The movie adaptation of the popular video game series, Borderlands, was released last year, but it faced a largely unfavorable reception from critics and audiences alike. Many viewers and fans expressed disappointment, leading to a wave of derision followed by indifference towards the film. The reasons behind this lackluster response vary, with director Eli Roth offering insights into some of the challenges faced during production. He believes that the timing of the films production played a significant role in its eventual outcome.

To provide some context, Borderlands commenced filming in 2021, coinciding with the tumultuous early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a recent episode of The Town podcast, Roth opened up about the complications that arose during filming. He pointed out that the pandemic caught not only his production team off guard but also the entire film industry. Roth remarked that during that period, no one anticipated how complicated things were gonna be with COVID.

The restrictions and safety protocols necessitated by the pandemic posed significant hurdles for filmmakers. Roth explained that social distancing regulations prevented the cast and crew from preparing together in a single room. He described the difficulty of collaborating with his stunt team and conducting pre-visualization sessions, as everyone was forced to be spread all over the place.

It was chaotic, Roth recalled. You have six people that are all on different sets, and every one of those sets is getting shut down because the cities have opened up. This level of disarray made the process of creating a big-budget film immensely challenging and, as Roth candidly admitted, it was a humbling experience. I think we all thought we could pull it off, and we got our asses handed to us a bit, he confessed.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, Roth was also engaged in filming his slasher movie Thanksgiving in 2023. This dual commitment led to Tim Miller, known for directing Deadpool, stepping in to lead the reshoots for Borderlands that took place in 2023. Notably, these reshoots included new content penned by writer Zak Olkewicz, building upon the extensive rewrites of the original script by Craig Mazin from 2020.

By the time Roth shifted his focus back to Thanksgiving, he had little insight into how the final cut of Borderlands would turn out. When he finally viewed the finished product, he described the experience as surreal. I sat down to watch my own movie that says I wrote and directed it, and I genuinely dont know whats going to happen, he noted, reflecting on the unpredictability of the film's outcome.

Despite the challenges faced during the production of Borderlands, Roth maintains a positive relationship with Lionsgate. However, the experience taught him valuable lessons about taking responsibility for a project in which he was only partially involved. This reflection has encouraged him to redirect his focus back to the horror genre, which has always been his primary filmmaking passion.

As the film industry continues to navigate the post-pandemic landscape, Roth's experiences serve as a testament to the complexities and unpredictabilities inherent in filmmaking during such unprecedented times.