Kevin Hart is returning to the world of video game movies after previously starring in Sony's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel. Hart has officially signed on to portray Roland in Lionsgate's upcoming feature film adaptation of the Borderlands video games.
The first Borderlands video game launched in 2009 and the role-playing first-person shooter has since spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs, with the most recent entry in the main series, Borderlands 3, being released in September 2019. Primarily set on the planet Pandora, the Borderlands video games feature several characters throughout each installment, including the stoic yet highly-skilled soldier Roland, who previously served as a troop in the private military force called the Crimson Lance. After his corrupt superiors tried to frame and murder him, Roland defects and eventually forms the Crimson Raiders from the remnants of the Crimson Lance and with other survivors on Pandora.
Lionsgate's Borderlands adaptation will be directed by Eli Roth from a script penned by Craig Mazin, the creator of the acclaimed HBO miniseries Chernobyl. Hart joining the cast of Borderlands as Roland marks a rare if not unprecedented deviation from his usual comedic roles, though Roth expressed his confidence in the actor's ability to portray the serious character in a statement. "I'm thrilled to be working with Kevin," he said. "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."
Hart, who had reportedly been in negotiations to play Roland in Borderlands for months, will be joined by Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett, who signed on to portray the magical siren, Lilith. "Kevin has been behind some of the world's biggest blockbusters, and our source material is inspired by one of the world's best-selling video games," added Nathan Kahane, President of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. "We love the way our filmmaking team has adapted this story and we couldn't be in better creative hands."
It appears Hart will be very busy in the coming months and years. The actor recently inked a four-film and first-look deal with Netflix while his forthcoming action-comedy The Man from Toronto, also starring Woody Harrelson and Kaley Cuoco, is slated to hit theaters in September 2021.
As previously mentioned, Hart has experience starring in video game-centric films as one of the leads of the two most recent features in the Jumanji franchise. A sequel to the most recent entry, Jumanji: The Next Level, is in development, with Hart expected to reprise his role as the avatar named Franklin "Mouse" Finbar.
Borderlands is in development at Lionsgate.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter