Horner Out
Despite rumors that James Horner would score ‘Ender’s Game’, this rumor is squashed. Today Summit Entertainment confirmed that American composer Steve Jablonsky will score ‘Ender’s Game.’ His credits include all four ‘Transformers’ films, ‘Battleship,’ ‘Gangster Squad,’ and several other films and video games.
The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.
Any Me Anything!
As promised, Ender Wiggin actor, Asa Butterfield, is asking Reddit users to “ask me anything!” Reddit is known as the front page of the Internet. He may or may not answer certain questions depending in what he’s allowed to say about the ‘Ender’s Game’ movie. Ask away!
Enjoy!
Edit: Asa answered questions about the Bonzo/shower scene and more!
Q: Hi Asa, The Stinson and Bonzo scenes in the book they are very dark and very pivotal to the mindset of Ender, how true does the movie hold to the book for that scene?
A: Very, me, Gavin and the other actors had long discussions about those scenes. I’m sure they will do justice to the way they written in the story. And like in the book, they are pivotal to Enders journey.
Q: Before playing Ender, how much did you prepare in terms of researching the character? Also, what did you find most challenging about playing Ender?
A: Before I had even been offered the part, me and Gavin had numerous Skype sessions where we talked about character and the themes in the book. As with any adaptation, the original is a huge resource for an actor, and reading the book was no different. It gave a huge insight into the work and mind of Ender and in turn, it let me develop the character that much more.
Q: How long is the movie going to be? Were you offered the role of Ender or was there a competition for it? If the latter, who else applied and why were you chosen over them? Have you met Orson Scott Card? I figure you must have. How is he in person?
A: I haven’t seen the final cut so I have no clue as to how long it will be. There was a large amount of competition for the role, I’m not saying any name. But it was the hardest I have ever fought to get the part in a film. And yes, Orson came to the set once where I met him.
Q: I’m probably going to weep during your movie. Don’t worry; it’s not your fault. Thanks for putting my childhood hero on the screen.
A: I’m thrilled that the book meant so much to you, and I hope the film lives up to it. In answer to your question, the feeling of joining a group of people that was already so vast felt amazing. I really was like joining a family. When I first got the role, I said to my mum. ‘If there is one thing I want to accomplish by doing this, it is to make the lovers of the book happy. I don’t want it to be another Hollywood sci-fi piece of shit’. And from what I’ve seen so far, I can tell you that it is incredible.
Q: Are we gonna get naked kids beating the crap out of each other in the shower in Ender’s Game, cause that was easily 90% of the appeal of the books for me.
A: This is just my interpretation, but if they had kids marching up and down corridors naked. I’m pretty sure this would be more X rated than R rated.
Q: But are the fights anywhere near as brutal as in the book? Please say yes…
A: The fights are brutal, and very real. But I’m pretty sure we are aiming at PG-13 so bare that in mind.
The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.
Now on Sale!
Today, ‘Ender’s Game’ and ‘Speaker for the Dead’ are included under a special omnibus edition titled ‘Ender’s Game and Speaker for the Dead’ to celebrate the Science Fiction Book Club’s 60th anniversary. The sale of this special edition hardcover is not open to the public. You must be a member of the Science Fiction Book Club to access the limited sale.
WARNING: PURE SPECULATION BELOW
Here’s a little speculation based on all our screen grabs of the new ‘Ender’s Game’ trailer.
This still appears to be a gate to the battle room. Notice the “stars” that are cut off at the top of the picture.
Here’s another shot of a battle room gate. Is that Petra and Ender? This is possibly the scene where Petra teaches Ender to shoot. Notice gate B in the background, the same gate we saw in the production blog last year.
Here Major Anderson appears to be analyzing a brain scan. She looks sad. Could this from an injured student? Bonzo, maybe?
Obviously, the below image must be Bean’s tether that he uses in the battle room to appear to accelerate and change direction in zero-gravity.
Trained by Astronauts
Ender Wiggin actor, Asa Butterfield, spoke with Hollywood.com recently about how he got in shape for the ‘Ender’s Game’ movie. He describes space camp as a difficult experience,
“If one person in the group of about 100 extras, and 10 or so cast [members], made a mistake, everyone had to do 10 push-ups. And we’d be jogging and if one person fell behind, we’d have to do 10 push-ups. Then [the trainers would] extend it… because they’re a bit mean [laughs].”
