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A place to discuss official news from the production of the Ender's Game film, due in theaters November 2013
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neo-dragon
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Postby neo-dragon » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:37 pm

To whom it may concern:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news07/070419s.php

and

http://movies.ign.com/articles/781/781573p1.html

Still doesn't sound like anything's happening...

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Postby Mich » Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:18 am

Neo, you always bring such bitter-sweet news.

I personally like the end of the IGN article:
Look to IGN for more news on the Ender's Game movie down the line!
Ha!
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Postby locke » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:06 am

Allow me to interpret, please don't copy any of this anywhere (AICNetc), here's the quick version - the movie is dead and Wolfgang Petersen is no longer attached.
IGN Movies talked with author Orson Scott Card yesterday and he confirmed that the big-screen version of his novel Ender's Game has been put into turnaround at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Interpretation: Turnaround means that WB doesn't believe the project will work--they are abandoning it. However they've invested a lot of money into the project (paying writers, buying options etc, so they auction the property to other studios for the cost they've invested, they come out of the deal with no losses other than time wasted on a project that went no where. Turnaround is a way to recoup losses through auction of a property, nothing more. *
Card calls the move "a good thing" as it opens up the project to be shopped to other studios.
It can be a good thing, there have been successful films made from turnaround projects, about 1 in 20 are probably reasonable odds. Usually if a film is going to be picked up, the deal is already in place before turnaround is announced, because it extends publicity and is a face saving measure for both studios.


*Do a 'search inside the book' at amazon for "turnaround" in the _Movie Business Book_ edited by Jason Squire for a more precise analysis of the pros and cons of the situation.
Last edited by locke on Sat May 31, 2008 8:07 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Postby Boothby » Fri Apr 20, 2007 10:17 am

I guess this means I should hold on to my day job...

Damn!
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Postby neo-dragon » Fri Apr 20, 2007 11:10 am

Um, thanks for the translation... It turns out the news is much worse than I originally realized. :x

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Postby Mich » Fri Apr 20, 2007 12:18 pm

Locke, you've always been such an optimist :).

But, as I said, bitter-sweet, just more bitter than sweet. Yes, there are many, many cons to a turnaround, but there are also pros: maybe a company that Card trusts will pick it up, or some millionaire with a flair for science fiction novels and an odd taste for rabbit flesh will decide to give many moneys to Fresco/Chartoff!
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Postby onyxivy » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:18 pm

All of this is pretty heartbreaking. I already thought that the film was definitely in the works, and that it was just a matter of time.

Sadness.
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Postby Boothby » Tue Jun 19, 2007 9:29 pm

There's a new interview with OSC:

http://news.filefront.com/gaming-todays ... cott-card/

No new direction (or production house, or director), but a lot of interesting detail...
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Postby Mich » Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:24 pm

You are correct, there is some pretty interesting detail in there. The ideas for different games I find particularly interesting; something we have always discussed, and one of those "I'm bored at lunch, what should we talk about?" conversations that commonly comes up among my group of friends.

However, I find his "explanation" of turnaround a tid bit misleading. Well, let's say it's falsely optimistic. But I guess that's what he's always said, isn't it?
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Postby locke » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:18 pm

OSC is a tremendously brilliant guy, and quite fascinating to have a conversation with in person, if you're not on the subject of film, but I don't think Ender's Game will be made for a long long time, simply because OSC doesn't acknowledge the languages, idioms and grammers of film. And it's very hard to work with or even accommodate someone who refuses to acknowledge you're even speaking a language to them because their own language is the 'only' one. Apparently, OSC is unaware the very first significant artistic advance (and advantage) of the cinematic language was to communicate internal conflict visually--more than eighty years ago--and they've been refining and improving the endless possibilities of that grammer and vocabulary ever since.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby gazie101 » Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:10 pm

I would agree with much of locke's translation of the OSC interview. WB's EG Movie 5 year venture has for me been nothing but frustrating tantalization.

I am sure it is obvious to all of us now that the writing of the script has been the stumbling block, 3 different writing teams and 7+ complete drafts?

I however disagree with his (locke's) view on OSC's inability to get his head around the 'language of film'
"If you just filmed the book, you would have a completely lousy movie. The book takes place in Ender’s head; the movie can’t take you there. Without Ender’s thoughts, he just looks like a violent little kid. So with the movie scripts, I’ve been doing the things that are necessary to make it work as a movie."
OSC - 2007, source

It's clear to me at least from the above quote that OSC understands the requirement 'to communicate internal conflict visually'. Of course he's going to have to shake up the story. I think if a good EG script is written it will have to be what Blade Runner was to Dick's; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep a lip service to the novel only.

