Kevin Hart’s Borderlands Movie Casting Is Secretly Genius, Despite Being Very Different To The Game

Kevin Hart stars in the upcoming Borderlands movie as the no-nonsense, physically imposing soldier Roland, and while the casting may have caught those familiar with the games off-guard, it actually makes sense when considering a key element of hte games. While some Borderlands character castings, like Jack Black’s Claptrap, satisfy expectations, other choices are more confounding upon a first-time viewing of the trailer. Nevertheless, Hart’s casting as Roland is actually brilliant, and it subtly highlights the live-action adaptation’s attention to detail regarding its handling of the material.

In Borderlands, Roland takes on something of a leadership role among the rag-tag team of vault hunters, and his austere personality combined with his deep knowledge of war make him one of the best characters in the franchise. The chemistry that Roland shares with his fellow vault hunters, especially Lilith, results in some of the franchise’s funniest moments. With the majority of the characters from Borderlands appearing in the movie, a similar degree of chemistry between Roland and the others should be on full display in the live-action adaptation thanks to Hart.

Kevin Hart As Roland Is Very Different & Surprising Casting From The Borderlands Game

Roland’s video game appearance sees him as a physically imposing figure.

Roland is depicted as a strong man with a physically commanding presence who always puts his team before himself. Additionally, Roland’s military career gives him a distinct way of communicating with his teammates that further reinforces the impact that his time in the war has on him. Hart, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of Roland both in physical appearance and background, and the decision to cast him comes as a complete surprise to anyone familiar with the source material. However, despite the initial shock regarding Roland’s casting, it makes sense.

Why Kevin Hart Is A Great Choice For Roland In The Borderlands Movie

Borderlands’ tongue-in-cheek humor lends itself to the unorthodox casting choice.

One of Borderlands‘ biggest claims to fame is the video game series’ unique sense of humor and subversion of video tropes that see many of the established rules in both gaming and comedy get broken time and again. Given Roland’s specific background and distinct appearance, an actor like Michael B. Jordan or Aldis Hodge would likely make more sense, since both men possess a similar presence and have portrayed military personnel to great effect. However, that style of casting would demonstrate a fundamental lack of understanding regarding Borderland‘s sense of humor.

Hart as Roland works because it demonstrates that Borderlands won’t be taking itself too seriously, which is something that a live-action adaptation needs to differentiate itself. Additionally, Hart’s brand of humor combined with his collaborations with his fellow cast – Jack Black in particular – has the potential to work really well with director Eli Roth’s vision. As shown by the trailer for Borderlands, the essence of the characters is still firmly intact even if the majority of casting choices might be initially confusing. With Hart’s charisma and the feel-good vibes from the trailer, Borderlands‘ Roland casting could end up being one of the best parts of the adaptation.