have been a great success and have been well received by gamers all around the world. The game's iconic characters and the overall attitude and style of the world will lend themselves to make a great film given the right people create it and even more importantly star in it. Video game movies are notoriously bad moves for movie companies but if they're done well they can be very successful. Movies such as Hitman and Resident Evil have shown that video game movies can be good, but in my opinion there hasn't been a unbelievably great video game movie to date. I would very much love for Borderlands The Movie to be the first of its kind to be just that - totally awesome. Fingers crossed.
Lucas Aurelius (LewkOne)