He also talked about what being in a harness was like while he filmed the zero-gravity scenes. He says,
“We were just in a harness, it was completely up to us move our bodies in that motion — which is why it was so difficult. So to do that, you have to have your whole body completely tensed up so you’re not completely flopped over and suspended by the waist. Meanwhile, you have to move smoothly. Meanwhile, you have to say your lines in an American accent!”
Read more from Asa Butterfield’s interview with Hollywood.com here. We especially like how he describes his on-screen-relationship with Peter (Jimmy Pinchak) and Valentine (Abigail Breslin).
The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.
Ask Asa Anything!
Ender Wiggin actor, Asa Butterfield, took to Reddit after our Google Plus Hangout with him following the release of the first ‘Ender’s Game’ teaser trailer. He answered a few fan questions before calling it a night. He promises to do an AMA (Ask Me Anything) tomorrow morning (his time). You can submit questions to Asa by finding his thread on Reddit.com/r/AMA tomorrow.
Read a few of his responses from today below:
Q: Did you read the book before being offered the position as Ender? Or was it something you did after receiving the role?
A:I read the book as soon as I’d finished the script. It was something I was really really excited about
Q: I can’t really think of anything to ask that you wouldn’t get in trouble for answering. I’m a huge fan of the book. Will I be disappointed?
A: You won’t be disappointed, as long as you don’t go into the cinema thinking that the film will be 100% truthful to the book. And anything that might get me in trouble I’m just gunna ignore
Here are 57 screen caps from the ‘Ender’s Game’ trailer! Enjoy!
See them after the Jump!
Edit: And here’s a slow motion analysis of the trailer.
Watch below!
Update: Here are 57 HI-RES screencaps of the trailer!
The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.
Although we shared this ‘Ender’s Game’ – inspired song last year, ‘Ender’s Game’ fan, Noah Silver, has now decided to officially released it. This song is now titled “Pretend.” The release includes beautiful cover artwork by ‘Ender’s Game’ artist, Darian Robbins.
You can listen to and download the song for free here. Noah Silver can also be contacted at the same link.
Noah Silver, Darian Robbins and battle school engineer, Steve Sywak, are currently working on developing a music video for the song.
We can’t wait to see it!
Baseball in Battle School?
‘Entertainment Tonight’ showcased a preview of tomorrow’s ‘Ender’s Game’ trailer. Here’s a break down of the new footage:
There’s a Harrison Ford voice over saying, “They know our strategies” and we see an air fight with the buggers ships and the IF ships, weaving in and out of the clouds. Some ships are hit and burn to the ground. The ships seem to swarm like a hive. (Very awesome).
We see battle school students going up stairs, hands moving and touching a “desk” or tablet screen, and battle school students seemingly at a simulator with helmets on.
After rewatching the clip about 20 times, I’m sure we see a very quick clip of a few very important cast members playing baseball in a battle school corridor. Khylin Rhambo (Dink Meeker) is swinging a bat at a ball, Asa Butterfield (Ender Wiggin) is catcher, Brandon Soo Hoo (Fly Molo), Hailee Steinfeld (Petra Arkanian) and 2 others are visible waiting to catch the ball. I’m unsure if this is part of the movie or not, but they appear to be in costume.
Next we see battle school students in white wrestling in a weight room with Nonso Anozie (Sergeant Dap) pacing nearby. Then a series of quick shots featuring Ender’s face in various places, the battle room, marching, in some kind of a chair, etc.
Finally, there’s Ender standing at a simulator, which may or may not be the final battle. He’s moving his hands in the air as he operates a virtual simulator in front of him. He zooms in on a planet. There are blue-lighted ships at what is obviously a bugger planet. It cuts to a shot of a very large strange formic ship with small ships swarming around it. Ender shouts “NOW!” and two blue lights fly towards the middle of the screen and blow up the bugger home world.
Thanks all the extra footage, everything else were scenes we already was in the 10-second footage earlier this week.
The ‘Ender’s Game’ film will be released in U.S. theaters on November 1, 2013.