Eli Roth’s Borderlands movie is on the horizon, and there’s plenty to be excited about with the adaptation of the hit Gearbox video game series.
The film will bring many of the game’s beloved characters to life with a stellar cast of notable Hollywood names. They’ll be teaming up to go on an epic adventure on the wild and often lawless planet of Pandora. But what will these actors bring to Pandora? ComingSoon looks at the key cast and where their previous work proves they can nail their roles.
Who is in the Borderlands cast?
Kevin Hart as Roland
If you only had Borderlands 2 to go on, then you’d look at Kevin Hart as an odd fit for the stoic, serious soldier in that game. However, heading back to the first Borderlands, Roland, one of the playable characters in the game, is a much more talkative sort, and his temperament clicks with Hart’s action comedy chops a bit more.
But what roles could inform Kevin Hart’s Roland? The one that immediately comes to mind is Franklin ”Mouse” Finbar in Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Roland is a more seasoned fighter, but Franklin holds the blueprint to balance Hart’s comedy and action skills for the character.
Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina
Everyone’s favorite unstable teen explosives expert is probably the de-facto star of the entire Borderlands franchise. Hell, Tiny Tina even got a whole Borderlands spinoff named after her (Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands).
Little Big shoes to fill. But Ariana Greenblatt is a pretty good choice. Think of this. She’s already appeared in a movie where she has learned to survive a world full of monsters. Plus, she proved she knows how to crack wise in that same movie (though likely not as foul-mouthed and odd as Tiny Tina’s jokes). 2020’s Love and Monsters almost feels like an audition for Borderlands, and Greenblatt’s role as Minnow has a bit of Tina about it.
Jack Black as Claptrap
Jack Black’s infectious intensity and ability to keep talking make him a natural fit for the motormouth robot Claptrap. His quip-heavy voice work has been a big part of the success of the Kung Fu Panda series, and we all remember how good he was as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Black is a master of the over-the-top character and isn’t afraid to play characters as largely unlikeable and annoying as Claptrap. Weirdly, his turn as Jeff Portnoy in Tropic Thunder is the best example of how Black as Claptrap can work.
Cate Blanchett as Lilith
While Cate Blanchett is older than the game version of the character of Lilith, she’s got plenty about her that can work for the attitude of the supernaturally-powered Lilith the Siren.
Blanchett has a decent history playing powerful beings in a fantasy epic thanks to her role as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, But in more recent years, the stone-cold badass that shows she would be a good fit for Lillith would be when Blanchett played the villain Hela in Thor: Ragnarok.
Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Patricia Tannis
Tannis is a constant in the Borderlands series, having appeared in all three mainline entries. But what makes the character and Jamie Lee Curtis a good match?
The sharp-tongued oddball scientist and archaeologist is the sort who holds an air of mystery. There are a number of Jamie Lee Curtis roles that could translate to that. From the ahem… dry disdain of Linda Drysdale in Knives Out to the grizzled toughness of Laurie Strode in Halloween 2018, Curtis could make Tannis’ increasingly interesting backstory sing if given the time.
Florian Munteanu as Krieg
The Psycho with a Conscience Krieg is one of the most popular characters in the Borderlands franchise. He’s barely in control of his deranged, violent side, but there’s just enough there to steer him away from the darkest of paths.
So, who can play a character so unstable and intimidatingly violent? Florian Munteanu arrived in the big time as deadly henchman Razor Fist in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. That would be a pretty good audition for Krieg, but he’s sweetened the pot a bit as Viktor Drago and Creed II and III. The German-Romanian former boxer looks tough and very much like someone you wouldn’t want to cross. But crucially has a more empathic side that can creep through. Perfect for Krieg!
