Eli Roth shares how he approached staying true to the 'Borderlands' video game while also having the ability to get creative with the film. Plus, he shares a message to video game fans who are skeptical about the movie adaptation.
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00:00How did you approach staying true to the game while also still bringing your own creativity to this movie?
00:04Well, I wanted to stay true to the spirit of the game, which is fun and silliness and anarchy and no rules and total craziness.
00:11I wanted a beautiful visual aesthetic. I didn't want it to look like a kind of dark dystopian.
00:16I wanted fun and poppy, like when I saw The Fifth Element or even Barbarella or Escape from New York,
00:21every set was like, whoa, I've never really seen anything that looks like that.
00:24So that was fun because we could really stay true to the design and detail of the game
00:29and the weapons, but we could really, really change things, whether it was the casting or the story.
00:34I just wanted a big, fun popcorn movie. Everybody goes and has a great time.
00:38And what's your message to fans of the game who are a little skeptical of this adaptation?
00:42I think that the game is the game, and if you want that experience, you're going to play it.
00:46But I think have an open mind and let yourself be taken on a ride.
00:49You know, this is a movie, obviously the game is very R-rated. This is PG-13.
00:54This is a movie you can take your kids to. If you want people to get into the game,
00:57take them to see the movie. It's also a story you've never seen before with characters you love.
01:01So let yourself be taken on a ride and just have a great time.
01:04I'd say shut your brain off, grab your popcorn, and let the movie entertain you.
01:09And finally, how did you know that Cate Blanchett was the right person to play Lilith?
01:12I just knew. I wanted to see her.
01:15We've seen her in so many iconic, dramatic roles, but we had such a great time making House of the Clock and its walls together.
01:22And, you know, Cate is so funny.
01:25And you really see that Jack Black really brought out the humor in Cate, and Cate brings out the drama in Jack.
01:29And I wanted to see Cate as this pissed-off bounty hunter.
01:32You know, I thought of Clint Eastwood in A Man With No Name.
01:34I thought of Kurt Russell in Escape from New York.
01:36And I read the character, and I called Cate, and I said, I want to see you as Clint Eastwood or Kurt Russell.
01:40And she said, Escape from New York is my favorite movie. And I was like, alright, we're good.
01:43I wanted to see her twirling guns and shooting and using a flamethrower, and she's brilliant at it.