[movie] Ender's Game

[CeeKay]

thought there was a thread for this, but search didn't find it.  anyways, looks like the film version is finally happening!

they've cast Ender, and looking at veteran actors for the adult roles.  my only concern is the director, Gavin Hood, hasn't really directed anything major beyond X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

[Caine]

I've decided to keep my expectations low so anything over Sci fi channel B grade will be an improvement. 

I liked XMO:W as a decent popcorn action flick fwiw

[Roguetad]

I remember reading that book in high school and thinking there's no way we'll ever have a tablet computer that can send mail messages, play games, do homework, and play live videos of people.  All the kids at Ender's academy were issued personal tablets.  They could also play a free form sandbox game on them that was used by the administrators to evaluate leadership suitability and general pysch.  Steve Jobs must have read Ender's Game too.

I will maintain low expectations for the movie and hopefully be surprised.  I think it would be hard to pull off given the ages of the kids, and what they actually do in the story.  There's a Lord of the Flies vibe while at the academy that is fairly brutal.   

 

[kronovan]

I don't like the Production line up behind this film. K/O Paper Products and Digital Domain have decent enough resume, but Oddlot Entertainment have produced one suctastic film after another. My guess its one of the reasons Viggo Mortensen passed on it. No doubt with Digital Domain co-producing this film its going to be strong in the effects department, but I'm betting when this hits the screen it'll fall somewhere between suck and mediocre.

[Rumpy]

I find it interesting that they've cast an actor who's much older. I figure they're going to have the kid be much older than he is as compared to the book, as I doubt the movie would never be made if it stuck to the age in the book as that would be too much of a problem in terms of politics.

[Purge]

Do not want. While it's a fantastic book, I can't see Gavin pulling this off.

[CeeKay]

Harrison Ford is IN:

Harrison Ford locked for 'Ender's Game'
OddLot's sci-fi tentpole gains trio of Oscar nominees
By Jeff Sneider

After confronting extraterrestrials in "Cowboys and Aliens," Harrison Ford is ready to take on another alien race in OddLot Entertainment's sci-fi tentpole "Ender's Game" along with Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld.

Also onboard are young thesps Aramis Knight, Moises Arias, Jimmy "Jax" Pinchak, Suraj Parthasarathy, Conor Carroll and Khylin Rhambo.

Gavin Hood ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") is directing from his own script, adapted from Orson Scott Card's novel. Summit Entertainment is co-financing and will release the film in the U.S. on March 15, 2013. Set in Earth's utopian future, "Ender's Game" stars Asa Butterfield ("Hugo") as a genius strategist recruited by the government to help destroy an insect-like alien race.

With the latest castings, OddLot now has a marquee star to attract international auds in Ford, as well as three of Hollywood's leading under-16 thesps in Breslin, Steinfeld and Butterfield.

Ford will play Colonel Hyram Graff, who's in charge of training young military recruits. Breslin will play Valentine Wiggin, Ender's older sister, while Steinfeld plays Petra Arkanian, Ender's trusted right hand.

OddLot, K/O Paper Products and Digital Domain are production partners on "Ender's Game." OddLot's Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough are producing with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman via their K/O Paper Products banner, as well as Lynn Hendee, Robert Chartoff and Card. OddLot's Bill Lischak and K/O's Mandy Safavi will exec produce with Digital Domain's Cliff Plumer and Ed Ulbrich. Sierra/Affinity is handling foreign sales for the pic, which will start production in early 2012 in New Orleans.

Ford, who's no stranger to sci-fi epics, recently signed on to play famed Brooklyn Dodgers g.m. Branch Rickey in Legendary Pictures' Jackie Robinson biopic "42."

Steinfeld starred in the Coen brothers' "True Grit" and will soon play Juliet in Carlo Carlei's upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic romance. Breslin can currently be seen in Garry Marshall's "New Year's Eve" and the indie "Janie Jones."

Ford's repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham, while ICM reps Steinfeld and Breslin. Steinfeld is also repped by Protege Entertainment and Coast to Coast Talent Group. Breslin's also with Untitled Entertainment.

