Eli Roth Cites COVID: How Pandemic Impacted Borderlands’ Box Office Performance

The Borderlands film, unfortunately, did not meet expectations, drawing criticism from both viewers and critics for various aspects ranging from casting to the script. The dissatisfaction extended to the film’s creators as well; screenwriter Craig Mazin was so displeased with the final version that he opted to have his name removed from the credits. Director Eli Roth recently shared his perspective on the various challenges that plagued the production, pinpointing the COVID-19 pandemic as a significant hindrance that contributed to the film’s unfavorable reception.

During a conversation on The Town podcast, Roth was prompted to discuss the Borderlands movie. He initially hesitated, expressing concern that discussing the details might cast someone in a negative light, often the director himself. Roth elaborated on his experience viewing the final cut, which had a disappointing global revenue of just $33 million. He described his uncertainty and trepidation about the outcome as he sat down to watch it for the first time.

“This is my first viewing of the movie as a director, not knowing what to expect,” Roth recounted. “It was a new kind of nervousness – wondering whether this is the moment in my career when I watch a film I directed, acknowledging my role in its creation, yet genuinely unsure of the outcome.”

Despite the challenges, Roth mentioned he would be open to collaborating with Lionsgate on future projects but would avoid doing so under similar circumstances. The filming conditions during the pandemic were far from ideal. “The complexities brought on by COVID were something none of us could have predicted,” Roth said. He described the logistical nightmares of coordinating reshoots and pickups when cast and crew were scattered across various locations, which were continuously shutting down due to new COVID outbreaks.

Roth highlighted the difficulties in production logistics, particularly the inability to gather with his team and actors in one space. “We couldn’t prepare in a traditional setting, I couldn’t meet with my stunt coordinators or manage pre-visualizations. We were isolated, attempting to plan a large-scale movie via Zoom, which was a miscalculation on our part,” he admitted.

While the future of the Borderlands film series looks uncertain, the video game series remains strong. The next installment, Borderlands 4, is set to release on September 23. For more details on this upcoming game, be sure to check out the latest updates on Borderlands 4.