Ender's Game Trailer is Finally Here

[Andy Chalk]

Ender's Game Trailer is Finally Here

[video=7248]
If humanity is going to survive, it needs a new kind of soldier.

There's an interesting conversation going on right now in The Escapist news room about how well, or perhaps how poorly, Ender's Game will make the transition from novel to movie, and whether the public at large will buy into the character and the concept. I'm inclined to think that it's likely to stumble; Ender's Game, at least as I recall it, is more thoughtful than crash-bang-boom, and we all know which one puts butts in seats.

Perhaps the greater stumbling block will be the Ender's Game author himself, Orson Scott Card, who's earned a rather ugly reputation for his staunch - some would say fanatical - opposition to marriage equality. Card's planned participation in a Superman comic was "put on hold" by DC Comics earlier this year after the artist on the book canceled [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122519-Artist-Quits-Superman-Book-Over-Orson-Scott-Card-Furor] at the urging of Epic Games. Card is serving as producer on the film, which could (and almost certainly will) lead to some degree of backlash.

But it is a pretty solid trailer, with the right "look," for lack of a better term, an outstanding cast and enough explosions to attract the attention of people for whom the title doesn't carry any weight on its own. It's a promising start - but will it fly?

Ender's Game is set to hit theaters on November 1.


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[Azaraxzealot]

I don't know what in the world the trailer is trying to show, but that isn't Ender's Game, the book I read had a slow pace, was contemplative, and the only violence that happened to the characters was when the children beat the shit out of (and sometimes killed) each other. They must REALLY be reaching to create exciting action setpieces for the trailers.

I thought it'd be something more akin to Jarhead or Zero Dark Thirty but it seems they want to try to turn it into a generic Sci-Fi movie :/

 

[moggett88]

I will probably go to see this - I love the book, and as long as it doesnt go too Michael Bay it shouldnt be awful...although that said, it annoys me that

Spoiler

the trailer contains one of the final moments of the book; the climax where Ender destroys the bugger homeworld. Trailers in general need to stop blowing plot points.

Lets hope that OSC keeps as far away from it as possible.

 

[josemlopes]

A movie with a kid in the lead... I never read the book but it probably worked because you never hear him talk. I will still give it a chance but most of the times kids in movie are annoying as fuck

 

[QtheMuse]

Ah so it begins again, people hating works of art due to the personnel beliefs of the artist.

OSC hating teh GHEYs gets people all up in arms. That and he is a strict Mormon.

 

[Ekim Takusan]

It may just be the fact that I loved the Ender books so very much growing up, but I really want to see this do well. The original war video footage that Ender spent hours pouring over in the book at the start of the trailer looks great from my point of view, however it and the drama/action music messes up the themes that the book conveyed more than a bit. The cast looks great, especially Asa Butterfield. I'm glad to see a talented child actor who has proven that he has the chops to be in this role, sadly this could be the role that makes or breaks him in a big way.

I know we are all more than a bit irate over the end of the trailer, but sadly they wanted to use intensity as a selling point and as far as it goes that was one of the most intense and meaningful moments in the entire book. Sadly it is also a massive spoiler waiting to happen, I get that, really I do, but if you can look past the planet destroying laser and the music and the dog fighting jets the trailer seems fairly action empty.

Which is a good thing.

Ender was a thoughtful and thought provoking book and I am still hopeful that it will be great and do well.

Card is a great author who wove a world from words that gripped many and I hope his personal life and beliefs are left outside were they belong.

TLDR? Great book. Good trailer, a bit flawed but what isn't?

 

[RJ Dalton]

Meh. I never got into Ender's Game all that much. Now, Speaker for the Dead, on the other hand, that was an excellent piece of science fiction. But I don't see either of those novels working as a movie. Ender's Game is too slow and contemplative, while Speaker for the Dead is too cerebral.
Not that I think a cerebral movie wouldn't be good, it's just not something Hollywood would ever go for.

 

[Xanex]

I do believe that this movie is going to get the "Eragon" treatment. A complete rush job, bastardizing the book to fit it into 2 hours.

