The upcoming Borderlands movie has found an actor to play Atlas. No, not Atlas the corporation. Atlas the person. Yes, Atlas is a person now. Edgar Ramirez is now attached to play the man touted as a businessperson and weapon maker, as well as the most powerful person in the universe.
"Atlas has to be a truly magnetic personality," director Eli Roth said when speaking of Ramirez's addition to the roster, "someone with charisma and charm but that air of menace underneath it all." While Atlas was a faceless corporation in the games, it seems the director wanted to distill all that menacing, oppressive energy into one individual, and with Ramirez in the role, maybe the movie will get a villain as memorable as Handsome Jack himself.
Ramirez will join the already eclectic cast of Roth's video game adaptation. The Venezuelan actor known for his portrayal of Gianni Versace in American Crime Story now sits comfortably with the likes of Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, and Jack Black as Claptrap, along with Florian Munteanu as Krieg and Ariana Greenblatt as the delightfully unhinged Tiny Tina. Haley Bennett is also attached in an unknown role.
Borderlands tells the story of a sort of extraterrestrial gold rush, and while the film will follow similar themes, its actual plot is a bit more focused. Focusing on Lilith, the film follows her as she returns to her home planet of Pandora to find Atlas' missing daughter. While she does end up forming a team like in the games, it's a bit different than the story as it was originally told. Roland, Tannis, and Claptrap are all part of the crew once again, but now Tiny Tina and Krieg are in on it, setting the film apart from the first Borderlands game. The mention of Atlas' daughter also might hint at Bennett's currently unconfirmed part.
Borderlands is one of the best selling game franchises for a reason, and it's not just because of the gameplay. Fans have grown to love the characters from every game in the series, so Roth and his colorful cast of misfits have a bit of a legacy to live up to. Considering the presence of fan favorites like Tiny Tina and Lilith, it's clear the minds behind the film have at least a passing familiarity with what makes the games so beloved. Principal photography has already begun, as confirmed by a behind-the-scenes post from Greenblatt on the Borderlands set, so hopefully they've got it figured out by now.
But only time will tell whether it lives up to the hype. On one hand, that can really depend on exactly what the fans expect of this new adaptation of their favorite games. But on the other hand, "trying to live up to the hype" alone should be enough to induct the Roth production into the honorary world of video game drama.
Source: Deadline