The world of video game adaptations has always been a risky one, but the Borderlands movie has taken that risk to a new level of disaster. Released with much anticipation, the film has quickly become one of the biggest flops of 2024, leaving fans and critics alike in shock. With a $120 million budget and a disastrous box office return, the film’s failure is a hard pill to swallow for everyone involved.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
The movie debuted on August 9th and has been nothing short of a catastrophe at the box office. In its opening weekend, Borderlands managed to scrape together a mere $8.6 million, a pathetically low number for a blockbuster film. But the worst was yet to come. By its second weekend, the movie saw a 72% drop, pulling in just under $2.5 million domestically. The total worldwide box office sits at a dismal $21 million, a figure that doesn’t even begin to cover the production costs, let alone marketing and advertising expenses.
In perspective, with a $21 million box office haul, the studio will only see around $10 million after theater cuts. This is against a $120 million budget, not including what was likely a significant marketing campaign. Even with a conservative estimate, this film looks at a $150 million loss. That is a catastrophic financial failure by any measure.
Critical and Audience Reactions
Critics and audiences alike have shown little mercy in their reviews of Borderlands. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film is currently sitting at a dismal 10% critic score, with an all-audience score of 37%. This overwhelming negative reception from both sides of the spectrum has only further cemented the movie’s place as one of the biggest disasters of the year.
It’s one thing for a movie to be panned by critics but still find an audience; it’s another for it to fail so miserably on both fronts. Borderlands seems to have insulted not just gamers, but movie lovers and anyone who dared to give it a shot.
Streaming Release: Waving the White Flag
In an almost unprecedented move, Borderlands will be released on digital platforms just 21 days after its theatrical debut. This decision to pull the movie from theaters and rush it to streaming is a clear sign that the studio is cutting its losses. August 30th marks the digital release, a date that comes with a clear message: We surrender.
The decision to go digital so quickly highlights the severity of the situation. It’s an acknowledgment that the movie’s theatrical run is over before it even began. When a film is performing this poorly, theaters are quick to remove it from their screens to make room for more profitable ventures. Borderlands is essentially being swept under the rug, with its theatrical release being a blip on the radar.
A New Borderlands Game: The Timing Couldn’t Be Worse
As if the timing couldn’t be more unfortunate, Gearbox Software announced a new Borderlands game just hours after the movie’s disastrous run became apparent. Borderlands 4, slated for a 2025 release, was teased with an official trailer. It seems the studio was banking on the movie generating buzz for the franchise, but now it looks like they’ll need to work hard to distance the game from the film’s failure.
The franchise’s last installment, Borderlands 3, received mixed reviews from fans, with many criticizing the direction the game took. This, combined with the failure of the movie, could have a lingering impact on the anticipation for Borderlands 4. Whether the game can overcome the bad press surrounding the film remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Gearbox has its work cut out for them.
Conclusion: A Disaster from Start to Finish
The Borderlands movie disaster is a textbook case of how things can go wrong in Hollywood. From its poor reception by critics and audiences alike to its disastrous box office performance and rapid transition to streaming, this film will go down as one of the biggest flops of 2024. The failure has not only impacted the movie but could also have long-term effects on the Borderlands franchise as a whole.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: this is a disaster that will be hard to forget. Whether or not the Borderlands franchise can recover remains to be seen, but for now, the movie has taken the crown as the worst of the year.
What do you think about the Borderlands movie flop? Will it affect your interest in the upcoming Borderlands 4 game? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Will the Borderlands movie’s failure affect the upcoming game release?
While the movie’s failure has certainly cast a shadow over the franchise, Borderlands 4 is still highly anticipated. The impact on the game will largely depend on how well Gearbox can distance it from the film and focus on what made the series popular in the first place.
