The Borderlands movie tried to split the difference between a PG-13 rating and original story appealing to a more general audience. But they were not interested
If they wanted to make this movie a success they should have had ONE PERSON from the writing, directing and (most importantly) casting team sit down and play the games.
And funny fucking Deadpool is kicking its ass with an R rated movie. When these assholes going to learn. Mostly adults go to movies and we are fucking adults we don’t want pg13 bullshit. If I am going go to a 30 dollar movie better be damn good. Save your piss ass movies for direct to streaming. I’m sure Netflix or someone would of gave them 10 million for exclusive rights. That made them extra 2 million not counting all the marketing and cost of distribution.
I’d argue it’s not the rating but the writing.
Sure, it’s easier to write a good story when only the overtly “gross” is off limits, but there are plenty of great stories where all the horror of its setting or events are only implied. It’s all about how the story is told.
Hollywood does have a very full history of dumbing things down to the point of boredom even outaide of ratings, so I’m not surprised what so ever that this movie flopped.
It would’ve either took excellent writing exploring the story the games present further than the games ever did, or an R rating so the spectacle could be, “Mad Max with scifi”.
Hollywood had no chance of either with a pg-13, though that’s because bean counters HATE paying for good story tellers.
I usually try to remind people that The Dark Knight is PG-13 and it’s arguably a pretty great action movie that doesn’t feel like the violence is toned down.
I mean the Joker stabs a guy in the skull with a pencil. It’s fast and brutal but it doesn’t need a lot of blood or gore to sell the moment.
Moneyschmucks: We got the IP! That’s literally all that matters! Fuckos will eat this up because of the name! Brands! Oh my brands! The textbook says everyone blindly follows the brand!
… These people are the disease affecting all “major” media. Video games or otherwise. It’s why indie devs are making way better games than the “AAA” Arrogant Abusive Asshole dev corporations.