‘Borderlands’ Video Game Adaptation in Development at Lionsgate

Producers Avi and Ari Arad will shepherd Gearbox Software game for studio

Gearbox Software

Lionsgate is developing a movie based on the popular video game series “Borderlands,” the studio announced Friday.

Producers Avi and Ari Arad have been chosen to adapt Gearbox Software’s critically-acclaimed blockbuster video game into a tent-pole feature film. The father/son team is responsible for some of the most successful motion picture and television franchises in history, including “Iron Man,” “Spider Man,” “The Amazing Spider Man,” “X-Men” and “Blade.”

Borderlands is an action role-playing first-person shooter video game created and developed by Gearbox Software, but published by 2K, a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Set in the frontier of a sci-fi universe, “Borderlands” is best known for Gearbox’s blending of irreverent humor and characters, with a unique comic-book art style, and co-operative four-player gameplay.

The award-winning franchise has been lauded by critics and over the years has built a global fan base, shipping more than 26 million copies around the world since its launch in 2009, including 8 million copies shipped during Take Two’s 2015 fiscal year alone.

“We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with Jon Feltheimer, Michael Burns, Rob, Patrick and the amazing team at Lionsgate and join forces with Take-Two and Gearbox on this incredible property,” the Arads said in a joint statement. “‘Borderlands’ has a unique story-driven narrative energy and rich multidimensional characters that position it to become a singular motion picture event.”

The deal was negotiated by a Lionsgate team led by president of interactive ventures and games Peter Levin, Summit Entertainment president of production Geoff Shaevitz and Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president of business and legal affairs Patricia Laucella.

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