'Borderlands' was an absolute box office disaster, but if it helps, it could have been even worse

The movie Borderlands, released in 2024, has faced harsh criticism and mixed reactions, after dragging a total budget of 115 million dollars, plus another 30 million in advertising and distribution costs. Despite this significant investment, the film barely managed to gross 33 million dollars worldwide, placing it in the category of financial failure, raising doubts about the future of the film franchise. Don’t be border, lands Randy Pitchford, co-founder of Gearbox, has defended the work of Eli Roth, the director of the film, suggesting that the result could […]

The movie Borderlands, released in 2024, has faced harsh criticism and mixed reactions, after dragging a total budget of 115 million dollars, plus another 30 million in advertising and distribution costs. Despite this significant investment, the film barely managed to earn 33 million dollars worldwide, placing it in the category of financial failure, raising doubts about the future of the film franchise.

Don’t be rude, lands

Randy Pitchford, co-founder of Gearbox, has defended the work of Eli Roth, the director of the movie, suggesting that the result could have been even worse if he had taken on the role of director. In a recent conversation, Pitchford stated: “If I had directed the movie, it would have been a disaster.” His defense of Roth highlights the complexity of the project and the challenging adaptation of the popular video game to the cinematic format.

The criticism has been ruthless, and critic Neil Smith from GamesRadar+ rated the movie as worthy of “a slow clap of disdain”. This review reflects a greater discontent in the Borderlands fan community, who expect a more faithful representation of the essence of the game. Despite the poor reception, Pitchford made an intriguing comparison between the franchise and the music of The Beatles, suggesting that not all works are equally good, but that this does not mean we should stop creating. “We should keep making music. I’m glad they tried”, he added.

Despite the failure of the first film, Pitchford remains optimistic about future Borderlands productions, hinting at the possibility of sequels and new installments that could explore the rich universe of the franchise in greater depth. With this perspective, fans may have reasons to keep hope for future film adaptations.