Hello. So as many of you have seen, I've done a variety of fan casts. I thought after the success of my God of War fan cast, I've decided to do another video game fan cast. This time, I am going to do (or attempt to do) a fan cast of the popular gearbox series Borderlands.
The Challenge: As I thought this out, I realized we might not get a Borderlands film because of the game's style. The player completes various missions to level up and complete the story. The challenge of making this film would be going from that mission-by-mission basis and making a linear plot.
Another challenge of translating the film was the character. The game has you chose one of four characters (or play split-screen co-op or online multiplayer). If I were in charge of making this movie, I would write it so that all four of the playable characters go on this quest together, and throughout the quest have them bond and work together. Their alliance would start off rough but they would slowly learn to trust each other.
Directed by: Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2)
Why Raimi? Well Raimi is known for directing these gritty suspenseful films. It was between him and Tarantino when I was thinking of directors. Why not Trantino? Because while they both do gritty suspense thriller action films, Tarantino's tend to be more realistic. He doesn't do sci-fi or fantasy. Raimi reaches into the supernatural genres. That is why I find him better suited for this violent action sci-fi epic.
Premise: "So... You want to hear a story, eh? One about treasure hunters? Haha, have I got a story for you! Pandora... This is our home. But make no mistake - this is not a planet of peace and love. They say it's a wasteland, that it's dangerous, that only a fool would search for something of value here. Then perhaps I am a fool. But do not be fooled by what Pandora appears to be. There was a legend... Many people tell it. The legend of the Vault. My father would always go on about the Vault; even with his dying breath. Advanced alien technology. Infinite wealth. Fame. Power. Women. So you can understand why some little kiddos who hear the stories grow up to become Vault hunters. Well, I have a story you may not believe. But I tell you it is true. The legend of the Vault is real! And it is here on Pandora. And a... let's call her a 'guardian angel,' appeared to guide the Vault hunters to their prize. The tale begins right here on Pandora, with the brave Vault hunters, the guardian angel and most importantly, me..."
-Marcus Kincaid
In
Borderlands, legends tell of a mysterious vault on the planet of Pandora. Legends say the vault carries untold riches, alien technology, and great unspeakable power. For centuries, treasure hunters have sought the vault only to fall victims to the perils of the planet.
Four treasure hunters: Mordecai, Roland, Lilith, and Brick all arrive on Pandora with the intention of seeking the vault. Guided by a mysterious entity known only as "The Guardian Angel," the four hunters set out against a planet full of dangers to find this legendary treasure.
The Cast:
The Vault Hunters: The four treasure hunters who travel to Pandora to seek the vault. Each coming from different backgrounds, the four hunters are forced into partnership under the guidance of the Guardian Angel.
Roland AKA the Soldier: Michael Jai White (
Black Dynamite)
Roland: Roland is a former Crimson Lance, the private military of the Atlas Corporation. He traveled to Pandora with his rifle to seek the Vault. Among the vault hunters, Roland serves as the leader.
Michael Jai White: Michael Jai White is notable for playing a strong guy. He has this really commanding presence and physicality that is great for Roland, a former soldier.
Mordecai AKA the Hunter: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (
Looper)
Mordecai: Mordercai is a skilled marksman. When he was 17, he won a sharpshooting competition with a pistol when everyone else used a sniper rifle. Originally seeking the Vault with only his sniper and his hawk, Bloodwing, the Guardian Angel convinced Mordecai to join the other four hunters. For the film, I want Mordecai to be the loner, and the most reluctant to join.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt: At first, I didn't think much of JGL. His performances in his beginnings were in sitcoms and romantic comedies. Then, he went on to star in high profile action films like
The Dark Knight Rises and
Looper.
Looper showed us he can play that sort of dark brooding role.
Lilith AKA the Siren: Emma Stone (
Gangster Squad)
Lilith: Lilith is a siren, one of a group of women who have mysterious mystical backgrounds and possess incredible powers. There are only ever six sirens in existence at one time. Lilith has the ability to Phasewalk; shifting into another dimension, making herself invisible. Lilith showed up with to Pandora with an SMG and her feminine wiles. when she joined with the rest of the vault hunters. For the film, I want to establish an attraction between her and Mordecai. But I don't want to do a love story, I don't want to change too much.
Emma Stone: In my head, this seemed like a fairly obvious choice. Lilith is supposed to be very seductive, and Stone is very hot. She does a lot of action movies, but she never has an action role... not since
Zombieland anyway. I think it would be great to see Stone kicking ass on screen, and looking good while she does it.
Brick AKA...Brick: Kevin Durand (
Robin Hood)
Brick: Brick is a brawler who prefer to experience action up close rather than from a distance, which is why we came to Pandora with a pistol, a shotgun and explosives. He prefers to use his fists, modifying his gloves with metal bolts. For the film, I picture Brick to be the most brutal of the treasure hunters.
Kevin Durand: At first, I didn't think much of Durand. I first saw him
X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The film sucked. So I just scoffed him off. Then I started seeing him in other things, and I realized he was pretty decent. For Brick, I was originally going to go with Joe Manganiello, but I use him every time for the brute character. So I decided to use Durand.
