What Song Plays in the Borderlands Movie Trailer, Explained

The Borderlands trailer is finally here, bowling over fans of the original Gearbox games with its eye-popping carnage – not to mention its catchy soundtrack. So, what’s the name of the song that plays in the Borderlands movie’s trailer?

Related: Borderlands Trailer Shows Off the Movie’s Star-Studded Cast

What Song Plays in the Borderlands Movie Trailer, Explained

The song that plays over the Borderlands movie trailer is Electric Light Orchestra’s “Do Ya.” ELO frontman Jeff Lynne originally wrote the track for the band’s precursor, The Move, in 1971. Lynne produced the ELO version of “Do Ya” six years later, and it’s widely regarded as one of ELO’s best songs. The singer-songwriter and musician also recorded yet another version of “Do Ya” in 2012. Cover versions by ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley and Todd Rundgren’s progressive rock outfit Utopia exist, as well.

Related: Gearbox Owner Embracer Is Considering Selling the Borderlands Studio

What Is the Borderlands Movie About?

The power pop sensibilities of “Do Ya” give a sense of the tone director Eli Roth is shooting for with Borderlands – but what about the film’s story? Well, based on both the trailer and Lionsgate Films’ official synopsis, you can expect a pretty faithful reimagining of the Borderlands games’ wider narrative. The official synopsis reads as follows:

“Lilith, an infamous outlaw with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home planet of Pandora to find the missing daughter of the universe’s most powerful S.O.B., Atlas. Lilith forms an alliance with an unexpected team – Roland, a former elite mercenary, now desperate for redemption; Tiny Tina, a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg, Tina’s musclebound, rhetorically challenged protector; Tannis, the scientist with a tenuous grip on sanity; and Claptrap, a persistently wiseass robot.

“These unlikely heroes must battle alien monsters and dangerous bandits to find and protect the missing girl, who may hold the key to unimaginable power. The fate of the universe could be in their hands but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.”

Borderlands blasts its way into cinemas on Aug. 9, 2024.