Borderlands’ Eli Roth Did Not Hold Back About The Box Office Response To His Movie: ‘That Was An Experience’

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The hit movie based on Minecraft has overshadowed predictions for success from Lionsgate and director Eli Roth’s upcoming film adaptation of Borderlands, which was expected to be a box office sensation. Despite boasting a big-name cast and promising potential, the production faced delays, complications due to the pandemic, and internal struggles that led to it underperforming significantly and receiving harsh criticism. Now, Eli Roth candidly discusses his experience with the project and what he learned from it.

On “The Town” podcast with host Matthew Belloni, Roth provided an insightful analysis of the tumultuous production process of “Borderlands”. He detailed how unforeseen challenges such as COVID-related disruptions, fragmented shooting schedules, and studio demands placed him in uncharted waters, even when it came to viewing the completed film. In his own words:

I’ve never had an encounter quite like that one. At the moment, I found myself pondering, ‘Have I reached a stage in my career where I’ll be seated to watch a movie that bears my name as both writer and director, unsure of what unfolds on the screen?’

The approach taken in this case proved quite unexpectedly complex. For Roth, working on Borderlands was unlike any challenge he’s encountered before in his career as a director, given that he typically maintains a clear control over his creative vision.

Borderlands’ Behind-the-Scenes Chaos

Eli Roth wasn’t part of the film’s additional shoots as he was working on his slasher movie “Thanksgiving” at that time. Despite this, he didn’t harbor any bitterness about the process, but it did underscore how much the production had strayed from its original course. He further stated:

In simpler terms, if the studio compensates you for your work, that’s all part of the agreement we have. However, if there are creative disputes or they need reshoots without your involvement, it’s expected that you handle the situation professionally. That means putting on a positive front and dealing with any challenges that come your way, even when things don’t go as planned.

In a departure from their typical gritty, genre-driven style, the production of Borderlands moved away from the intended raw edge due to reshoots aimed at achieving a PG-13 rating, despite an R-rated cut reportedly leaving audiences astounded. Additionally, COVID-19 complications did not make things easier as filming began in 2020 amidst lockdowns and stringent health regulations, with production continuing in 2021 under these challenging circumstances. Eli Roth, the creator of Hostel, was part of this project.

It wasn’t expected just how intricate the situation with COVID turned out to be… You need to capture additional footage or redo scenes, but everyone is working on separate sets. Planning and coordinating a production of that magnitude isn’t feasible via video conferencing.

It’s understandable. Frankly, I believe the complexity of COVID-19 exceeded our expectations, and that’s without considering the preparations for a film production.

Borderlands’ Poor Box Office Performance

In spite of boasting a star-studded cast consisting of Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black, the movie Borderlands fell short of attracting the expected audience numbers that Lionsgate anticipated. With an estimated production cost of approximately $115 million, the film garnered only $33 million at the worldwide box office, a dismal earnings for what was supposed to be the launch of a new franchise. Roth acknowledged the situation candidly, conceding:

I think we all thought we could pull it off… And we got our asses handed to us a bit.

Initially, when Borderlands was first released, it didn’t make a grand entrance as one might expect, but rather with a dull thud, particularly in contrast to other popular 2024 video game adaptations such as Five Nights at Freddy’s and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which enjoyed immense success.

The former star of Inglorious Basterds reflects a blend of humility and hard-earned wisdom from producing films post-pandemic. It wasn’t merely poor timing; it was a complex combination of scheduling complications, communication difficulties, and external pressures. Filmmaking can be fraught with challenges, particularly when a project as extensive as this one takes three years to complete.

Regardless of the box office setback, Roth continues to be a highly regarded figure in the realm of genre filmmaking, and his candidness about the situation is commendable. Moving forward, the director has another significant project in store – it’s the long-awaited sequel to Thanksgiving, which has officially been given the green light.

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2025-04-17 01:10