So I do share Mich's optimism; Because I believe the problem lies with WB and the initial plans to combine Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow story's which are very different and occasionally contradicting into one movie.

I don't want to sound like a fanboy, but I really think OSC having learnt from previous attempts and with his new found freedom will get his head around this problem some how. Also should he secure independent funding I am certain it will result in a film better than anything that could have been created with funding from WB.
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Postby locke » Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:13 am

http://greensboro.rhinotimes.com/Articl ... Skies.html

An indication of Card's attitudes towards working with hollywood.
"Studios create nothing. They just decide which scripts to make and pay for them.
...
The money can come from anywhere; any director and cinematographer can film it; any actors can play the parts. Some will do better than others, of course, and some are more commercial, but only the script is irreplaceable."
pretty effective bridge burning.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Craig » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:31 am

Peterson officially off the movie, first draft of new screenplay is done and Card is working on the rewrite. Producers hope to move forward and begin filming in early 2009 (yeah right). At least it's news and at least they're still trying to get it made.

http://io9.com/381714/wolfgang-peterson-off-enders-game

Salaam

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Postby mazer » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:02 pm

Yay, news I just wish it was good news :cry:

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Postby Young Val » Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:02 pm

Yet another occasion that I wish we had the old laughing smiley back.

They new one just doesn't convey the proper hilarity.
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Postby Craig » Fri Apr 25, 2008 8:41 pm

Taken from the same site...
Orson Scott Card had his own panel at NYCC on Saturday, and he talked about the Ender's Game movie. He said that he and Petersen split because Petersen wanted to make a movie that was called Ender's Game but had no relation to the book that Card had written. He also said that he is currently talking with a director who "gets it" and has ambitions of making a movie that could contend for Best Picture, not just be another summer sci-fi blockbuster. On a side note, he called this director "she," so feel free to speculate who that might be. (Oscar ambitions, good with kids... Jodie Foster, perhaps?) Furthermore, he said he had finished the fifth draft of the screenplay and offhandedly referred to it as the "Battle School" story, so expect a good dose of Bean and the other kids, not just Ender. As for casting, he said that if the story is about a worldwide search for Battle School candidates and you don't have 80% of them from southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Africa, then you're not doing the story right, despite Hollywood's white-centric preferences. And as for Ender himself, he said he was so optimistic about the movie's development, the kid who will play Ender (not cast yet, of course) is probably in first grade now and will be in fourth grade by the time they get filming.
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Postby Mich » Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:41 am

Assuming any of it is true and accurate, sounds like the best and most hopeful news we've heard in a long time. Still waiting for a studio to pick it up in turnaround, though, aren't we? Or am I behind on the times?
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Postby Craig » Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:21 pm

As far as I know it's still in turnaround. Nothing has been said otherwise. But if OSC and Peterson weren't seeing eye to eye that was just a recipe for disaster. If OSC gets a director and they share the same vision it'll be easier to get the studio on board. If in fact Warner Bros. still owns the rights, and the project begins to look appealing to them again, they may choose to make it.

But this is good news to me. It means it won't be made for a while but I never liked Peterson as director anyway.

Salaam

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Postby shadow_8818 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:45 pm

Wow by reading these post, I Learned they still have nothing for the movie. But lots of cool ideas.
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Postby bane » Sun Nov 16, 2008 10:49 am

even though they're still at pre-production, im really happy OSC is personally making sure that it gets done right.

also this movie will have a lot of animation and special effects. therefore, waiting a couple more years for it to be produced will only improve the quality. special effects tech just gets more realistic every year.

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Postby Person122 » Fri Nov 21, 2008 7:09 pm

I don't know if anyone has noticed this yet, but I was looking around for any news what so ever concerning the Ender's Game movie, and I found this on Taleswapper.net:
Movie Update - November 14, 2008

The Warner Bros. option on Ender's Game expired on November 2nd, 2008. Ender's Game was immediately optioned by another funding and producing entity, and OSC is hard at work on polishing a draft of the screenplay. Says OSC: "I am so optimistic that I believe the actor who will play Ender has not only been born - he's already in school."
Wow, this project seems to have been going on for ages now. :shock:
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Postby Craig » Fri Nov 21, 2008 8:33 pm

Hmm.... I wonder who picked it up...

