‘Borderlands’ Film Recruits Kevin Hart as Action Hero Roland – Does This Signal a New Direction for His Career?

I wonder if anyone sat around playing the video game Borderlands when it debuted in 2009 and thought to themselves, “Man, the guy who directed Hostel should turn this into a movie that stars Galadriel from The Lord of the Rings and that funny guy from those Seltzer/Friedberg spoof films. And it’d be great if it was written by the person who wrote Superhero Movie.” If you recall ever meeting such a dorm room Nostradamus, it might be smart to call him up and ask for suggestions for lotto numbers or stock market tips.

It’s true: Kevin Hart, who appeared in Scary Movie 3 & 4, Epic Movie, Superhero Movie, and Extreme Movie before becoming one of the most famous stand-up comedians in the world, will star in a Borderlands movie alongside Cate Blanchett that will be written by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl) and directed by Eli Roth. And it seems as if Hart will be stretching into unfamiliar territory as an actor with this role.

The Hollywood Reporter confirms an initial report from The Illuminerdi that Kevin Hart, who is better known these days for his roles in films like Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Ride Along, and Central Intelligence, will play Roland in the upcoming Borderlands movie. The character is a skilled soldier, and interestingly, THR says this will be “a more serious acting turn for the star” than the typical quip-machine that he often portrays on the big screen.

Roland is one of the four main playable characters from the first game, alongside Lilith, the character Cate Blanchett is playing. He’s a traditional stoic action hero – he’s basically the character that players would choose if they just wanted to shoot things real good. While the world of Borderlands itself is very comedic, this seems like it could be a true departure toward something a bit more pared down for Hart, who normally plays every character like he just drank 40 cups of coffee.

“I’m thrilled to be working with Kevin,” Eli Roth said in a statement. “Borderlands is a different kind of role for him, and we are excited to thrill audiences with a side of Kevin they’ve never seen before. He’s going to be an amazing Roland.”

According to the Borderlands wiki, Roland is “originally from the planet Promethea and is a former soldier of the Crimson Lance, the highly trained private military of the Atlas corporation. He is proficient with all weapons, although he prefers shotguns and combat rifles.”

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