Jack Black Will Play Claptrap In The Borderlands Movie, Joining Cate Banchett, Kevin Hart, And Jamie Lee Curtis

Jack Black is the latest big name to join the cast of the Borderlands movie. He will play Claptrap in the film, and he becomes the latest big-time Hollywood actor to have a role in the project, joining Cate Blanchett (Lilith), Kevin Hart (Roland), and Jamie Lee Curtis (Tannis).

The movie is directed by Eli Roth, from a script by Craig Mazin, who is also writing the Last of Us TV show that recently cast its Ellie and Joel.

"I am so excited to reunite with Jack, this time in the recording booth," Roth said in a statement (via Variety). "Claptrap is the funniest character in the game, and Jack is perfect to bring him to the big screen."

Roth has a history of working with Black and Blanchett, as he directed them in the 2018 movie The House With a Clock in Its Walls.

It's rumored that Claptrap--who is a robot--will be a CG character, with Black providing the voice of the character instead of performing him as a live character. And that's really too bad, because that would be comedy gold.

    Note: It sounds like Claptrap will be CG with Jack providing the voice.
    — Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) February 11, 2021

Lionsgate president Nathan Kahane said in a statement that casting Black for Claptrap was "one of the biggest no-brainer casting decisions we've ever made."

"We couldn't have been more in sync with our filmmakers and casting executives as we approached this role," Kahane said. "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."

The Borderlands movie is expected to film in Budapest in the first half of 2021, but a release date for the film has not been announced yet.

It's been busy days for Borderlands across the film and the video game franchise. Borderlands 3's big Designer's Cut update, which introduces a new raid, launches in March, while Tales From the Borderlands will return to digital stores on February 17.

Looking wider, Gearbox has been acquired by Embracer Group in a deal valued at up to $1.3 billion. Despite the sale, 2K Games will continue to publish the Borderlands series. Gearbox also has ideas for new games that could shake up the industry in a big way. The Borderlands movie is expected to film in Budapest in the first half of 2021, but a release date for the film has not been announced yet.

It's been busy days for Borderlands across the film and the video game franchise. Borderlands 3's big Designer's Cut update, which introduces a new raid, launches in March, while Tales From the Borderlands will return to digital stores on February 17.

Looking wider, Gearbox has been acquired by Embracer Group in a deal valued at up to $1.3 billion. Despite the sale, 2K Games will continue to publish the Borderlands series. Gearbox also has ideas for new games that could shake up the industry in a big way.