Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game Movie Has Been Scrapped
I hate to be the bearer of more bad news (we already announced that Shazam was dead), but it looks like Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game movie has also been scrapped. The one and only time that we mentioned this before was back in April of last year, where we reported that Wolfgang Petersen (of The Perfect Storm, Troy, Poseidon) had left the project. An update on the whole adaptation situation has arrived today courtesy of LA Times. Orson Scott Card himself spoke with the newspaper recently in promotion of his newest novel, a direct sequel to “Ender’s Game” titled “Ender in Exile”, which first hit bookshelves last November.
Apparently Orson Scott Card is intricately involved in the development process, as any good author should be. In regards to the version that Wolfgang Petersen was attached to direct at Warner Brothers, it was scrapped in November because “Card did not feel comfortable with the movie’s direction.” He told the LA Times that “he was not interested in a ‘tough-hero action film’ and refuses to condescend to green-screen Hollywood.” In turn, he imagines a “film where the human relationships are absolutely essential — an honest presentation of the story.” I don’t think anyone is opposed to that, especially fans of the book.
The problem is that the story is about child geniuses who are bred to be soldiers. It’s the “tale of a boy struggling to grow up into someone he can respect while living in an environment stripped of choices.” As brilliant as this is to read, it’s not exactly the kind of story that would be perfect for the big screen, especially considering most child actors aren’t exactly smart enough to fit the character. Card eventually wants “Ender’s Game” to be adapted, but only as long as it’s done right. Same here, Mr. Card, same here. Is it ironic that my copy of the “Ender’s Game” book just arrived tonight? Time to settle in for a good read.
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