The Borderlands video game franchise has been a fan-favorite since the first game released 2009. Since then, there have been several sequels and spin-off games released, as well as tabletop games and a butt-load of merchandise made. The series rose to popularity thanks to its unique RPG elements, memorable characters and worldbuilding, riveting cooperative gameplay, and creative sense of humor. Because of the massive popularity and success, it’s no surprise that a Borderlands movie is on the way. Let’s take a look at its trailer to explore every Easter egg and detail it has to offer.

Dahl and Other Manufacturers

The trailer opens on a manhole cover being opened for the characters to go into the sewer. This manhole cover has the Dahl logo depicted on it. Throughout the rest of the trailer, there are also glimpses of other in-universe manufacturers like Hyperion and Atlas. These manufacturers play a major role throughout the games between the politics of the world and all the guns and shields they make. It appears that the world-building in the movie will match the games pretty well, which is quite exciting.

Main Cast of Characters

The main cast of characters chosen for the movie is certainly… a choice, and not a very good one. Lilith being the lead makes sense. Roland makes sense as well. However, if this is an adaptation of the first game, where are Brick and Mordecai? Why were they replaced by Krieg, a joke DLC character? Why is Tiny Tina here if she made her debut in the second game? Tina is at least one of the most popular characters, so that gets a pass for understandable marketing reasons. Tannis being there makes sense, but her traveling with and fighting alongside the Vault Hunters instead of being in her lab is certainly new.

It’s also worth discussing the actors playing these characters. Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina and Jack Black as Claptrap are both solid choices. Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis are both multiple decades older than the characters they’re playing, which is an odd choice for something that is probably meant to be the start of a movie franchise. At least they’re both incredibly talented and can likely pull off acting like their characters despite their ages being so off. Kevin Hart, who is known to be silly, hyper, and a bit of a loud mouth, playing the serious, quiet soldier that is Roland is especially questionable. It does feel like some of these casting choices were far too random. This cast alone may drive existing fans away from seeing the film and giving it a chance, unfortunately.

Potential Helios

There’s a brief shot of a satellite hovering over the planet of Pandora. While this could be any ordinary satellite or space station, it could be the movie’s version of Helios, Handsome Jack’s satellite from the games. It doesn’t look like it, but adaptations change things all the time, so who knows for sure? It’s likely not Helios, but a fan can dream.

Hunting for the Vault

In a voice over, Lilith mentions that there’s a legend regarding a hidden vault with massive treasure locked away inside of it. Obviously, this is the central plot of the games as well. The Vault is even used as the series logo. It’s nice to see that, despite the filmmakers clearly taking plenty of creative liberties with the material, this important detail is still present. The trailer even shows the Eridium, an ancient alien element, that lies within the Vault.

Skags, Rakks, and Threshers

Various alien monsters who serve as enemies in the video games are seen throughout the trailer and the visual effects for them all look great. There are Skags, which are lizard-dog things, Rakks which are flying enemies, and Threshers, which have tendrils and emerge from the ground. They’re common wildlife on Pandora, so it’s cool to see them make their way into the movie as well.

Bandits

You can’t have Borderlands without the bandits! Good thing there are plenty of them seen throughout the trailer. The bandits are the primary human enemy type throughout the video games, and they’re even used on the covers of the games, so they’re a vital part of the franchise. Between their guns, melee weapons, and sheer numbers, they’ll almost definitely provide some fun during the action sequences.

There is one bandit in particular who looks like Mouthpiece from Borderlands 3. If it’s not the same character, perhaps they are similar since the mask is identical to the one Mouthpiece wears. Fans would know Mouthpiece as a particularly fun bossfight.

Vehicles

The trailer also gives audiences a good look at the vehicles, which also match what’s seen in the games perfectly. The vehicles are an important part of the games since they’re how the player gets around the wide-open wastelands throughout Pandora. Looks like they got a lot right regarding the vehicles, even down to the weapons mounted on them. They’re diving into the games’ world-building so much that even the vehicles were constructed to match the source material.

Infinity Pistol and Other Weapons

It’s not just the vehicles that are accurate, but it’s the weapons as well. The filmmakers aren’t just throwing in generic guns, but they actually look like guns that would exist in the games. Heck, some of them do, like the Infinity Pistol that Lilith is wielding. Borderlands set the record for the most usable guns in a video game, and the games are sci-fi first-person-shooters, so focusing on creative designs for the weaponry is important. 

Mad Moxxi

In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot, we see the first look at Mad Moxxi. She’s even in her iconic bar. Mad Moxxi became a fan-favorite character when she made her debut in the DLC of the first Borderlands game, and she’s been a vital character to the series ever since. She’s a lot of fun and will likely add a lot of entertainment to whatever scenes she’s in. It does make one wonder if her kids, Scooter and Ellie, will make appearances. The team may need to catch a ride eventually.

Marcus

Marcus also makes an appearance. He’s a shopkeeper who sells guns and weapon upgrades throughout the series, as well as the narrator of the original game. It’s nice to see that such an important character in the games will also be showing his face in the movie as well. There are even glimpses of his vending machines and his van.

Crimson Lance

The Bandits aren’t the only human enemies that will be in the movie. It looks like the Crimson Lance is here as well. In the first Borderlands game, they serve as a pretty serious threat who works for the Atlas Corporation and are a major opponent in the race to find the Vault. They come especially well-equipped, so they’re going to add a lot of entertainment to action sequences. They could also just all be blown up by Tiny Tina; only time will tell.

Art Direction

The overall art direction of this movie is especially fantastic from what we’ve seen in the trailer. The sets, costumes, and visual effects all look top-notch. Bringing the bonkers elements of Borderlands into live action must not have been an easy feat, but they really built the world of Pandora from the ground up and it all visually looks incredible.

The Firehawk

The Firehawk symbol is seen among fireworks in the sky. The Firehawk was a title that Lilith took on in Borderlands 3 after being forced to use it as an alias to hide from Handsome Jack’s forces in Borderlands 2. Since her Firehawk symbol is here, she may need to use the title in the movie at some point.

In addition to her Firehawk symbol being used, she may truly show herself to be the Firehawk by showcasing her Siren powers. It’s not clear what exactly is happening, but there are some quick shots in the trailer that have her, along with some other characters, teleporting. Her Siren power is “Phasewalk,” in which she can travel at high speeds while invisible, so it could be what we’re seeing in the trailer.

Classic ‘Borderlands’ Humor

Something that’s a relief to see throughout the trailer is the classic over-the-top humor that Borderlands is known for. The games have Krieg shouting that he’s the “conductor of the poop train” as he slaughters foes, and Handsome Jack has a crystalized horse named Butt Stallion, so seeing Claptrap pooping metal or alien urine splashing our heroes feels on-brand. Fans of the source material definitely want the humor to feel present in the movie, and it looks like that’s exactly what they’ll be getting.

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