After teasing more surprises to come following the reveal of Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis, we have our next major casting announcement for the Borderlands movie. Jack Black will be the voice of Claptrap, bringing his unique vocal stylings to the iconic one-wheeled robot with a dizzying fear of stairs. Claptrap has become something of a Borderlands icon, the annoying-yet-endearing comic relief generally appearing in most pieces of Borderlands media (and also a playable character in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel).
Black joins Curtis, as well as recent announcements of Cate Blanchett as Lilith, and Kevin Hart as Roland. Eli Roth is directing the film, reuniting him with Black and Blanchett after their work together on The House with a Clock in Its Walls. “I am so excited to reunite with Jack, this time in the recording booth,” Roth said. “Claptrap is the funniest character in the game, and Jack is perfect to bring him to the big screen.”
Lionsgate President Nathan Kahane called the casting a “no-brainer” decision. “It’s one of the biggest no-brainer casting decisions we’ve ever made. Everyone who’s ever played the game knows Jack is perfect for this part. We’re thrilled he will add his endless comic energy and voice to our film—he’ll bring so much to the movie.”
There are still two primary Vault Hunter characters left to cast—Mordecai and Brick—as well as a number of side characters who we may or may not see, including Scooter, T.K. Baha, Angel, Steele, Dr. Zed, Moxxi, and Marcus. The Borderlands movie seems to be covering the first game’s story, so don’t expect to see Handsome Jack appear just yet, unless it’s via a teaser for the sequel at the end of the film.
With the most recent script treatment written by Craig Mazin (who is also doing The Last of Us HBO series), there’s no word on when Borderlands may start filming or when it’s set to release. Gearbox’s Randy Pitchford and Take-Two’s Strauss Zelnick are executive producing, ensuring the live-action film remains faithful to the games.
What do you think of this latest casting announcement? Does Jack Black make a great Claptrap, or would you have liked to see somebody else in the role? Let us know in the comments below.
[Source: Hollywood Reporter]
