"A Film for Nobody": Eli Roth Explains "Borderlands" Failure
The Borderlands adaptation tried to please everyone, but ultimately failed to engage any audience.
Director Eli Roth spoke about the reasons for the failure of the Borderlands film adaptation, which, with a budget of $120 million, grossed about $33 million worldwide. In an interview with Variety, the director explained that as the budget grew, the studio's management became increasingly keen to avoid risky decisions. This approach contradicted Roth's usual style, known for his brutal horror films "Hostel" and "Cabin Fever":
"The bigger the project gets, the more risk-averse studios become. As a director, I'm always drawn to the unconventional, because that approach has brought me success in the past."
According to the director, the desire to maintain a PG-13 rating limited the level of violence that fans expected from the Borderlands adaptation. At the same time, the film tried to attract a family audience, although the franchise itself was originally aimed at an adult audience:
"Ultimately, it turned out to be a film for nobody. It's not a children's movie, but it tries to please everyone. It's made for gamers, but it lacks the brutality they wanted to see, because with such a budget, you can't go too far. The result was neither fish nor fowl."
Roth had previously spoken about the difficulties of production: due to the pandemic and related restrictions, he was unable to fully participate in the finalization of the film. Tim Miller helped complete the work on the film, as production deadlines shifted, and Roth moved on to the slasher "Thanksgiving."
After the failure of a major studio project, the director returned to independent production. He self-financed his new film "The Ice Cream Man," maintaining full creative control.
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