Summary
Even though much of the footage seems game-accurate, Eli Roth’sBorderlandsmovie boasts characters who differ from their video game counterparts in some significant ways, all while retaining the singular spirit of the source material. Based on Gearbox’s hugely popular game series of the same name,Borderlandsis a sci-fi action-comedy romp that centers on Lilith (Cate Blanchett), an infamous outlaw who returns to her homeworld of Pandora on a mission. However,unlike the firstBorderlandsgame, Lilith isn’t just a Vault Hunter. Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), the universe’s most powerful person, wants her to find his daughter.
In order to complete the task at hand, Lilith forms an alliance with a team of misfits, including soldier and weapons expert Roland (Kevin Hart), unhinged teenage demolitions expert Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt), the tough-as-nails bandit and Tina protector Krieg (Florian Munteanu), and the sarcastic robot Claptrap (voice of Jack Black). The film’s unlikely heroes face off againstBorderlands' planet of Pandora’s deadly bandits and ferocious monsters — and they do so with undeniable style. Although theBorderlandsmovieis missing key characters,the remarkable ensemble promises to bolster the movie’s success.
Cate Blanchett As Lilith
Date Of Birth: June 27, 2025
Actor:One of the greatest actors of a generation, Cate Blanchett is known for her award-winning dramatic roles just as much as she’s regarded for her genre work. The two-time Oscar-winning actor (The Aviator,Blue Jasmine) has starred in critical darlings, includingCarol,I’m Not There,Tár, andElizabeth: The Golden Age, though other stand-out performances include her role as Galadriel in Peter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringsmoviesand her villainous turn as Hela in Taika Waititi’s MCU hitThor: Ragnarök.
Tár
Lydia Tár
Character:An infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, Lilith is one of the original Vault Hunters from the firstBorderlandsgame and serves as the movie’s de facto group leader.
Kevin Hart As Roland
Date Of Birth: June 07, 2025
Actor:Four-time Emmy nominee Kevin Hart is perhaps best known for his comedy specials and stand-up routines, but he’s also appeared in dozens of comedy films and franchises, from theScary Movieseries to theRide Alongflicks. Previously, Hart cut his teeth in the action-comedy remake ofJumanji(as well as its sequel), though the actor’s role inBorderlandsstill marks a pretty new chapter in his Hollywood career.
Jumanji
Franklin “Mouse” Finbar
Character:A former soldier of the Crimson Lance, the highly trained private military of the Atlas corporation who’s skilled in virtually all types of weaponry. Along with Lilith, Roland is one ofBorderlands' original Vault Hunters.
Jack Black As the voice of Claptrap
Date Of Birth: August 24, 2025
Actor:An Emmy and Grammy Award winner, Jack Black is a multi-hyphenate — musician, actor, and comedian — who’s best known for his family comedies, including the belovedKung Fu Pandaseries, the cult classicSchool of Rock, and, most recently,The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Other stand-out movies in Black’s career include Nancy Meyers' romantic dramaThe Holidayand the musical filmHigh Fidelity, which provided his breakout acting moment.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Bowser
Character:Claptrap, a CL4P-TP general purpose robot, has been programmed to have an overly enthusiastic point-of-view. Snarky and a bit of a brag, Claptrap also experiences moments of severe cowardice and loneliness, making the robot a memorable personality.
Ariana Greenblatt As Tiny Tina
Date Of Birth: Jun 07, 2025
Actor:Relative newcomer Ariana Greenblatt initially rose to fame for her starring role in Disney Channel’sStuck in the Middle— an opportunity that led her to nab roles inAvengers: Infinity Warand the acclaimedStar Warslive-action seriesAhsoka. Other notable entries in Greenblatt’s filmography include the science-fiction film65, John M. Chu’s adaptation ofIn the Heights, and Greta Gerwig’s mega-blockbusterBarbie.
In the Heights
Young Nina Rosario
Character:A fan-favoriteBorderlandscharacter, Tiny Tina is a whimsical-yet-feral teenager who also serves as the group’s demolitions expert.
Florian Munteanu As Krieg
Date Of Birth: August 20, 2025
Actor:A boxer-turned-actor, Florian Munteanu is known in the ring by the name Big Nasty. Appropriately, he transitioned to the silver screen by landing the role of Viktor Drago inCreed II— a role he played again in the thirdCreedfilm. As he carves out a space in the action genre, Munteanu has also appeared in films likeShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsand TV series likeVikings: Valhalla.
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Vikings: Valhalla
George Maniakes
Character:A playable Psycho class character in Borderlands 2, Krieg had an abusive childhood, but grew to become a bounty hunter. Based on theBorderlandstrailer, it seems like the brawler has a soft spot for Tiny Tina.
