Jamie Lee Curtis has been awesome, and released Borderlands character teases for the upcoming Lionsgate film, which means we can all geek out together! As someone who has played all the games more than once, I have a lot of feelings. So, let’s get into it.
First up is Cate Blanchett as Lilith, the Siren herself.
What I love about this is that even though it’s a silhouette you can tell the level of detail that has gone into the character and getting her right. The hair flip, the collar, the coat, the pistol on her leg, and even the boots are all spectacularly Lilith. I knew who she was without any commentary needed, and I love that for her and me. My only hope is that they manage to make Lilith as darkly sarcastic and deadpan as they do in the game. With Cate Blanchett at the helm of her, I have high hopes.
Next up: Tannis – the unhinged, brilliant doctor herself – played by Jamie Lee Curtis.
When you watch your entire scientific team get eaten and hide under their dead bodies for days to avoid also getting eaten by skags, you’re bound to have some trauma. For Tannis, I’m pretty sure she was like that before the attack… Nonetheless, I still love her demented, acerbic, unfriendly mind a lot. And if I don’t get at least one rant or V.O. of her slowly losing her mind, I will riot. But quietly. I don’t want Tannis to hear me.
What I love about the casting of Jamie Lee Curtis is that I know she’ll manage to make Dr. Tannis human and complex without feeling like a caricature, even as she says and does the most unhinged things possible. I know without having to see Borderlands that she’s going to be one of my favorite things about it.
Next up is Tiny Tina, played by Ariana Greenblatt! (Who I also adored in Love and Monsters.)
The demolitions expert is tiny, murderous, and will definitely stab you in the back if she gets even half the chance. I love, love, love that they’re putting her into this movie and my hope is that they don’t water her down too much. I know that having a kid saying truly terrible things and eager to blow up her enemies might be controversial, but that’s part of the fun of the game, and I hope the movie. I want a Tiny Tina that makes you sad and ache for her in one minute and then asks if she can blow up someone’s butt in the next.
Tiny Tina’s greatest asset is how deeply unpredictable she is, and I love that the picture here captures her youthfulness, her sweetness, and the reality that she will definitely shoot you in the head if you even think about getting between her and her explosive, bunny-filled tea party.
Roland, played by Kevin Hart is up next!
Roland is a solider class character in Borderlands, and his picture is like Lilith’s, in that the tiny details we can see are really cool. The hat, the gun, the gear on his body are all easily identifiable as him. The level of attention to detail has me hopeful the character will be done right and with genuine care.
I’ll admit that Kevin Hart wasn’t my first choice for Roland. I still have reservations, mainly because Roland is quieter, less energetic, and less funny than Hart usually is, but I’m willing to be proven wrong and hope I see some chemistry between him and Cate Blanchett to make the Roland/Lilith OTP real.
Next up is Kreig, played by Florian Munteanu.
A psycho with a purpose, Kreig looks absolutely perfect. He’s never been a character I paid too much attention to in the games, but this picture might just change my mind. I absolutely love the design and the fact that he seems as massive as the character should be. I’m looking forward to how he fits in with the rest of the group and am pretty excited for his relationship with Tiny Tina to be expanded on. Give me all the BFFs who look like they shouldn’t be BFFs! Have him be as dumb as a bag of rocks but love her with all of his dumb self!
Claptrap! They gave us Claptrap! I get a Claptrap preview! (Voice by Jack Black)
As you can probably tell, I’m so excited that I got a picture of Claptrap in with these! I know that some Borderlands‘ fans hate everything about him, but he’s long been one of my favorites. I have a soft spot for idiots, what can I say? I love the dumb little robot and will always show up to his parties.
My hope for him in the movie is that he’s as carefree, idiotic, and as dance-loving as he was in the games. Seeing him included here definitely made me smile, made me feel like they understand the assignment, and I truly can’t wait for him to annoy all the haters when the movie comes out!
All in all, I’m pretty excited for the level of detail and love that seems to have gone into getting the character design on the Borderlands movie right. I’m a bit bummed I didn’t get any of my faves Mordecai and Bloodwing, but these pictures have definitely made me more excited for the movie.
What about you? Who was your favorite? Who are you most excited to see?