[McNutt]

Awesome.  Ford is famous for making any movie he's in excellent. 

[ravenvii]

Awesome.  Ford is famous for making any movie he's in excellent. 

*cough*Indy 4*cough*

But I do admit he's the perfect fit for Colonel Graff.

[McNutt]

I was joking.  For me you have to go back two decades to find a really good Harrison Ford movie (I haven't seen Cowboys and Aliens though).  He doesn't even try anymore. 

[theohall]

Harrison Ford is IN:

Harrison Ford locked for 'Ender's Game'
OddLot's sci-fi tentpole gains trio of Oscar nominees
By Jeff Sneider

After confronting extraterrestrials in "Cowboys and Aliens," Harrison Ford is ready to take on another alien race in OddLot Entertainment's sci-fi tentpole "Ender's Game" along with Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld.

Also onboard are young thesps Aramis Knight, Moises Arias, Jimmy "Jax" Pinchak, Suraj Parthasarathy, Conor Carroll and Khylin Rhambo.

Gavin Hood ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") is directing from his own script, adapted from Orson Scott Card's novel. Summit Entertainment is co-financing and will release the film in the U.S. on March 15, 2013. Set in Earth's utopian future, "Ender's Game" stars Asa Butterfield ("Hugo") as a genius strategist recruited by the government to help destroy an insect-like alien race.

With the latest castings, OddLot now has a marquee star to attract international auds in Ford, as well as three of Hollywood's leading under-16 thesps in Breslin, Steinfeld and Butterfield.

Ford will play Colonel Hyram Graff, who's in charge of training young military recruits. Breslin will play Valentine Wiggin, Ender's older sister, while Steinfeld plays Petra Arkanian, Ender's trusted right hand.

OddLot, K/O Paper Products and Digital Domain are production partners on "Ender's Game." OddLot's Gigi Pritzker and Linda McDonough are producing with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman via their K/O Paper Products banner, as well as Lynn Hendee, Robert Chartoff and Card. OddLot's Bill Lischak and K/O's Mandy Safavi will exec produce with Digital Domain's Cliff Plumer and Ed Ulbrich. Sierra/Affinity is handling foreign sales for the pic, which will start production in early 2012 in New Orleans.

Ford, who's no stranger to sci-fi epics, recently signed on to play famed Brooklyn Dodgers g.m. Branch Rickey in Legendary Pictures' Jackie Robinson biopic "42."

Steinfeld starred in the Coen brothers' "True Grit" and will soon play Juliet in Carlo Carlei's upcoming adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic romance. Breslin can currently be seen in Garry Marshall's "New Year's Eve" and the indie "Janie Jones."

Ford's repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham, while ICM reps Steinfeld and Breslin. Steinfeld is also repped by Protege Entertainment and Coast to Coast Talent Group. Breslin's also with Untitled Entertainment.

Hope no one has read the book.  No *cough* spoiler *cough* in that description.

[CeeKay]

Orson Scott Card on visiting the set.  it starts about halfway down.

[metallicorphan]

Is Ender's Game what Shadow Complex game was based on?,i know it had something to do with 'Empire' and of course Orson Scott Card


(what a great game that was,still waiting for number 2)

[CeeKay]

Is Ender's Game what Shadow Complex game was based on?,i know it had something to do with 'Empire' and of course Orson Scott Card


(what a great game that was,still waiting for number 2)

unless they made a revelation outside of the book I don't think there were no real hints that Empire takes place in the Enderverse.

[metallicorphan]

Ahh okay,thx

I just realised something,this will be Harrison Ford's second Sci-Fi film including 'Cowboys' since Return of the Jedi(no,i am not including Indy 4..even though the end could technically make that a Sci-Fi)..it like waiting for a Bus  

I just looked on the Wiki Page,and it says November 2013 release(instead of the March 2013 release as that quote from a few months ago above said)

Ben Kingsley is in this as well,remember what i said about him,he can only be in a great film or a complete shite film

[Fireball1244]

I love the book. But I hate Orson Scott Card. I want to see the movie, but I don't want to give him any money. Argh... I suppose I'll wait for Netflix.