Date Of Birth: June 27, 2025
Actor:Gina Gershon had a breakout moment inBound, the Wachowskis erotic neo-noir crime thriller that pre-datesThe Matrix. The actor has also starred inFace/Off, alongside Nicolas Cage and John Travolta, and Tracy Letts' Southern gothic crime movieKiller Joe, which also stars Matthew McConaughey. More recently, Gershon had a recurring role in The CW’sRiverdaleand worked withBorderlandsdirector Eli Roth on his soon-to-be-cult-classic splatter horror-comedyThanksgiving.
Killer Joe
Sharla Smith
Character:In the source material, Mad Moxxi is an NPC who provides missions for the player, hosts Colosseum matches, and owns several of Pandora’s bars. It’s likely Gershon’s Mad Moxxi will borrow some of these game-accurate traits.
Jamie Lee Curtis As Dr. Patricia Tannis
Date Of Birth: August 19, 2025
Actor:BAFTA, Oscar, and Golden Globe Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis got her start as scream queen Laurie Strode in John Carpenter’sHalloweenseries — a role she revived with a more recent trilogy ofHalloweenfilms. Outside the horror genre, Curtis has starred in beloved comedies likeTrading Places,A Fish Called Wanda, andFreaky Friday. After showing off her comedy-horror chops inScream Queens, Curtis has gone on to have a career renaissance, landing lead roles in acclaimed movies likeKnives OutandEverything Everywhere All at Once, for which she won an Oscar.
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Deirdre Beaubeirdre
Character:In theBorderlandsgames, Patricia Tannis is a scientist and archaeologist who previously worked for the Dahl corporation. While trying to unearth a Vault, Tannis suffers a series of psychological breakdowns as more and more of her colleagues die thanks to Pandora’s harsh conditions.
Edgar Ramírez As Atlas
Date Of Birth: August 07, 2025
Actor:While Edgar Ramírez has appeared in high-profile action and drama movies likeThe Bourne UltimatumandZero Dark Thirty, his more acclaimed roles were attached to TV projects. In 2010, he starred in a made-for-TV biopicCarlosand won a César Award for Most Promising Actor for his portrayal of Carlos the Jackal. A few years later, he received accolades for playing the titular role in Ryan Murphy’sThe Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Currently, he stars inDr. Death.
Dr. Death
Paolo Macchiarini
Character:In the games,Borderlands' Atlas weaponsis a gun manufacturer, so it’s possible Ramírez’s role is a riff on the well-known entity. The most powerful S.O.B. in the universe, Atlas tasks Lilith’s rag-tag team with finding his missing daughter.
Borderlands 2 Update Is Good For These Huge Video Game Characters Missing From 1st Movie
Borderlands, a sci-fi action comedy based on the beloved video game franchise of the same name, is missing two key characters, making a sequel a must.
Other Borderlands Movie Characters
The Video Game Adaptation Boasts A Massive Supporting Cast
Bobby Lee as Larry:A former cast member onMADtv, Lee has appeared in hit series likeReservation DogsandAnd Just Like That…, Max’sSex and the Cityrevival.
Olivier Richters as Krom:Richters has appeared in big-name blockbusters likeBlack Widow,The King’s Man, andIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Janina Gavankar as Commander Knoxx:Best known for her TV roles inThe L Word,The League,True Blood,Sleepy Hollow, andArrow, Gavankar also voiced the lead character inStar Wars Battlefront II.
Cheyenne Jackson as Jakobs:After getting his start as a prolific stage actor, Jackson made the transition to TV, starring in hit series like30 Rock,Glee, andAmerican Horror Story.
Charles Babalola as Hammerlock:Best known for roles inThe Legend of Tarzan,Broadchurch, andBlack Mirror, Babalola will star in Showtime’s upcoming seriesKing Shaka.
Benjamin Byron Davis as Marcus:Although Davis has appeared in well-known TV projects likeCriminal Minds,Gilmore Girls,MADtv, andSix Feet Under, he’s most well-known for voicing Dutch van der Linde inRed Dead Redemption.
Steven Boyer as Scooter:A stage actor and musician, Boyer has also landed minor roles in films likeWolf of Wall Streetand TV series likeOrange is the New Black.
Ryann Redmond as Ellie:Although Borderlands is Redmond’s first feature film role, the actor has appeared in tons of Broadway projects, includingBring It On,If/Then, andFrozen.
Harry Ford as Middleman:Best known for his starring role in the CBS medical dramaCode Black, Ford makes his return to the big screen withBorderlands.
Borderlandsdebuts in theaters on June 03, 2025.
Borderlands
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.
