Ender's Ansible

Ender’s Game is “a moving story”

In a recent interview with Collider, Major Anderson actor, Viola Davis dished on her upcoming films, Beautiful Creatures and Ender’s Game. She talks about her awkward fangirl encounters with Harrison Ford, her love of Ender’s Game director Gavin Hood, and calls Ender’s Game a relevant and moving story. Read below:

I did Ender’s Game.  People are really excited about that one. Harrison Ford.  And I would stare at him all the time and my husband said, ‘You gotta stop doing that!  You gotta just talk to people!  I talk to people!  You don’t talk to anybody!’ And I said, ‘I know, but it’s Harrison Ford!’  And he said, ‘I don’t care!  Just talk to him!’ But, I would just stare at him.  He said, ‘How you doing, Viola?  You know, I would have flown you out here with your daughter, when your daughter was sick.  You could have just asked me.’  And I thought, ‘I could have?!’ And then, he’d tell really racy jokes, and I would think, ‘Harrison Ford is telling me a joke!’  And then, I’d forget to laugh!  He’s awesome!  And Gavin Hood, […] He’s tough and he’s specific, and I think that it’s going to be great.  What a moving story.  And once again, it’s relevant.  It’s about training these young kids to be soldiers and to kill, and what are the after effects of that?  It’s wonderful.

Read Viola Davis’ full interview over on Collider.

Difficult Battle Room Scenes

J-14 Magazine just published a great interview with Fly Molo actor, Brandon Soo Hoo. In the interview he dishes on the Ender’s Game movie. He talks about the challenges of filming those difficult battle room scenes, working with Asa Butterfield and Abigail Breslin, his love of the story and more! Read below:

J-14: How would you describe your character in ‘Ender’s Game?’ How are you like him? How are you different than him?

Brandon Soo Hoo: My character, Fly Molo, is a veteran soldier in Battle School. At first, he is introduced as Bonzo’s lackey, but he eventually comes to recognize Ender as the superior commander. I can definitely relate to Fly’s second-in-command role. A leader will always feel the majority of the pressure in a high-stakes situation, whereas the lieutenant is usually allowed to function below the radar. However, I’d say that unlike Fly, I would have a bit of trouble putting up with Bonzo. I have mild authority issues.

J-14: What was the most challenging scene for you to film? Why?

Brandon: The most difficult to film was probably the zero grav close up shots. Core body strength is the key to appearing weightless and I don’t think I had enough of it. Imagine flexing every inch of your body for five-minute intervals while wearing several layers of motorcycles attire. Now, rep that around twenty times. Now put a camera on your face, say some lines, and try not to look like you’re dying.

J-14: What drew you to this movie?

Brandon: When I was 11, my teacher gave me my own copy of ‘Ender’s Game’ (thanks, Laura). It is still among my top five favorite books of all time. It’s funny because when I was reading the book, I was thinking, “If this book is ever made into film, I hope I can work in it.” I was thinking Han Tzu, but Fly Molo works too!

J-14: What was your first impression of Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, and Hailee Steinfeld?

Brandon: All three of them were quite charming individuals in their own ways. My first impression of Abby (Abigail) was that she was outgoing, witty, and easy to get along with right off the bat. I remember Hailee to be one of the most composed, sophisticated young women I’ve spoken to. When I met Asa, he seemed like the shy-brooding type, complete with flowy hair and teenage angst. But upon getting to know him better, I now recognize him as the hilarious, British, electro music fanatic that he is.

Read the full interview over at J-14 Magazine.

Ender Buttons at SDCC 2013!

SmartPop is giving away Ender’s Game buttons at MystiCon and San Diego Comic-Con this year! The buttons are intended to promote ‘Ender’s World’ edited by Orson Scott Card.

‘Ender’s World’ hits shelves April 2, 2013. To read a review of ‘Ender’s World’ click here. To pre-order ‘Ender’s World’ click here.

We’re sure this is just one piece of Ender’s Game material we’ll see at being seeing at SDCC this year. Are you planning on attending? Tell us in the comments!

Score one for the fans!

Film Music Reporter is reporting that composer James Horner has signed on to score the Ender’s Game film. (Fans can now give a sigh of relief that the movie won’t have a cheesy soundtrack!)

Horner is a 59-year-old American composer. He has won two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, three Satellite Awards, three Saturn Awards, and has been nominated for three British Academy Film Awards. His body of work is also notable for including the scores to the two highest-grossing films of all time: Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009), both of which were directed by James Cameron.

We have yet to confirm this with Lionsgate.

UPDATE: Lionsgate says that there is not deal with Horner, although there may be. Until then, this is still a rumor.

Here’s an interesting piece of trivia. Before Bonzo-actor, Moises Arias, signed onto the Ender’s Game film he had no idea who Harrison Ford was.

Website/ TV show, TMZ, caught up with Moises in Los Angeles and asked about his work with Ford on Ender’s Game to which Arias responds that he didn’t think he knew of Ford before accepting the role as Bonzo in the Ender’s Game movie. “I don’t think I knew Harrison Ford,” Arias admits. This is surprising given the number of major science fiction roles Harrison Ford has played over the years.

Watch TMZ’s footage of Moises Arias here.