(Image Source: Lionsgate)
The film adaptation of the "Borderlands" video game series stumbled badly upon its release, not only drawing widespread critical panning but also failing at the box office. Despite costing over $100 million to produce, it ultimately grossed just over $30 million worldwide. Eli Roth, the film's director, recently appeared on "The Town" podcast, where he was inevitably asked about his thoughts on the film's performance.
Fans who followed the production of "Borderlands" might know that the film underwent multiple script rewrites with various screenwriters behind the scenes. Mid-production, Roth had to depart to direct his slasher film "Thanksgiving," leading "Deadpool" director Tim Miller to take over subsequent reshoots and additional photography. Roth recently admitted on the show that after seeing the final product, he, having not been involved throughout the entire production, didn't feel it was his film.
(Image Source: Men's Health)
"I asked myself, 'Has my career reached this point? I'm sitting here watching a movie I wrote and directed, and I have no idea what's happening,'" Roth quipped on the show. He then elaborated on the immense challenges faced during the 2021-2023 production period. "None of us anticipated how complicated the COVID-19 pandemic would become," he explained. "It wasn't just that what we were shooting was complex; you also had to do reshoots and pick-ups. You had six people on different sets, but every set was shut down because major cities had just opened up for travel and then immediately had another outbreak. We couldn't prep together in the same space. I couldn't work with stunt people. I couldn't do previs. Everyone was scattered everywhere. You simply cannot pre-produce a film of this scale via remote video."
Despite the film's poor final performance, Roth admitted he has now found peace, openly accepting the film's failure and "Borderlands'" fate.