Big Screen Claptrap? Borderlands Movie In The Works

[Fanghawk]

Big Screen Claptrap? Borderlands Movie In The Works

Lionsgate is developing a full-length Borderlands film with Avi and Ari Arad producing.

<a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/borderlands>Gearbox's Borderlands franchise is an undeniable gaming success story, spinning off into two sequels and <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140047-Takes-From-The-Borderlands-Episode-2-Releases-This-Month>a Telltale Games episodic series. But could Claptrap, Handsome Jack, and those explosive Pandora battles appeal to movie audiences? There's a chance we'll soon find out - <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134159-Lionsgate-Hires-Peter-Levin-to-Head-New-Games-Division>Lionsgate is currently developing a full-length Borderlands film with Avi and Ari Arad producing.

"The Borderlands games don't pull any punches," Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger said in a statement. "We'll make the movie with the same in-your-face attitude that has made the series a blockbuster mega-franchise."

Borderlands' setting certainly lends itself well to film. The series is set on Pandora, a once-lush planet harvested and abandoned by a futuristic corporation. Now treasure hunters seek a legendary Vault believed to contain great riches on its surface, battling raiders, robots, aliens, and giant monsters along the way. A Borderlands film could easily pick up the Vault Hunter plot, or dive straight into Handsome Jack's schemes from Borderlands 2.

There aren't any other details on Borderlands' plot, actors, or release date, but I imagine players can start getting pretty excited. Lionsgate could simply go for a "Mad Max in space" tone and still have a solid flick. But throw in Pandora-based action, and fan-favorite characters like Claptrap and Mad Moxxi? Borderlands could draw in quite a few new fans who haven't even heard of the game.

Source: Variety, via <a href=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-08-28-borderlands-movie-in-the-works>Eurogamer

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[Covarr]

Oooh, this seems pretty cool. I can't wait to see it, just as soon Randy Pitchford personally apologizes for Aliens: Colonial Marines and I stop boycotting Gearbox.

P.S. Thanks

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

You know what would be really representative of the game? Have everyone grind for hundreds of hours looking for Legendary Orange tickets to actually go see it. Anyone who gets plain old white, green or blue tickets isn't allowed in.

 

[Genocidicles]

I cant wait to watch a film consisting of dated references to memes and social commentary that's as subtle as a sledgehammer.

 

[Barbas]

I hope they don't kick the humour up to eleven with this one, and that they settle for an art style a bit like this:


It'd be nice if the film was a bit more serious in tone.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I kinda dissapointed that Guy Rickie is not involved in it. Ok sure it's not like he trademark his intros but still.

 

[Clankenbeard]

You know what would be really representative of the game? Have everyone grind for hundreds of hours looking for Legendary Orange tickets to actually go see it. Anyone who gets plain old white, green or blue tickets isn't allowed in.

THIS! Genius-speak. Is SilentPony actually Butt Stallion IRL?

BL2 is my favorite game (most hours playing). I like Pandora and the look of everything (poster edges, bitches!). I love Handsome Jack as a villain. But I don't see FPS games translating well into big screen movies. (I'm looking at you Doom.) Oh well. Fingers crossed.

What 40-yr old cougar is going to play Moxie?

 

[sonicneedslovetoo]

I can see this going two ways:
Lazy cash in where they strip out anything interesting about the franchise and feature Clap-Trap as an even more annoying Jar Jar Binks comedy relief character.
It sits in development hell for six years and eventually a lawsuit comes around because the studio outsourced development to several other companies and it all just ends up being a big knot of controversy over something that isn't very good.

 

[Chimichanga]

I sincerely hope they go for the more gritty Mad Max-styled presentation of the first Borderlands. Unfortunately, I strongly suspect they'll opt for emulating more of Borderlands 2 and the PreSequel, because BL2 was more popular and was better marketed than the first one, as well as having been the basis of the Tell Tale games. What a shame.

I hope they don't kick the humour up to eleven with this one, and that they settle for an art style a bit like this:


It'd be nice if the film was a bit more serious in tone.

