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Eli Roth’sBorderlandswill finally hit theaters this August, almost nine years after its announcement. The film, based on the critically acclaimed video game franchise of the same name, underwent several script changes and production delays. The Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart starrer’s trailer was a mixed bag.
Moreover, fans of the game franchise are skeptical of the big screen medium as it may not have the time to establish different storylines starting from the 2009 game.
A popular suggestion among the video game fanbase was to makeBorderlandsinto an animated series. This animated version would be a much better way to bring the world-building, numerous characters, and their complex interconnected storylines onto the screen.
Why WouldBorderlandsFare Better As An Animated Series?
Borderlands’s looter shooter game received a film adaptation announcement back in 2015 when the series format was not popular in the industry. Moreover, there were only a handful of animated series on television that were worth the money and effort of the makers.
Despitethe delays in production over the years,Borderlandschose to maintain its film format, which may not be a smart move from the makers.
Did Borderlands 4 Just Get Announced?
What makes theBorderlandsvideo games stand apart from other similar games in the genre is their cel-shaded animation style in the games, which closely resembles a comic book. The trailer of the film also gave off a comic-book movie vibe, with many fans comparing it toJames Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxy.
The action in the game is flashy and colorful, a style that’s better suited for an animated adaptation than a live-action one. Some of the raw elements in the game would’ve also worked better in animation.Borderlandsgame has an extensive cast and a complex story. It means that a film format wouldn’t have the time to build groundwork before jumping right into the action.
However, a series format will allow for the necessary world-building. The game franchise consists of seven games, which includeBorderlands,Borderlands 2,Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel,Borderlands 3, and their spin-offs.Borderlands 4is currently under development at Gearbox (via GamesRadar). This means that a single film or a film franchise developed over several years wouldn’t be able to cover all these interesting storylines.
The current film has an ensemble cast includingCate Blanchett,Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Ariana Greenblatt,Jamie Lee Curtis, and Edgar Ramírez. It follows Blanchett’s Lilith, an infamous outlaw, who returns to her home planet Pandora and forms an alliance with an unexpected team.
Castlevaniaand Other Few Game Adaptations Found Success In The Animated Series Format
Adi Shankar’sCastlevaniawas able to adapt Konami’s Japanese game series of the same name into a successful Netflix animated series. The series received critical acclaim for its visuals, animation, action sequences, characterization, and themes.
Following the success ofCastlevania,Shankar is now working on Hideki Kamiya’sDevil May Crygame adaptation for Netflix, as an animated series.
Another success story in this format is the Emmy-winning Netflix seriesArcane. Based onArcane: League of Legends, the series boasted some familiar names in the voice acting department, led byElla PurnellandHailee Steinfeld. The series was also praised for its steampunk style, animation, story, and worldbuilding.
“I’m acting just like you”: Borderlands Movie Star Based Her Tiny Tina On Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn As Fans Expect Another Win After Fallout Success
Other video game adaptations in the animated series format includeCaptain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix,Dragon Age: Absolution, andArk: The Animated Series.Borderlandsis scheduled to be released in theaters on June 28, 2025.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
