Another popular actor has joined the cast of the Borderlands movie. Lionsgate, the production studio behind the adaptation of the hit game, announced that Jack Black has come on board. Black will voice Claptrap, the humorously annoying robot that has become the unofficial mascot of the game series. Eli Roth, the director of the project, previously worked with Black on 2018’s The House With a Clock in Its Walls. He had the following to say alongside the casting announcement:
I am so excited to reunite with Jack, this time in the recording booth. Claptrap is the funniest character in the game, and Jack is perfect to bring him to the big screen.”
Nathan Kahane, president of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, also had nothing but praise for Black. In addition to calling Black’s casting a “no-brainer,” he also said:
We couldn’t have been more in sync with our filmmakers and casting executives as we approached this role. Everyone who’s ever played the game knows Jack is perfect for this part. We’re thrilled he will add his endless comic energy and voice to our film — he’ll bring so much to the movie.”
The Team Behind Borderlands
Jack Black is far from the only impressive name attached to Borderlands. Although Lionsgate has owned the rights to a film adaptation for years now, the project didn’t pick up steam until Roth came on last February. Following that, casting updates have released more and more frequently. In May, Cate Blanchett joined the project as Lilith, the fiery Siren class. Kevin Hart signed on last month as Roland, the Soldier class. And just a few days ago, Jamie Lee Curtis signed on to play Dr. Patricia Tannis, an important NPC. There’s still no word on Brick, the game’s Berserker class, or Mordecai, the Hunter class.
Craig Mazin, the creator of HBO’s Chernobyl miniseries, wrote the most recent draft of the screenplay. He’s also co-writing a TV adaptation of The Last of Us for HBO, which itself got some big casting updates recently.
Are you even more excited for the Borderlands movie with Jack Black signing on? Let us know in the comments below.