Kevin Hart has a new film project on his plate. And surprisingly, it’s not a straight-up comedy that he is known for. Instead, the actor has signed on to play a role in the forthcoming “Borderlands” film adaptation.
According to Lionsgate, Hart is set to portray Roland, a skilled ex-soldier turned mercenary from the popular video game franchise, in the new film, “Borderlands.” The film is set to star Cate Blanchett and is directed by Eli Roth. The video game follows the story of “Vault Hunters,” people who come to the distant planet of Pandora in search of riches and advanced alien technology. Along the way, they battle the various outlaws and crazy alien wildlife that inhabits the planet.
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“I’m thrilled to be working with Kevin,” said Roth. “‘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.”
“Borderlands” is a departure for Hart, who is usually known for being in more straight-forward comedies. And though it’s expected that the actor will add levity and humor to the film (the video game has plenty of dark humor at its core), this is going to be a chance for Hart to add a bit of action and badassness to his filmography, where he’s normally the funny sidekick to the action star.
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The new film is written by Craig Mazin, who is probably best known as the man behind the “Chernobyl” limited series from HBO. He’s also set to adapt another video game franchise, “The Last of Us,” which will be done as a drama series on HBO. In addition, he’s working on the sixth ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film.
It’s unclear when production might start on “Borderlands” or when the film might land in theaters or streaming. But with Blanchett and Hart aboard, this is definitely going to be a star-studded affair.