[Biyobi]

Ahh okay,thx

I just realised something,this will be Harrison Ford's second Sci-Fi film including 'Cowboys' since Return of the Jedi(no,i am not including Indy 4..even though the end could technically make that a Sci-Fi)..it like waiting for a Bus  

What the hell are you talking about?  There are three Indy flicks. Do you hear me? THREE Indy movies!!

[Maggot]

Kind of excited about this despite there being a few worrying signs. But at least the cast is awesome, Asa Butterfield was great in Hugo and seeing interviews with him he does seem like a great fit for Ender. But yeah as Fireball also says : Fuck Orson Scott Card, good thing that he doesn't have too much to do with the movie, he might have created it in the first place but he's a lunatic.

[CeeKay]

[EngineNo9]

Hopefully Harrison Ford can manage a performance that goes beyond stoned and annoyed, which is his normal MO these days.

[Razgon]

He is, unfortunately getting rather old - I've seen a few recent interviews with him, and he comes off as somewhat slower than in the movies. I know he's old, but he's Harrison Ford dammit! He can beat old age!!

I'm torn about this movie - The author is a complete moron (Don't go to his blog...you'll never be able to read anything by him again) and not someone I want to support in any way...On the other hand, good scifi movies are far between,and Harris Ford IS one of my favorite actors ever....

sooo conflicted....

[McNutt]

I haven't read the book in a long time, but these kids (is that supposed to be Ender) look way too old.

[wonderpug]

I haven't read the book in a long time, but these kids (is that supposed to be Ender) look way too old.

As long as older kids brings better acting to the movie, I'm fine with this concession.  The last thing we need is 5 toons of 8 Jake Lloyds.

[Fireball1244]

I would be so excited about this movie if Orson Scott Card hadn't turned into a raging hateful homophobe in the last decade. Or perhaps he always was, but now he feels more free to rant about it.

[hepcat]

If I were to swear off works of art, books, movies and other forms of entertainment created by those with objectionable or downright abhorrent beliefs, I'd be reading nothing but the backs of organic food packages all day.

[Scraper]

I really don't have high hopes for this movie. The book is decent enough, but turning it into a movie seems like it would be really boring. Unless they turn the sessions at Command School into real looking space battles, and even then the characters would seem so detached. Not sure how they are going to pull this off without spoiling the end.

Also, Card is an asshole. He gives religion a bad name.

[xenocide]

Love the book.  I don't have a problem with using slightly older actors, as was said should bring better acting.  However, if that is Ender that Ford is standing in front of, he is was too big, he should be smaller than the other kids regardless of age.

[CeeKay]

[Crawley]

All these sci-fi posters are looking the same these days.

[Covenant]

Try thinking of straight ahead as down.

[Isgrimnur]

Try thinking of straight ahead as down.

[Lordnine]

Ender could see better if he turned his helmet around.

[corruptrelic]

This is one of the reasons I don't mind not reading the books [in general] - you don't have such a high expectation for the movies.

[CeeKay]

teaser for the trailer.

[TK-421]

All these sci-fi posters are looking the same these days.

You have the Orange/Blue contrast to thank for that.

Among other things.

[Moliere]

New trailer released today. 

[Ralph-Wiggum]

New trailer released today. 

Did that trailer (SPOILERS for the book):

Spoiler for Hiden:

just show the ending???

[McNutt]

Spoiler for Hiden:

It looked like it to me, although if that's the case they changed it up a bit.  The book wasn't some Death Star laser blasting the planet but a ship that darted into the atmosphere and launched a rocket at the planet.

[SkyLander]

Spoiler for Hiden:

I thought the main point of the book was that Ender didn't know that they were actually fighting the aliens, that they were all just training/simulations? I guess it seems like they all know what they are doing.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Spoiler for Hiden:

I thought the main point of the book was that Ender didn't know that they were actually fighting the aliens, that they were all just training/simulations? I guess it seems like they all know what they are doing.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Nothing I got from the trailer necessarily suggested to me that Ender knew he was actually directing the fleet. That scene with the planet blowing up, even if that is what I think it is, doesn't mean that Ender is seeing that's what's happening.