Lionsgate, the maker of blockbuster movies such as Divergent and The Hunger Games, has agreed to make a movie based on the Borderlands gun-filled sci-fi video game series.
The movie company will collaborate on the project with 2K, the video game label at Take-Two Interactive; and Gearbox Software, maker of Borderlands. Fans of the series can celebrate as the announcement comes just in time for the PAX Prime gaming culture event in Seattle.
The new movie is the latest to show that Lionsgate is putting a big emphasis on games since the arrival of its head of gaming, Peter Levin. The studio also recently announced a deal with Starbreeze Studios (Payday, the critically acclaimed Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons) and others to make a virtual reality game based on Keanu Reeves’ John Wick action flick. No details are available yet on the Borderlands movie.
The project is the latest to exploit the Borderlands intellectual property. Telltale Games recently launched a narrative-based game, Tales From the Borderlands. Before that happened, Lionsgate invested in Telltale.
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Producers Avi and Ari Arad, who made films such as Iron Man, Ghost Rider, Blade, and The Amazing Spider-Man (Ari Arad is a former Marvel CEO), will adapt the games into a film.
“We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with Jon Feltheimer, Michael Burns, Rob, Patrick and the amazing team at Lionsgate and join forces with Take-Two and Gearbox on this incredible property,” said Avi and Ari Arad, in a statement. “Borderlands has a unique story-driven narrative energy and rich multidimensional characters that position it to become a singular motion picture event.”
The Borderlands franchise has been lauded by critics and over the years — in no small part for its sense of humor — and has built a passionate global fan base, shipping more than 26 million copies around the world since its launch in 2009, including 8 million copies shipped during Take Two’s fiscal year 2015 alone.
“Creating, developing and continuing to build the Borderlands franchise at Gearbox Software has been an incredible ride where the most powerful fuel to our engine has been the astonishing outpouring of love and devotion from the fans,” said Randy Pitchford, the president and cofounder of Gearbox Software, in a statement. “It is the passion of the fans driving the growing success of Borderlands that brought what I believe to be the best team of film producers, marketing and distribution experts in the world together to deliver the exciting story and unique characters of Borderlands to the big screen.”
The deal was handled by a Lionsgate team led by Levin, president of interactive ventures and games, as well as Summit Entertainment president of production Geoff Shaevitz and Lionsgate motion picture group president of business and legal affairs Patricia Laucella.
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