It’s A Relief James Gunn Didn’t Direct Borderlands

When the first Borderlands trailer dropped, most people (including me) had the same reaction: “That looks just like a James Gunn movie.” But of course Gunn didn’t direct Borderlands – and, honestly, that’s a relief.

Related: Borderlands Is a Terrible Movie, But There’s Still Hope for BioShock

This isn’t me throwing shade at Gunn. He’s a great filmmaker whose creative sensibilities and interests seemingly align with those of Gearbox Software’s Borderlands video games. But therein lies the problem: Gunn and Borderlands line up a little too well. Indeed, this synergy would’ve worked against the big screen Borderlands. Would it have been worse than the flop we got? Probably not. However, it probably wouldn’t have been much better, either.

We should all be very happy James Gunn didn’t direct Borderlands.

James Gunn Is a Great Fit for the Borderlands Franchise

Of course, on paper, James Gunn is an ideal candidate to helm a Borderlands adaptation. The franchise’s Pandora setting is a slyly funny sci-fi world filled with quirky characters and splashes of vibrant color. Its approach to action is bombastic, hyper-stylized, and (in the games, at least) gory. And it has scope for needle drops, even if they’re not a signature of the series. All of these superficial qualities are firmly within Gunn’s wheelhouse as a filmmaker.

Related: Did Last of Us’ Craig Mazin Co-Write the Borderlands Movie?

The same is true of Borderlands‘ deeper essence. Outcasts and oddballs are central to its mythos; Gunn is obsessed with both. He made loveable weirdos the focus of Super, the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, and The Suicide Squad. Later entries in the Borderlands franchise – not to mention the film itself – likewise lean into the same “found family” trope that Gunn has gotten plenty of mileage out of throughout his career. Y’know, the whole “all we freaks have is each other” deal he explored in the likes of the Guardians flicks and The Suicide Squad.

So, yeah: Gunn is a great fit for the material, if his CV is anything to go by.

Borderlands Is Similar to Guardians of the Galaxy, But Not the Same

Yet that’s the thing: Gunn’s done it all before, and done it well. What’s the benefit to him as a filmmaker in re-treading old ground? If he must circle back to familiar fare, he’s better off where he is now, steering DC Studios’ revamped superhero universe. At least that gig – with its mix of genres and determinedly non-MCU tone – offers the possibility (if not the guarantee) Gunn will flex new creative muscles. By contrast, directing Borderlands would be largely an auto-pilot exercise.

Just as importantly, Borderlands and its fans deserve better than Gunn playing the hits. Yes, Borderlands has a lot in common with Gunn’s passions and past work, however, the franchise is also its own unique property. Borderlands is harder edged and frankly, quite a bit meaner than Guardians of the Galaxy (even that trilogy’s darker third entry). If Lionsgate hired Gunn to just do a reskinned Guardians outing – and inexplicably, he agreed – these differences would be lost. Borderlands‘ spirit would be lost. Heck, that’s what happened with the Guardians-lite adaptation that made it into cinemas, and director Eli Roth (supposedly) wasn’t even trying to emulate Gunn!

Admittedly, Gunn could’ve conceivably injected the necessary nastiness into Borderlands. His non-MCU work shows he’s more than capable of gnarlier, more cynical content. This is the same guy who gave us Slither and wrote the Dawn of the Dead remake, after all. But even if Gunn did bring this side of himself to Borderlands, Lionsgate’s almost certainly would’ve asked him to dial it back. They did this to Roth, who reportedly got slapped with a PG rating mandate during post-production. Under these circumstances, a satisfying Borderlands film was never on the cards, regardless of who was behind the camera.

Related: What Song Plays in the Borderlands Movie Trailer?

Nobody (Including James Gunn) Deserves to Be Dragged Down by Borderlands

And that’s the real truth of the matter: whether it’s Gunn, Roth, or another director entirely, ultimately, Borderlands was always destined to bomb. How could it not, when the people paying the bills apparently wanted an adaptation that took its cues from other, more box office-friendly IP, rather than Gearbox’s crusty shooters? As is so often the case, such thinking didn’t pay off as planned; Borderlands is tanking – and taking a bunch of talented cast and crew down with it. I’m just relieved James Gunn isn’t one of them.

Borderlands is in cinemas now.