2024’s Borderlands movie was a massive flop at the box office, and Take-Two’s CEO has now reacted to this, readily acknowledging, “We failed.”
Speaking at Business Insider Live, Strauss Zelnick said Take-Two’s mission is to “make the best entertainment on Earth,” and with the Borderlands film, the company failed to meet that mark.
He said the company “tried incredibly hard” on the Borderlands movie, and pointed out that Take-Two didn’t actually lose any money on it because Lionsgate funded it. “But I am here to tell you, it was not the best entertainment on Earth. We failed,” he said.
The Borderlands movie featured a stacked cast of big names, including Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Jack Black as the voice of Claptrap, Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina, and Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis. The film was directed by Eli Roth, with Tim Miller stepping in for reshoots.
The Borderlands movie made just $15.5 million in the US and $17.5 million internationally for a total of only about $33 million worldwide.
Zelnick said this in response to a question about why Take-Two doesn’t do more in terms of adapting its franchises for film, TV, theme parks, and live events. He said Take-Two is “very selective” when it comes to these kinds of projects. “If our mission is to make the best entertainment on Earth, we only want to make a movie if it’s going to be the best entertainment on Earth,” he said.
But with the Borderlands film, Zelnick said, “We failed across our mission.”
“Culture, like character, is tested in the breach. When things are going well, it’s convenient to say yes. But your test is when there is a challenge. And you either believe in your mission or you don’t,” he said. “So if we can be the best at something, and deliver a phenomenal experience, we still have to make money while we’re at it. This is not a non-profit enterprise, and by the way, we’re not curing cancer. I am charged by my shareholders to deliver a return, I just believe the best way to deliver a return is to do the best work you can.”
While the Borderlands movie didn’t work out, Take-Two isn’t giving up with transmedia efforts, as a BioShock movie is now in the works at Netflix. The Hunger Games veteran Francis Lawrence is set to direct the movie … if it ever happens.