Salaam

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Postby locke » Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:14 pm

Marvel, would be my guess.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Mich » Fri Nov 21, 2008 11:22 pm

Marvel, would be my guess.
If it's true, then your predictions when the comic came out would be correct. This is possibly the most optimism-inspiring news I've heard on EG for a long time.
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Postby Craig » Mon Nov 24, 2008 12:44 pm

I agree. I was thinking Marvel too. But it does seem like they have a lot on their plate right now... Hard to say. If it's Marvel, then it might actually be done right! Here's another bit of news I've been able to scrounge up.

At the Scream awards, Deborah Del Prate announced that she is working with Orson Scott Card to adapt his cult classic sci-fi novel, Ender’s Game. She claims, “I’ve been working with Orson Scott Card now, and we’re talking about doing Ender’s Game.”

Although this sounds great, I still can’t help but hear the “talking about” in that quote. Maybe she’s just a woman who doesn’t speak with conviction, but it’s that phrase that worries me. She tells Collider.com, “That’s a project I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I love that book.” Who doesn’t!

Scott Card himself will be adapting the script with still no director attached. No casting, other than projected, has been announced.

Del Prate is just coming off production of Frank Miller’s version of The Spirit, so she should know her way around adapting a classic work from the library of geek. Word is still not in about the quality of the film, but it certainly looks pretty. Del Prate also announced that she is working with Mr. Frank Miller himself on at least two other projects, one being a “revitaliz[ation of] an old sci-fi hero” that they have yet to announce. I’m intrigued.

In the meantime, Ender fans are just going to have to settle for the comic book medium. Christopher Yost has written a comic that has gotten Scott Card’s official stamp of approval. The Ender’s Game Movie website reports that the author said this about Yost’s comic adaptation: “What he came back with was so powerful that it made me feel like I was reading the story for the first time. It came totally alive.” No date has yet been announced about the release of the comic. Then again, maybe fans of the book should just go read the book again, or its many sequels.

For sketches of the comic, check out the fan site Enderverse.
http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=10601

Salaam

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Postby Jebus » Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:47 am

I wonder if we can get a petition going to stop OSC from writing the script himself.

"Well you see I had always really intended for Ender to be a Mormon who was suspiscious of Democrats and their gay-agenda, but I never knew how to make it fit in a story about triumphing over great adversity. But now thanks to the medium of film and an early onset of senility, I can finally show Ender the way he was meant to be!"

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Postby locke » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:50 am

I wonder if we can get a petition going to stop OSC from writing the script himself.

"Well you see I had always really intended for Ender to be a Mormon who was suspiscious of Democrats and their gay-agenda, but I never knew how to make it fit in a story about triumphing over great adversity. But now thanks to the medium of film and an early onset of senility, I can finally show Ender the way he was meant to be!"
:lol:

also, thanks for the news, Craig. the article has a typo though, it's Deborah del Prete not Prate. and she's a producer.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby elfprince13 » Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:58 pm

I wonder if we can get a petition going to stop OSC from writing the script himself.

"Well you see I had always really intended for Ender to be a Mormon who was suspiscious of Democrats and their gay-agenda, but I never knew how to make it fit in a story about triumphing over great adversity. But now thanks to the medium of film and an early onset of senility, I can finally show Ender the way he was meant to be!"
granted EiE had a whole section at the end explaining his retconning, the entire thing was centered on like 3 names. big whoop. after reading Songmaster, and for that matter, essentially everything Card has ever written, I have confidence in his artistic integrity, and his ability to tie religion into his writing without being preachy, and without it even being his religion, obvious parallels in the Homecoming series aside, the only explicitly Mormon characters I remember from ANY of his books are Theresa Wiggen--and she's not even practicing, and the family from Lost Boys.
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Postby Jebus » Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:42 pm

That is a much more coherent response than I thought I was going to get from someone named elfprince13. Well done!

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Postby elfprince13 » Mon Dec 15, 2008 2:02 pm

That is a much more coherent response than I thought I was going to get from someone named elfprince13. Well done!
thanks, though I suppose that's what I get for using the same alias for 5+ years ;)
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Postby Hector.Victorious » Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:39 pm

Oh no!

I didn't believe this at first, but since it's taking such a long time...
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Postby Mich » Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:41 pm

Just a rehash of a rehash. They don't know anything anyone else doesn't, as far as I can tell.
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Postby locke » Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:50 pm

thanks for the link, the article also has a link to the LA times that's a pretty good article too. :)
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Hector.Victorious » Wed Jan 07, 2009 5:09 pm

Thanks. I got it in a google web alert for the movie and OSC.
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Postby human. » Sat Jan 10, 2009 11:35 pm

Oh, that's rather sad. Though the LA times article seems more optimistic. I hope it becomes a movie someday. That would be nice.


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