ENDER’S GAME Movie Update
Comments(18)
- By drvenkman
I am a huge fan of the Ender’s Game series, and I have been waiting for a movie adaptation of the novel for some time now. This story has the potential to be an incredibly successful franchise, and one I am sure several people are excited to see be brought to life. The only problem is it doesn’t seem like anyone can get it together. This movie adaptation has been through pre-production hell. The last we heard about Orson Scott Cards ‘Ender’s Game’ is the project was scrapped. Director Wolfgang Peterson was the only director ever attached to the film but he left the project because apparently everyone had different creative differences. I have heard from people that Card is not an easy person to work with, that it is his way or the highway. Here is what he told L.A. Times back in January.
This complex weave of emotions has made Ender especially difficult to film and has resulted in two decades of fizzled studio meetings, dead-end scripts and a marathon director search. The author said he was not interested in a “tough-hero action film” and refuses to condescend to green-screen Hollywood. Card imagines a “film where the human relationships are absolutely essential – an honest presentation of the story.”
As for what happened with Wolfgang Petersen, Card did not feel comfortable with the movie’s direction. That project was scrapped early in November. We have not heard anything since this all went down. But today our own Mazer was doing some research on the Ender’s Game comic book, just trying to figure out what issues he is missing, which led him to Orson Scott Cards production company website Taleswapper. And on this site was an update on the Ender’s Game movie as of this February Card tells us:
I have finished the latest (and best) revision of my Ender’s Game screenplay, which I have turned in to Odd Lot Entertainment as the first step in their option of the film. We have assembled a team of producers who understand the story and I believe we have our best chance yet of getting a good movie made.
So a new script has been turned in it’s been almost two months since this draft was submitted. I looked around to see if anything else has developed since, but there is no word on what is happening with it. I really hope this movie gets made. It has been trying to get off the ground for about two decades now, it’s about time this thing happened. It’s not like we don’t have the technology to create something incredible. What do you think about this? Is this a movie you have been waiting to see? How do you want to see this movie made?
Source: Taleswapper
I hereby declare this an epic win. Here’s one Ender fan that hopes this goes though.
great article!!! 10 of 10 for sure.
I think it’s great that he’s being such a hardass about it. There are so many ways a director could mess up this movie and disappoint the hardcore fans.
aAiaia. I cannot WAIT. As a hardcore fan, I really hope this movie gets made.
It seems like Card is the kind of guy that would want to direct it himself, even though him directing it would completely mess up the movie. These kind of guys think they know better. Put it in the hands of people that know how to make movies!
I hope this is not going to get “the spirit” treatment. Ender really could be a bigger, better movie than most.
I want this to have the aesthetic quality of 2001 and Moon. Make outer space cold and antiseptic again!
I love Card for standing his ground on this one. If only Stephen King would excercise as much integrity.
Just because he’s adamant about keeping certain relationships intact in the adaptation, doesn’t mean that he wants to direct it! Don’t just give it to someone that knows how to make movies, give it to someone who knows how to tell the story. Wolfgang Peterson would have messed it up! Troy anyone?? I think Card is being smart about this.
In all honesty i would probably do the same thing that Card is doing were I in his place. This movie will need to be done right but it is still impossible for it to be perfect. This book has lived with fans for so long that the readers all have their own “movie” in their heads and how the characters look and sound that no matter how well its done it will piss fans off. That is why I am glad Card is so stubborn about the movie being made to “his” vision. At least we will get to see how he visualizes it. If it ever gets made.
I hope Card stands his ground as well. I would hate to see this turned into a movie flop.
It would be fitting for Enders Game and Stranger In A Strange Land to come out at about the same time. Are there any other movies that have almost been made as long as these?
I am definitely intrigued by this idea. I LOVED Ender’s Game and I’m partly through Xenocide the 3rd part of the Ender series.I completely agree with Card that the movie needs to really portray the human relations present in the book. While I think continuing on with the series would be difficult because of the chance of messing up new creatures found in Speaker for the Dead and Xenocide- I think Enders Game would be a great undertaking and hopefully an awesome film.
Pleased to hear this is back on again, though like most of the comments; it should be done right. As for putting it in the right hands, I totally agree; so don’t give it to the likes of Michael Bay. Enders Game is not an action film, there is a deeper story to this; then just big explosions and wizzbang CGI. It needs a touch of Spielberg’s Schindlers List, with a twist of the grit that Martin Scorsese can bring to a film.
I think Card is right. I mean, the biggest concept in the book is character relationships. The story loses its impact if those ideas are changed or lost.
Lately Hollywood has been turning whatever they can into movies and it’s important for Card to make sure it’s done right with this amazing series. There are plenty of books-turned-movies I’ve seen and thought to myself, “They’ve completely ruined the intent.”
I support Card in his “stubbornness”.
But I do wish he’d finish up already so he can get to work on Shadow’s in Flight.
Don’t rush it, i want you to remember every classic novel raped and pillaged by “artistic liberties”. watchmen had the true ending removed, where was tom or the barrow wrights in the LOTR trilogy? Think carefully and you can even find what political views your being given through suggestions in plot line alterations! do you want this movie to be a subtle wash over? or maybe it will be a big bang just in time to smooth over a government crisis or a disaster?
I'm thrilled~ I love the Ender series, and I'd really love to see a movie made. I wish that SOMEONE would update something, though. I want to be kept informed with this movie! I'm glad that Card is being adamant about how he wants it done. After all, who knows the material better than the man who wrote it? Regardless, I think this has potential. I'm hoping that we pull through this time and finally get this movie made!
I really admire Card for standing up to Hollywood and not allowing his story to be destroyed like some authors (Christopher Paolini I'm talking about you). He may be a "hardass" but its because he really believes in his books. He also wants a director who can get child actors (of which there are going to be a lot in this movie) to act well-not an easy task. He also has to find a director who 'gets' the story and doesn't want to try to make Ender fit some Hollywood image…yes, I listened to his commentary at the end of the audiobooks and it sickens me that some of the problem thus far has been due to dishonesty in contracts from major Hollywood companies–Let the man make the movie the way it is supposed to be made…he doesn't care if it never gets made if it isnt the 'right way' and I don't blame him at all!
That said, I can't wait!
I think Card needs to take the movie to PIXAR and give then an option on the film. If you do that you will get a great story being told by great story tellers. and you then don't have the problem of trying to get child actors the right age. you just need to get child actors that sound yong. and The Batle room will be no problem.