The thing people forget about Borderlands 1, and for which reason I consider myself a fan of the first Borderlands and not any of the sequels, is that aside from the satire and the humor it was also pretty gritty and serious in the background. The text boxes and the in-game environments told a much darker tale than the bare-bones plot and it was consistently written, unlike the sequel written by Anthony Burch. It was certainly a case of a game that was mediocre lifted up by the world building and atmosphere into being at least above-average. There was so much potential that was squandered with the Borderlands franchise.

 

[Imre Csete]

I doubt there will be any world building, the Corporate Wars just scream cool scifi potential.

 

[Sarge034]

Possible win, probable fail. Oh well, either way it'll be truly entertaining or so bad it's good, I really can't see borderlands being mediocre.

What 40-yr old cougar is going to play Moxie?

Who says she has to be 40? Yeah she has two (or more...) kids and is a total milf, but one of her traits is she looks younger than she is. I mean, there's so many good amazing cosplays as it is...

Spoiler

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

What 40-yr old cougar is going to play Moxie?

You know, its unconventional, but have like Lisa Ann or some other actual MILF pornstar.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I'm ready to like or dislike this movie entirely depending on who plays Moxxi.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

Possible win, probable fail. Oh well, either way it'll be truly entertaining or so bad it's good, I really can't see borderlands being mediocre.

What 40-yr old cougar is going to play Moxie?

Who says she has to be 40? Yeah she has two (or more...) kids and is a total milf, but one of her traits is she looks younger than she is. I mean, there's so many good amazing cosplays as it is...

Spoiler

Giggity giggity goo! Especially the second one


Now I know that Borderlands has a story, but perhaps what my be wiser is to use the setting to tell a different story.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

I'm sorry Escapist, but ...

Spoiler: MOAR WUB WUB

PASS THE POPCORN!!!!!!

 

[Something Amyss]

Do we really need 90 minutes of memes when we have the internet? At least with the internet, when I get tired of memes I can look up porn.

...hmm. Claptrap rule 34...

OH GOD WHY?

You know what would be really representative of the game? Have everyone grind for hundreds of hours looking for Legendary Orange tickets to actually go see it. Anyone who gets plain old white, green or blue tickets isn't allowed in.

Don't forget to make sure that the movie plays completely different for a single viewer than a group.

And to create dozens of additions that won't be included with the uncut version of the movie.

[(I'm looking at you Doom.)

I could see Doom translating into a decent action movie. They just didn't do it. And probably won't.

Here either.

 

[Sarge034]

Giggity giggity goo! Especially the second one


Now I know that Borderlands has a story, but perhaps what my be wiser is to use the setting to tell a different story.

AWWWWWW YEAAAAAAHHHHHHH XD

I think you could do kindda a hybrid story. Have some of the NPCs show up but follow a different arc for the main story.

 

[Clankenbeard]

Giggity giggity goo! Especially the second one


Now I know that Borderlands has a story, but perhaps what my be wiser is to use the setting to tell a different story.

AWWWWWW YEAAAAAAHHHHHHH XD

I think you could do kindda a hybrid story. Have some of the NPCs show up but follow a different arc for the main story.

"Second!" to the "AW YEAH". That is indeed some smexy Moxie CosPlay.
Tales from the Borderlands is doing something like your suggestion. And it isn't bad. But, if you just want the Borderlands setting (psychos, desert and guns), go watch the new Fury Road (which I haven't).

I really enjoyed the Borderlands 2 storyline. I wouldn't mind watching it translated into the big screen. Good people died. Eridium is a bit of a mystery. The bad guy was convinced all along that he was the good guy. Happy ending and I get to wear a different head out of the theater.

 

[Clankenbeard]

Who says she has to be 40? Yeah she has two (or more...) kids and is a total milf, but one of her traits is she looks younger than she is. I mean, there's so many good amazing cosplays as it is...

Agreed. A younger actress could play her. She just has to project an overload of confidence and experience. Moxxi has to be ~40ish in the game. She supposedly had 4 kids, two of which are Scooter and Ellie. She was married to that old Papa Hodunk guy and Marcus I think. I enjoyed the scene in The Pre-Sequel where you see her in coveralls, working as a mechanic and she is talking in her normal hillbilly voice. When she sees you, she shifts immediately into character voice.