Take-Two Asks Borderlands Fans to “Give the Film a Chance” Following Blistering Reviews

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As a longtime fan of the Borderlands series, I’ve been through the highs and lows, the laughter and tears, and the endless hours of looting and shooting. So when I heard about the movie adaptation, I was thrilled! But alas, it seems that the movie gods have not smiled upon us this time.

It’s been a rough start for Lionsgate’s Borderlands movie adaptation – about as rough as it can get, really. After debuting on Rotten Tomatoes with a 0% critics score when the advance viewing embargo lifted for press on August 8th, things haven’t improved much from there. Currently, the Eli Roth-directed movie has only managed to crawl toward a 9% Tomatometer score based on 87 reviews, with over 100 audience reviews only earning a 49% Audience Score. While the movie still has its full release weekend ahead of it, it’s looking bleak for the newest video game adaptation.

Despite facing a less-than-favorable critical response to the Borderlands movie earlier this year, Take-Two Interactive, now the parent company of Gearbox Entertainment (previously owned by Embracer Group), remains optimistic that public opinion might change for the better. In an interview with IGN, Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, was questioned about the potential impact of the film’s poor reception on their company specifically.

Zelnick suggested, “Let’s take a look at this movie. Many people put in a great deal of effort and the original concept is exceptional. The cast is outstanding, and I believe the visual style is fantastic. So let’s hear what viewers think about it.” Regarding your question, he stated that the film’s performance wouldn’t affect our financial status or the franchise in any way.

Initially, IGN queried Zelnick about his views on turning video games into films in general, and he confirmed that Take-Two is very picky when it comes to licensing their games for movies, stating “It’s not our main focus,” regarding Take-Two. He further stated that they are likely to continue this selective approach moving forward. Notably, Take-Two is also developing another film adaptation, a BioShock one with Netflix, which underwent an update at San Diego Comic-Con recently, suggesting potential concerns for the movie’s future as well.

Personally, as a dedicated Borderlands fan, I’ve been eagerly following the rumors this year about the potential release of Borderlands 4. Fingers crossed that it manages to win back our affection, improving upon the reception the movie and, more recently, Borderlands 3 have received. I hope Metacritic will reflect a more positive user score for this upcoming game in the franchise.

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2024-08-10 04:10