The 2024 film adaptation of Borderlands experienced a challenging debut, earning a mere $33 million at the box office and receiving a generally lukewarm response from critics. Despite these commercial and critical setbacks, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford remains optimistic about future transmedia opportunities for the popular gaming franchise.
In a discussion with The Gamer, Pitchford indicated his willingness to explore another film attempt, contingent on the emergence of the right creative team and compelling ideas at an opportune moment. He underscored his commitment to fostering creative endeavors:
“My attitude is, if there are great creators, artists, entertainers that have something to say and they think they can only do it with Borderlands, and they can demonstrate that they can do it, I want to enable that. We don`t always succeed, but we`ve got to keep swinging.”
Pitchford drew an analogy to the iconic band The Beatles, noting that even their extensive discography includes songs he personally finds less engaging. He leveraged this comparison to articulate his broader philosophy on creative risks and persistence:
“I love The Beatles, and there`s lots of Beatles music, [and] I just absolutely can`t listen to some of it. I think it`s unlistenable. Should we say, `You know what? You made an unlistenable song […], therefore, make no more music.` That`s not the attitude, you know, keep making music.”
Furthermore, Pitchford humbly admitted that his direct involvement as the movie`s director would not have improved the outcome, suggesting it would have been “way worse” under his helm. “I promise you, if I directed that movie, it`d be a disaster,” he stated definitively.
Lionsgate`s Perspective on the Film`s Performance
While the Borderlands movie proved to be a financial disappointment, it did not adversely affect Gearbox`s finances, as Lionsgate studio fully funded the production. Reports from Variety indicated that the film`s production budget reached $120 million, with additional tens of millions allocated for marketing efforts.
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer was remarkably candid when addressing the film`s difficulties:
“Nearly everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It sat on the shelf for too long during the pandemic, and reshoots and rising interest rates took it outside the safety zone of our usual strict financial models.”
The film`s underperformance is particularly striking given its foundation in an established franchise with a passionate fanbase, a star-studded cast including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis, and the backing of a major Hollywood studio. Interestingly, Cate Blanchett reportedly agreed to her role primarily as a way to leave her home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Future of Borderlands: Borderlands 4
Meanwhile, the acclaimed Borderlands game series continues its journey with the highly anticipated launch of Borderlands 4. The game is slated for release on September 12 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5, with a broader PS5 launch following in October.