Ender’s Game Producer, Robert Orci, just tweeted that a new blog for the Ender’s Game Movie will drop this Tuesday! Check out his tweet below:
@boborci: Starting an #EndersGame behind the scenes production blog through tumblr this week. Drops on Tuesday, so check it out!
Now, remember that the Ender’s Game production company, Summit Entertainment, was recently bought by Lionsgate. If this Tumblr is anything like the Tumblr they’ve used to promote The Hunger Games movie (see it here), we think that Ender’s Game fans are in for a real treat! What type of behind the scenes content do you want to see on the Ender’s Game Tumblr?
Edit: Could this be the not-so-finished Tumblr they’ll use to promote the movie?
Edit (again): Looks like this behind the scenes blog is behind schedule. We’ll bring it to you as soon as it’s posted, until then Ender’s Game producer, Mandy Safavi, says “Thanks for your patience guys. We are working on it. Hang tight …!” via her Twitter.
The following is provided as a service for those who do not follow the Twitter feeds for the cast and crew of Ender’s Game. Apart from seeing ample evidence of the fun and friendship going on with the cast and crew, there are some pretty fascinating hints as to what exactly is getting filmed, and with who. I’ve compiled the tweets over the past two days that I thought would perhaps be of most interest to those following the production. Speculate away in the comments!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Hailee Steinfeld (Petra) and Khylin Rhambo (Dink) flew into New Orleans (first time in this production for Hailee), while work continues on set (touted by production assistant Mandy Safavi) with those already there, such as Aramis Knight (Bean) Asa Butterfield (Ender), and Suraj Partha (Alai):
Khylin Rhambo: On my way to Nola 😉
Aramis Knight: ok gotta go I’m being called to the set 🙂
Mandy Safavi: All our sets are incredible but this one has gotta be my fav… #EndersGame
Khylin Rhambo: Aaaaaand lift off ✈
Aramis Knight : Great relaxed day with @asabfb @surajpartha @HaileeSteinfeld #EndersGame
Evening ended with a fun cast and crew dinner with Hailee Steinfeld, Khylin Rhambo, Aramis Knight, and others.
Hailee Steinfeld: Fun night with @haileybaldwin @Khy_Rhambo & @AramisKnight88 !!! Oh, and Jill… 😉
Khylin Rhambo: met the home girl @HaileeSteinfeld today ! Awesome dinner with the crew 😀
Aramis Knight: Sick dinner with @Khy_Rhambo @HaileeSteinfeld @haileybaldwin
hailey baldwin: Good to hang with my girl @haileesteinfeld tonight
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Filming today with Suraj Partha (Alai), Asa Butterfield (Ender), and Conor Carroll (Bernard) on an “Epic” set.
Suraj Partha: Great day of shooting with @asabfb @AramisKnight88 and Conor Carroll! #endersgame
Asa Butterfield: Great day filming with @AramisKnight88 and @surajpartha . Ready for another day of the EPIC set.
Suraj Partha: All you Ender’s Game fans, this film is going to be so #epic !!! #endersgame
What do you think they’re up to filming these days?
Valentine Wiggin needs a stunt double for the Ender’s Game movie, and her name is Kristina Baskett. She has stunt double experience in 90210 and ABC family’s Make It or Break It. You can read her full credit here.
We aren’t sure what scenes Valentine would need a stunt double for, as author Orson Scott Card has previously said that the Locke & Demosthenes and the Mind Game material would need to be cut in the Ender’s Game movie. If we had to speculate, we’d probably say it’s the lake scene- maybe Abigail Breslin isn’t entirely comfortable with diving/swimming. What do you think?
Update: Yesterday, Abigail Breslin posted to Facebook that she can’t swim. Our prediction is plausible; she probably needed a stunt double to film the lake scene where she swims with Ender during his leave on Earth.
According to the Aiken Standard, a middle school parent in South Carolina is fighting to stop Ender’s Game being read in school. The student and parent complained to the administration that the book’s material was pornographic and inappropriate for the classroom.
Joy Shealy, the school district’s academic officer for middle schools, stated that there is a policy which defines steps teachers ought to take when presenting supplemental material. “One of the things that teachers are supposed to do is preview material for appropriateness for any questions that may come up,” Shealy said. “By doing that, we make sure the materials that are presented to students are age and instructionally appropriate – all the things that make a good instructional program.”
While Ender’s Game and two other books are under review, the teacher who presented Ender’s Game to his student has been placed on administrative leave. Ender’s Game is recommended for ages 12 and up; the middle school student at the source of the complaint is 14-years-old.
How many of the readers here had to read Ender’s Game in school? At what age?
Update: A local news station reports, the three books that were under review are Ender’s Game, Devil’s Paintbox by Victoria McKearnan; and Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case by Agathie Christie. Two of these three books has been deemed inappropriate by the school district for middle school students. Whether Ender’s Game is one of the books labeled inappropriate is not clear yet. The teacher who assigned these books is still on administrative leave while investigators determine whether criminal files will be charged.
