TheBorderlandsmovie was a massive disappointment for many, and this was in large part due to the fact that it ignored the franchise’s best video game villain despite his major connection to a movie main character. Thecast of characters in theBorderlandsmovie is full of many of the most iconic characters from the video game series, withLilith, Tiny Tiny, Roland, and more appearing in the film. However, what is possibly the most iconic member of theBorderlandsfranchise’s cast wasn’t in the movie at all, with this being the film’s biggest missed opportunity.
2024’sBorderlandsmovie was one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year for fans of the video game franchise, with many hoping that the crude humor and visual flairs of the source material could be successfully translated to the big screen. However,Borderlands’s poor box officeand critical reception proved that it was not the film that many were hoping it would be.Borderlandswas a flop for franchise newcomers as well as fans of the original video games, with many of the latter group being disappointed at the lack of one majorBorderlandsvillain.
Handsome Jack Should’ve Been The Villain Of The Borderlands Movie
He Is The Franchise’s Most Iconic Villain
While there was a lot wrong with 2024’sBorderlandsmovie, one of the biggest sins of theBorderlandsmovie was not including Handsome Jack. Of all of the characters in theBorderlandsfranchise, Handsome Jack is the most well-known one, with him stealing the spotlight in nearly every moment inBorderlands 2. Handsome Jack isn’t just the bestBorderlandsvillain, but he is also one of the most iconic video game villains of all time, meaning that many couldn’t wait to see him be adapted to live-action in a blockbusterBorderlandsfilm.
Borderlands’ Movie Disappointment Hurts Even More After This Major Franchise Announcement
With the Borderlands movie failing to impress critically, its disappointment seems even worse after the franchise’s latest new announcement.
Instead of using Handsome Jack, however,theBorderlandsmovie decided to make a character named Deukalian Atlasthe main antagonist of the film. Unlike many of the other characters in theBorderlandsmovie, Deukalian Atlas is an original character, with him having no counterpart in the video games. Atlas does share some similarities to Handsome Jack, which only hurts more, as it makes it even more clear how he pales in comparison to the franchise’s best villain. While Atlas wasn’t the worst that the film could have done, he was far from the best.
Handsome Jack Being Borderlands' Villain Could Have Helped Tiny Tina’s Story
The Two Have A Major Story Connection
Not only would Handsome Jack beingBorderlandsvillain have successfully recreated his beloved video game counterpart, but it would have also helped the story of a character who is in the film: Tiny Tina. In theBorderlandsvideo games,Tiny Tina and her parents were sold off to Handsome Jack, with them being tested on as part of Jack’s mutation experiments. This led to the deaths of Tiny Tina’s parents, giving her an anger at Jack that turned into revenge as her story continued. This is one of Tina’s main motivations throughout the game, with it being core to her character.
Not having Handsome Jack in theBorderlandsmovie meant that the film missed out on this fantastic motivation, weakening Tiny Tina’s character. While Tina does have a connection to the film’s villain, this Deukalian Atlas storyline is convoluted and not nearly as interesting as Tina’s dynamic with Handsome Jack. Improving Tiny Tina’s character would have significantly improved theBorderlandsfilm as a whole, and simply adding in Handsome Jack would have gone a long way in doing so.
Why The Borderlands Movie Didn’t Use Handsome Jack
It Was Probably Waiting For A Sequel
There has been no word on why theBorderlandsmovie didn’t use Handsome Jack,with this being a disappointing mystery that has surrounded the film since its release. However, the biggest theory has to do with his video game origins. Handsome Jack actually originated inBorderlands 2, with him not being the antagonist until the sequel. If the movies wanted to follow the video game’s story, it makes sense for them to have held off on using Jack until the second film, although this may never happen now.
There’s Only One Way Another Borderlands Movie Can Work After 2024’s 10% RT Film
The Borderlands movie was released to a very disappointing reception, but there is still one way another movie could work for the franchise.
Borderlandswas a huge box office flopand a critical failure, meaning that the likelihood of it getting a sequel is pretty low. Even if anotherBorderlandsmovie ends up getting made, it will most likely be a reboot, as most fans aren’t happy with these versions of the characters. Sadly, this means that Handsome Jack will probably never be seen in aBorderlandsmovie sequel, crushing the dreams of many who hoped to one day see the villain get adapted.
Borderlands
Cast
Based on the video game franchise, Borderlands is a sci-fi action-comedy film that follows Cate Blanchett as Lilith, a treasure hunter who returns to her home planet, Pandora, to find a tycoon’s missing daughter. Together with a group of unlikely allies, such as a soldier, a teenaged demolitions expert, a wise-cracking robot, and an eccentric scientist, the group will work together to save the girl - all while learning to deal with each other’s unyielding quirks.