Allies: The allies the Vault Hunters meet in their journey on Pandora.
Marcus Kincaid: Tim Curry (
Congo)
Marcus Kincaid: Marcus is a weapons vendor who owns several shops and vending machines (for weapons) on Pandora. He drove the bus that carried the vault hunters to the first step on their journey, the town of Fyrestone. He also provides the game's (and the movies) opening narration. The hunters once again meet Marcus in New Haven.
Tim Curry: Part of this choice was physical and part of it was based on acting ability. Kincaid has this very distinct voice as does Curry. Curry also looks like Marcus. Curry also has this sort of humor that is perfect for Marcus.
The voice of the CL4P-TP robots AKA "Claptraps": Jay Baruchel (
The Sorcerer's Apprentice)
CL4P-TP: Commonly called "Claptraps," CL4P-TP General Purpose Robots are manufactured by the Hyperion corporation, manufactured for labor. Claptraps are known for their smart-aleck personalities and eccentric behavior.
Jay Baruchel: Jay is known for his unique voice and comedic roles. Because of his quirkiness, I chose Baruchel to voice the Claptraps on Pandora who are also uniquely quirky.
Dr. Zed: Harrison Ford (
Air Force One)
Dr. Zed: Zed is a former doctor who lost his license for unknown reasons. He has vendors all over Pandora that sell medical supplies. The treasure hunters first meet Zed in his office in Fyrestone, and later when relocated to New Haven. He is always seen chopping up a corpse.
Harrison Ford: We all know the dude is a kick-ass actor. So based on acting talent, this choice is fairly obvious. But I chose Ford because he had this really gruff voice.
The Guardian Angel: Grace Phipps (
The Vampire Diaries)
The Guardian Angel: A mysterious entity that appears to only to the treasure hunters. She appears in the form of a blurred image of a woman (or a girl) with blue eyes and black hair. She offers guidance to then dangers of Pandora to the treasure hunters as they seek the Vault.
Grace Phipps: A lot of this is purely physical. Grace's shockingly blue eyes remind me of the eyes the angel has. When I saw Phipps on the new season of
The Vampire Diaries, I noticed her acting needed work, but there was room for improvement. I also chose Phipps for her age. The events of
Borderlands 2, it is revealed the Angel is younger than in the images she appears in to the hunters.
Scooter: Chip Esten (
Nashville)
Scooter: Scooter is an old friend of TK Baha and a mechanic. In exchange for help from the Vault hunters, he gives them Outrunner to travel through Pandora.
Chip Esten: Probably most notable as a performer on the improve series
Whose Line is it Anyway, I was surprised to learn Esten was Deacon Claybourne on the ABC Drama
Nashville. I chose Esten for his comedic work as well as the southern accent.
TK Baha: Bruce Campbell (
Burn Notice)
TK Baha: The Vault hunters meet TK Baha in Fyrestone. He offers them work. Baha lost his wife, his leg, and his eyesight fighting a skag called Scar.
Bruce Campbell: In Raimi's Spider-Man films, Bruce Campbell made a cameo. He was also the star of Raimi's
Evil Dead series. So, as I made this a Raimi film, I figured Cambpell needed a cameo.
Helena Pierce: Emily Blunt (
The Devil Wears Prada)
Helena Pierce: Helena is the administrator of the town of New Haven. Her face was scarred and she lost an arm when she was mauled by skags. She leads the Vault hunters to Patricia Tannis.
Emily Blunt: Blunt is known for playing strong female roles. So the empowered Helena seemed right for her.
Dr. Patricia Tannis: Anne Hathaway (
Les Miserables)
Dr. Patricia Tannis: Employed by the Dahl Corporation, Patricia is a scientist, researcher and archaeologist who came to Pandora to search for the Vault. Over time, the harshness of the terrain of Pandora, and the deaths of her colleagues caused her to slowly lose her sanity. When the Vault hunters find her, she has gone completely insane and is obsessed with finding the Vault.
Anne Hathaway: While not a type of role, you'd usually associate with Anne Hathaway, I'd started to open up what I consider her for after seeing her Oscar nominated performance as a drug addict in
Rachel Getting Married and her Oscar winning performance in
Les Miserables. Anne is still showing amazing potential, and I think she'd blow us all away playing an insane chick.
"This world is full of dangers. Steel yourself and go. I'll be watching."
-The Guardian Angel
Commandant Steele: Kate Beckinsale (
Underworld)
Commandant Steele: Commandant Steele is the leader of the Atlas Corporation's private military, the Crimson Lance. Like Lilith, she is a Siren (again one of six to exist at a time). She is the main antagonist of the Vault hunters, and opposes them trying to get the Vault key fragments to get to the Vault herself.
Kate Beckinsale: Kate plays these very powerful roles. Princess Anna in
Van Helsing. Selene in the
Underworld franchise. She has shown us kicking ass can be hot. I was really drawn to the idea of her as a villain (and NO, I did not see that crap remake of
Total Recall).
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Reviews and thumbs up are greatly appreciated.
-MCott62094