 

[flarty]

Spoiler

bugger homeworld.

Am I to believe these children are striking back against the catholic church?

 

[Resin213]

Hah, they might as well skip to speaker for the dead, already watched trailer.

 

[knight steel]

Yay this awesome I love the book-and this look like it will be a fun adaptation
Wait.........did.......did they spoil the ending in the trailer *REWATCH'S*

Spoiler: Ending spoiler

That last scene is totally the destruction of the bugger planet and the human victory-at least they kept the big twist in place without revealing it

Dammit trailers stop doing stuff like that ><

This trailer doesn't actually look too terrible, and the visuals in particular are impressively realized. I've only ever heard good things about the novel too.

It's just a shame I'd rather cut off my hand than give a cent to Orson Scott Card, and if he's in a producer role that's an even bigger reason for me to keep my money away.

Yeah that's the only problem I have with seeing this......Dammit why did the author of such a great book have to be such a bigot T_T

Weasley Crusher: The Movie.
Ah well It's good to see Harrison Ford still in stuff.

Yeah It was fun see old Han Solo in a modern film,and yes I will always see Him as Han solo.......now all we need is a wookie

That's the distinction needed here. There's us (who remember the bathroom fight, the ending, and the zero G laser tag), who will be critical and anal as hell over how this title is.

My only real question here, and I might end up watching this trailer again a few times, is if Bean is in it! That poor, poor kid...

Wait are you suggesting that they won't have the bathroom fight and what about his sadistic brother Peter.........goddammit they better not cut out the violent stuff or I will be pissed.

 

[Cookiegerard]

As someone who has never read the book, and only know the author through his "How to write Fantasy and Sci Fi" book and the whole homophobe thing... the film looks meh.

It looks the same as all the other "Something bad happened to earth in the future" movies coming out this year. A CGI heavy mindless thriller pretending to be all deep and meaningful.

I am aware the book is different from the way I described it, because if you are going off the comments I've seen about the books on a few websites, it is quite good, but I am just basing it off the trailer. I might read the book someday, but I might just avoid the movie until then.

 

[Baresark]

Meh, people need to grow up. Your opinion of a man should not influence your opinion of a man's work. Looks interesting enough. Truth be told, I never found OSC all that interesting of a writer. Probably something to do with people always telling me I should like his work.

 

[synobal]

Boy they didn't believe in not blowing their wad with the first trailer.

Spoiler

I mean come on showing the destruction of the bugger planet in the very first trailer.

I mean I get it everyone has read the book but you could at least pretend right? I'll likely go and watch the movie if only to see just how bad they mangle the book and to count how many times they get microgravity wrong.

 

[knight steel]

That's the distinction needed here. There's us (who remember the bathroom fight, the ending, and the zero G laser tag), who will be critical and anal as hell over how this title is.

My only real question here, and I might end up watching this trailer again a few times, is if Bean is in it! That poor, poor kid...

Wait are you suggesting that they won't have the bathroom fight and what about his sadistic brother Peter.........goddammit they better not cut out the violent stuff or I will be pissed.

I wasn't suggesting that, but that is actually a good question.

It's been a fair while since I've read the first book, but from what I remember it did state something to the effect of them (or at least Ender) being naked. Bigger kid goes in for grab, he slips out thanks to sudsyness, and then boom goes the dynamite essentially.

I honestly wouldn't be too surprised to see that particular scene cut or edited in some way as to quickly diminish just how horrifically dangerous to a movie's financial success that kind of scene would be. Seeing "naked boys wrestle in soap" on the headlines of newspapers would pretty much slaughter the potential revenue of the film I would imagine.


As for Peter? Well... sadistic individuals aren't even close to being nearly as stigmatizing as the above, so it's likely to be in the movie. I'm willing to bet it is at least.

Yeah children kicking their enemies in the balls while butt naked leading to their death's aren't really the best material to hook audiences......but they could alter it-make it happen while they are dressed would do the trick also *phew* I was worried that peter would be cut out [because of the you know the whole I skin squirrels and try to kill my younger brother for fun bit] but you're right he's too important for that to happen.