Borderlands Movie Faceplants on Debut Weekend: What Went Wrong?

If you thought a movie with a star-studded cast, a fan-favourite video game franchise, and a hefty budget would be a surefire hit, think again. The much-anticipated Borderlands movie, which hit theatres recently, did anything but light up the box office. With an underwhelming $8.8 million in the US and a global start of $16.5 million, it’s fair to say that the movie’s opening weekend was nothing short of a flop.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Let’s break it down. On paper, Borderlands should have had a lot going for it. The film, based on the popular video game series of the same name, featured an ensemble cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, and more. Despite this, the movie only managed to scrape together $8.8 million domestically. For comparison, its production budget was a whopping $115 million, with an additional $30 million reportedly spent on marketing and distribution. To put it mildly, the movie needs a miracle to avoid being one of 2024’s biggest box office bombs.

Internationally, the movie didn’t fare much better, pulling in a mere $7.7 million, bringing its global opening weekend total to $16.5 million. Critics didn’t hold back either, with Borderlands earning a D+ CinemaScore from audiences and an abysmal 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. It seems the numbers tell the tale—this one’s a certified disaster.

So, What Went Wrong With the Borderlands Movie?

Several factors contributed to Borderlands flopping so hard. First off, there was a noticeable disconnect between the movie and its core audience. The Borderlands video games are known for their irreverent humour, wild characters, and chaotic energy. Fans expected the movie to capture this spirit, but the final product fell flat. Many criticized the casting choices, particularly the decision to cast older actors like Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis in roles that fans felt should have gone to younger, edgier stars. While Hollywood has a long history of casting actors who don’t exactly match their characters’ ages, the issue here was more about the tone and feel—these characters just didn’t fit the vibe fans were hoping for.

Another major issue was the movie’s PG-13 rating. The Borderlands games are known for their gritty, R-rated content—think blood, guts, and plenty of swearing. The movie’s watered-down rating alienated fans who were hoping for a more faithful adaptation. Instead, what they got felt more like a sanitized version of the Borderlands universe, one that couldn’t quite figure out if it was trying to appeal to hardcore fans or a broader, younger audience.

Then there was the competition. Borderlands wasn’t just up against bad reviews—it was also competing with other major releases like Deadpool & Wolverine, which continued to dominate the box office. Audiences who might have been interested in a wild, action-packed film were already getting their fix elsewhere, leaving Borderlands in the dust.

The Fallout (No, Not the Game)

What does this mean for the future of video game movie adaptations? Well, it’s not great news. While some video game movies, like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, have smashed box office records, Borderlands is a stark reminder that not all adaptations are created equal. The failure of this movie could make studios more cautious about greenlighting big-budget video game films in the future, especially those that don’t have a clear target audience or a strong, cohesive vision.

For fans of the Borderlands franchise, there’s some silver lining. Randy Pitchford, the head of Gearbox Software (the company behind the Borderlands games), made it clear that the failure of the movie won’t impact the video game series. While the movie’s flop might prevent a sequel from getting made, it won’t stop Gearbox from continuing to develop games in the Borderlands universe. So, at least there’s that.

Final Thoughts

The Borderlands movie is a case study in how not to adapt a video game to the big screen. From mismatched casting to a misguided rating, it seems like everything that could go wrong did. While it’s possible that the movie could find a second life on streaming platforms or as a cult classic among fans of “so-bad-it’s-good” cinema, it’s more likely to be remembered as a cautionary tale for Hollywood.

For now, fans can only hope that this isn’t the last we see of the Borderlands universe on the big screen—just that next time, it gets the adaptation it deserves.