Borderlands is based on a wildly popular video game with a dedicated fanbase.
Borderlands Film Faces a Rough Start at the Box Office Despite a Loyal Fanbase
Despite the immense popularity of the Borderlands video game series, the film adaptation has found itself in a precarious position as it struggles to gain traction at the box office. The action-comedy, directed by Eli Roth and featuring an ensemble cast of A-list actors, has failed to make a significant impact during its initial release, leading to concerns about its financial success.
A Highly Anticipated Adaptation With a Star-Studded Cast
The Borderlands film has been long-awaited by fans of the video game franchise, which is known for its quirky humor, unique art style, and engaging gameplay. The adaptation, produced by Lionsgate, features an impressive cast, including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Oscar-winner Jamie Lee Curtis. The studio had high hopes that the star power and the popularity of the source material would translate into box office success.
However, the road to the film’s release was fraught with challenges. The production faced numerous delays, pushing back its release date multiple times before finally hitting theaters on August 9, 2024. Despite the anticipation surrounding the film, early projections have suggested that Borderlands is headed for a bumpy ride at the box office.
A Disappointing Start at Thursday Night Previews
The first sign of trouble came during the Thursday night previews, where Borderlands earned a mere $1.32 million. This figure is less than 1% of the film’s estimated $100 million production budget, a dismal start for a film with such high expectations. This lackluster performance during previews is a significant red flag for any major release, and it set the tone for what would be a challenging opening weekend.
Box Office Projections Paint a Grim Picture
Following the weak preview numbers, industry analysts began to revise their expectations for the film’s opening weekend. Initially, there were hopes that Borderlands could pull in around $20 million domestically during its first three days in theaters. However, after the poor start, the film is now projected to earn between $10 million and $18 million during its opening weekend.
To put this into perspective, Borderlands needs to generate at least $200–$300 million globally to be considered a box office success, given its $100 million production budget. This would mean at least doubling, if not tripling, its budget—a feat that now seems increasingly unlikely.
Critical Reception Adds to the Woes
Adding insult to injury, Borderlands has also faced harsh criticism from film critics. The movie debuted with a dismal 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, one of the lowest scores of the year for a big-budget film. Although the score has since improved slightly, rising to 9%, it still reflects the overwhelmingly negative reception from critics.
For example, the New York Post criticized the film, stating, “There’s hardly any character development or dramatic peaks and valleys in Borderlands to hold the viewer’s interest, even for such a brief runtime.” This lack of character depth and narrative engagement has been a common thread in many of the negative reviews, further dampening enthusiasm for the film.
Comparisons to Other Box Office Failures
The struggles of Borderlands are reminiscent of another recent big-budget film, Madame Web. This Sony Pictures release, which is based on a Spider-Man character, also had a rough start at the box office. Madame Web debuted with a 13% score on Rotten Tomatoes and managed to earn just $15 million during its opening weekend, despite a production budget of $80 million.
By the end of its theatrical run, Madame Web had grossed $43.8 million domestically and $56.4 million overseas, for a worldwide total of $100 million. While these numbers may seem respectable, they are far from the level of success needed to justify the film’s budget and marketing costs.
Borderlands appears to be on a similar trajectory, with its initial numbers closely mirroring those of Madame Web. If this trend continues, Borderlands could struggle to break even, let alone turn a profit.
The Importance of Fan Support
One of the most surprising aspects of Borderlands’ disappointing box office performance is the disconnect between the film’s reception and the loyalty of its fanbase. The Borderlands video game series has a dedicated following, with millions of players worldwide who have spent countless hours exploring the chaotic and colorful world of Pandora.
Given this strong fanbase, one might have expected the film to perform better, especially in its opening weekend. However, it appears that not even the most loyal fans were able to turn the tide for the film. Whether this is due to a lack of interest in video game adaptations, poor marketing, or simply the film’s failure to capture the spirit of the games, remains a topic of discussion.
What This Means for Future Video Game Adaptations
The struggles of Borderlands at the box office raise important questions about the viability of video game adaptations in Hollywood. While there have been some success stories in recent years, such as Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog, the genre remains notoriously difficult to get right. The failure of Borderlands could serve as a cautionary tale for studios looking to capitalize on popular video game franchises.
For Borderlands, the future looks uncertain. While the film still has time to improve its box office performance in the coming weeks, the initial signs are not promising. If the film fails to turn things around, it could go down as one of the biggest flops of 2024, despite its star-studded cast and the popularity of its source material.
Conclusion
Borderlands had all the ingredients for success—a beloved video game series, a talented director, and a cast filled with Hollywood heavyweights. Yet, despite these advantages, the film has struggled to find its footing at the box office. With disappointing preview numbers, grim weekend projections, and harsh critical reviews, the future of Borderlands is anything but certain. Only time will tell if the film can recover from its rocky start, but for now, it faces an uphill battle to avoid being labeled a box office disaster.
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