Here’s a snapshot of the Ender’s Game movie cast out for a bite to eat, we just had to share! Aramis Knight posted on Facebook, “The #Endergame BFFs at Cafe du Monde for some cafe and beignets in February. Can’t wait till we’re all togerther again.”
(Click to enlarge!) In the far middle is Brendan Meyer who recently left the movie for scheduling reasons, and clockwise we have Jimmy Pinchak (Peter), Moises Arias (Bonzo), Abigail Breslin (Valentine), Aramis Knight (Bean), and Brandon Soo Hoo (Fly Molo).
Abigail Breslin and Jimmy Pinchak recently tweeted about wrapping on set. Hailee Steinfeld finally got to set earlier this week, and Khylin Rhambo will return to set shortly. It seems that filming as switched from Earth to Battle School. Who’s excited?
These are pins the "Jeesh" earned after completing training at space camp.
Set Insiders Reveal Scene Descriptions and More!
The Ender’s Game movie has been filming for little more than a week now, but there has already been some exciting news. First, read the most recent movie synopsis released in the press release,
“In the near future, a hostile alien race (Formics) have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Fleet (IF) Military are training only the best young children to find the future Mazer. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy, but strategically brilliant boy is pulled out of his school to join the elite. Ender easily masters increasingly difficult war games, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers at Battle School. Ordained by Graff as the IF’s next great hope, Ender is promoted to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and humankind.”
Apart from labeling Ender as shy, we think it sounds great!
Now, you may have read the Ender’s Game Twitter feed and seen a lot of Ender’s Game cast tweets about “up in the air” or “zero gravity.” Our anonymous set insiders tell us that those tweets are about rehearsing battle scenes up in the air. Those scenes may have been shot by the time this news story is posted, but we know that members of the “Jeesh” were trained at NASA’s space camp from their tweets and the picture (above) of pins they were award for completing space camp, tweeted by Bean actor, Aramis Knight.
The first three days of filming were scenes from Ender’s public school, before he leaves for the Battle School. One insider describes a hallway scene where Ender is called to the infirmary (presumably to remove his monitor).
What do Ender’s Game “desks” look like, you ask? We wondered, with two product placement coordinators on the Ender’s Game movie crew (Adam and Cat Stone) if they would be using brand name tablets in the movie. Our set insiders say no.
“The main part of the desk is a piece of see-through plexiglass that is about the size of a 14″ laptop. The plexiglass also has slightly rounded edges. About an inch from the edges on the front of the plexiglass is a centimeter thick line painted on in silver. It is a slighty shimmery silver. Just inside this silver border on the bottom right and left hand sides there was a small circle painted (If the desk actually worked, these would be used as the joysticks). Around the entire edging of the plexiglass is a piece of silver plastic. This was also slight shimmery. It looked like an iPhone bumper except just a little thicker. I believe on one side it also included the emblem of the battle school. The back looks a lot like the front except without an emblem and also no joysticks.”
Our insiders suggest that they may look a little like this: You can see more images of this tablet here.
That’s all for now, but keep checking the site for more Ender’s Game movie updates! Remember, if you have a tip don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re loving the infirmary scene, but what’s your favorite piece of recent news?
“Hey guys. Unfortunately, I had to leave the cast of Ender’s Game due to a last minute scheduling conflict. Although I’m disappointed, I wish the cast and crew all the best with this awesome movie. I’ll be announcing my new & exciting projects in the next couple of days, so keep an eye out. Thanks for your support!”
This coincides and confirms with information we’ve heard in the past week from on-set concerning filming and the role of Stilson, and also this press release from New Orleans noting that the role of Stilson would be played by Caleb J. Thaggard:
While it’s unfortunate that these scheduling conflicts happen, we’re glad that the production is able to roll on. We wish Brendan Meyer the best, and now look forward to seeing Caleb Thaggard at work as the bully that changes Ender’s life.
What are your thoughts on the casting change?
P.S. If you haven’t already you should go “like” our Facebook page so that your Ender news can appear in your news feed!
Longtime Ender fan (and a long-time registered PhiloticWeb.net member) Noah Silver has recorded a wonderful song inspired by Ender’s Game.
Especially to all Ender’s Game Cast members reading out there – check it out! Tell us what you think! Noah Silver would also love it if director Gavin Hood happened to hear it as well! (hint, hint!)
Alexis Allen, who is in charge of casting extras tweeted:
Ender’s Game producer, Robert Orci tweeted:
Both Brendan Meyer (Stilson) and Brandon Soo Hoo (Fly Molo) have left the set already, which makes us believe some filming has in fact already done. In any case, wish the cast happy filming!
If anyone has any information on the production they would like us to share with the Ender’s Game fan community, (or even information you’d like to share with our web team that you’d prefer that we don’t share with the rest of the world) please feel free to contact us!
What scenes would you be most interested in learning about?
