Borderlands Movie Has Cast Jamie Lee Curtis
Things are filling out nicely over on Pandora, as Eli Roth's Borderlands movie has just added Jamie Lee Curtis to the cast. While Roth was once known as the man behind the Hostel movies, he's moving in a very different direction to tackle the next big video game adaptation. Following in the footsteps of Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, and continued hopes we'll one day get a BioShock movie, Borderlands is one to watch. Live-action video game movies were once resigned to the bargain bin of your local Blockbuster, but thanks to the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu, the genre is going from strength to strength.
As far back as 2015, rumours of a Borderlands movie have been circulating. It's destined to be a tent pole movie for the struggling Lionsgate, and hopes that an all-star cast will help drum up interest. So far, Borderlands has cast Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok) and Kevin Hart (Jumani: Welcome to the Jungle) as Vault Hunters Lillith and Roland. Although the movie is only meant to loosely represent the storylines and characters of the games, both Lillith and Roland are prominent players. Now, Curtis has joined the growing cast.
Who is Jamie Lee Curtis in the Borderlands movie?
Announcing the news on Twitter, Curtis told followers, "MONDAY JUST GOT WAY F'ING BETTER! Looking SO forward to joining @eliroth@KevinHart4real and #CateBlanchett in @Lionsgate fun, run and gun and kick some ASS thrill ride!". Jamie Lee Curtis has joined the Borderlands movie as Tannis - Pandora-based archaeologist who has a "complicated history" with Blanchett's Lillith. A press release said that the pair's past "won't help" their adventure.
In the games, Tannis is one of the many NPCs, however, she's featured in all the games. Given the fact she had a key role in the first Borderlands, it's no surprise she'll be part of the movie. Interestingly, Curtis' portrayal of Tannis is older than her usual depiction in the games. Discussing what it's like having Curtis signed on, Roth said, "Working with the iconic Jamie Lee Curtis has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I am so excited for her to bring her humour, warmth and brilliance to the role of Tannis".
Originally released in 2009, Borderlands followed a group of Vault Hunters as they tried to uncover an alien vault on Pandora. The franchise features a dystopian world where mining corporations try to take hold, while Vault Hunters have to take on alien lifeforms as well as corporate powers to make their living. The idea was a huge hit, leading to Borderlands 2 in 2012, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel in 2014, and the long-awaited Borderlands 3 in 2019. With various DLCs, spin-offs, and an expanded universe of comics and novels, there's more than enough source material for Borderlands to span a multi-movie arc - if the first is a hit.
When will Jamie Lee Curtis start filming the Borderlands movie?
Despite the world still being the grips of coronavirus, the Hollywood Reporter claims filming will get underway next month in Hungary. Adam Goodman, the head of Hungarian production services company MidAtlantic Films, explained, "We're opened up space for a Lionsgate film, Borderlands [starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Hart], we're doing season three of Jack Ryan for Paramount TV, and we're doing a Marvel project, which, for the usual security reasons, I can't talk about". Although the mysterious Marvel project is likely to overshadow Borderlands, it's still great news that Lionsgate is making the most of Hungary's "filming bubble". Another sci-fi favourite recently filmed here when Dune moved the last of its production to Hungary.
It's not hard to pull comparisons between the Borderlands movie and the rebooted Jumanji series. Aside from both having Hart, there are hopes Borderlands can also cash in on the success of Jumanji with more Hollywood megastars. There were reports that Borderlands was targeting a gritty R-rating, but we'll have to see whether this follows Roth's previous work on Hostel and Cabin in the Woods or we're in for another family-friendly affair. Tannis in the games has a psychotic break and developed a love for inanimate objects, so we can't wait to see Curtis channel her inner Cast Away and find a new Wilson.
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