Exclusive Update: Last of Us Writer Craig Mazin Reveals Exciting New Details About His Role in Borderlands!

Following the departure of a key individual from the Borderlands movie, Craig Mazin, the writer of The Last of Us, clarified his involvement with the film. Mazin has gained recognition in recent years for his work on highly acclaimed television series. After successfully tackling intense subject matter in Chernobyl, Mazin collaborated with Neil Druckmann on the Emmy-nominated adaptation of The Last of Us. As a self-professed gamer, Mazin appeared to be an obvious choice for the upcoming Borderlands movie. However, since its announcement, it seems that the film won't reach the same level of quality as shows like The Last of Us. While filming wrapped up in 2021, reshoots have caused delays, pushing its release to 2024.

The situation was exacerbated by the news of Mazin distancing himself from the Borderlands movie. Reports revealed that the writer-director had been using the penname Joe Crombie, implying that he no longer wished to be associated with the project. However, Mazin refuted these prior reports in a recent statement. "Since I am not credited as a writer on the film, I cannot lay claim to any form of authorship for 'Borderlands,' let alone co-writing," Mazin stated in his response to Variety. "I saw the report about the pseudonym, but it is untrue. I did not utilize a pseudonym. If the mentioned name is indeed a pseudonym, all I can say is... it's not mine."

Borderlands has faced multiple challenges, including the replacement of Eli Roth by Tim Miller for additional reshoots. The fact that the release date remains uncertain despite significant delays is not a positive sign. While video game adaptations like The Last of Us have enjoyed success, it seems that this is not the case for Borderlands, according to Mazin.

In his statement, Mazin carefully chooses his words. It is easiest to believe his assertion that he has no affiliation with the pseudonym, as there is no evidence of him ever writing under that name. However, the rest of his statement only adds to the ongoing mystery. Mazin simply states that he is not credited as a writer for the film, leaving open the possibility that he may have been involved at some point, even if under a different pen name.

Roth's involvement in the Borderlands movie initially suggested a collaboration with Mazin as co-writers. However, recent information from the WGA reveals that Joe Crombie receives the co-writing credit, while Mazin is no longer linked to the project. Unfortunately, the film has been plagued by ongoing reshoots, which poses increasing challenges for its progress. Currently, Borderlands is in the post-production phase.

Source: Variety