Eli Roth is not a director who can be pigeonholed. Despite breaking into the film industry with beloved horror films like Cabin Fever and Hostel, Roth has proven himself to be a versatile writer and director. While it may come as a surprise to some that his latest project is the highly anticipated Borderlands film, due in theaters on August 9, 2024, it actually makes perfect sense for the creative who has continued to find success in other genres, and the project is a perfect fit for his tastes.

Roth first showed that he had more to offer the film world than just horror with the 2012 martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists . While the film was directed by RZA, Roth was co-written and produced. While there are action scenes in Roth's horror films, this was the first time he really showed the world how well he could combine action with storytelling and create engaging fights. Roth will look to ramp up the action a few notches in Borderlands , as the film looks to have just as wild an arsenal of weapons and scenery as the video games.

Roth would continue to show his range that decade, writing and directing two thrillers: 2015’s Knock Knock and 2018’s Death Wish . The latter was particularly interesting as it featured one of star Bruce Willis’s best late-career performances and showed that Roth could get the most out of his big-name actors. Roth has an incredible cast in Borderlands , including two of the best actresses ever in Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis, so he gets a chance to add to their legacies and his own with the action-packed sci-fi film.

Roth actually already has a good track record working with Blanchett and her Borderlands co-star Jack Black, as they both appeared in his 2018 fantasy comedy The House with a Clock in Its Walls . The film was an unexpected change of pace for Roth, as it was his first PG-rated film. It was a great showcase for Roth's versatility as a director, as he didn't have to rely on R-ratings and gore to keep audiences entertained. Praised for his sense of humor and a fun script, it shows that Roth has the right humor for the Borderlands film – which he can push more since it will be PG-13.