OSC wrote years ago of his intention to add a psychiatrist to the list of movie characters. That way, Ender could vocalize his thoughts.

If its filmed in Michigan, like many new movies, production company gets up to a 42% tax break. Spend 10 mil on the movie get 4 mil back.

New production studio will be open soon in Metro Detroit.

Not sure if you can access this set picture if not part of the facebook group.

quote:

---

China? Or how about Al-Qaeda?

---

Though it would have been fitting for the movie and the thread if the occupying force was the Buggers

Not as much now. But the fact that every president since the beginning has had to explicitly state a belief in a Christian God in order to even be considered for election reflects, I think, how stubbornly Christian the US population is. Though new trends are moving away from that, but in the direction of less religious restriction and not more. (More agnosticism/Atheism not more Islam)

So I think the general population of the US would have to be mostly wiped out for such an occupation to work since most of us would rather die fighting than convert to Islam.

May sound extreme. But that is the culture I've observed in my lifetime. And I've been all over.

I think an occupation of the United States would need to rely on some kind of local cooperation---something that would be unlikely to be forthcoming.

quote:

---

Come to think of it, we've all strayed a bit off-topic---none of this has much to do with making a movie of Ender's Game.

---

That's why I suggested Buggers, trying to throw it back on track. Seems any topic on the forums can turn into a political commentary or degate some how.

Interglatic by the Beastie Boys.

To KDW: I do not know who owns the script so I'm not sure who's copyright is being violated here, but I post this for the readers of this site so they can see what's going on. The owner of the site linked below has taken down scripts based on author wishes, and there has been a vitriolic debate in the screenwriting community about the worth of script sites like this.

But here's the link: http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2010/02/enders-game.html

With his recent movie success, his educational background in physics and technology, inclination towards militaristic stories, and harnessing his experience with his new technology in 3D filming, as well his new way of directing movies (using his real-time "render"-cam - which allows him to point a screen in space and see the rendered cgi realtime!), not to mention his ability to manage huge productions, James Cameron is the one we should persuad to take up the project.

I say if we are serious about this - we create a sort of business plan video on why this project suits him and send it to him.

Do you know if OSC actually asked Cameron to consider the project?

OSC could have written the novelization and never even conversed with Cameron...is that possible? How does movie novelizations take place? Does the filmmaker find the writer - or the studio?

If OSC did talk with Cameron...well, I've also heard that Cameron is very controlling (almost bullying) in his movie productions. Maybe there were some head-butting going on about the script.

It hasn't happened because there is no one out there who feels strongly enough to put up the money to make the movie. That any movie gets made is a minor miracle, and one that has the added "drawbacks" of a bunch of child actors and heavy CGI is even less likely to get made. Not impossible, just less likely.

I dunno, I'm willing to bet that Cameron probably dismissed it early on (90's) because the tech wasn't there to do it right. And it seems he had his hands full inventing his new gizmos and working on tv shows, Avatar etc, to give EG serious thought.

Look, e all get advice to listen to this to read that - and it usually ends up on some to do list. I can imagine Cameron has a sizable to do list already - namely the sequel to Avatar he already promised. Then probably Battle Angel.

My point is, we should try to get him to notice EG again. Get it into the pipeline of scripts to consider. I doubt he has thought of EG since 1989.

Does OSC have a list of people he has tried/

Splurt! David Fincher!? The guy who did fight Club, and Seven? Eh, really!?...

If not Cameron, then next i'd say Zac Snyder for director - the man knows his cgi.

But of course we could always go with the director that has been phenomenal with kid actors - Shyamalan. We'll have to see how Airbender goes to know how well he handle's someone else's story.
personally, I think Shyamalan will not make it right.

quote:

---

OSC could have written the novelization and never even conversed with Cameron....

---

If you get a copy of OSC's novelization, you will be able to read about how they actually collaborated on it in a way. Cameron gave the three main actors a copy of OSC's character sketches to use in developing their characters since OSC was in on the project from early on and script changes were sent to OSC on a regular basis as filming proceeded.

Of course, this is unusual for novelizations, but OSC said he wouldn't do it any other way, and Cameron specifically wanted him for the job.

I remember hearing that George Lucas looked forward to the day when he could make movies without using any actors at all (of course, he would need characters and characterization, but I'm not sure he realizes that). When you look at the cgi in AVATAR, it almost seems possible.

----

Wow, KDW, I didn't realize they worked that close - or even that Cameron picked him out. Maybe Cameron just wasn't interested, or maybe OSC found Cameron had too abrasive a personality...

----

erm...has OSC allowed people to read his script? Is there a copy to read? Personally I think they should just use the original novel. Don't mix Ender's Shadow into it.

----

Also did someone say we should make a fake EG trailer? First what do the bugger's look like?...lol

I wonder if he did ask Cameron to direct, I'll bet that he asked him for advice at least. I just think with an ally like Cameron in the room some of the past dealbreakers (like 17 yr old Ender) wouldn't have happened.

You never know with movies, there are contractually secret chess moves going on all the time. We haven't heard anything about it in about a year, last I heard the license was at Odd Lot Entertainment I wonder if it's still there.

I read recently that the Belgian cartoonist / artist Herge ("Tintin") was all set to sign a deal for Spielberg to direct a live-action version of his work---until Herge noticed a clause in the contract that said, if Spielberg didn't like the script, he reserved the right to have somebody else direct it. Herge backed off, then and there---in the contract, he was relinquishing a lot, including merchandising and royalties thereof, and didn't see it as worthwhile to go through with if Spielberg had that kind of out.

Kubrick would be a terrible choice as his films are too cold and unemotional. Cameron would be a terrible choice because the nuances would elude him. Shyamalan would be a terrible choice because it's obvious the guy doesn't know how to tell a story anymore. (Though maybe he could do something with a script by a writer other than himself, but he doesn't do that.)

If it were possible to have Spielberg direct it without making it too sappy then he'd be a candidate. But I think Cameron already has the sensitivity and frankly I think he would better understand the zero-g camerawork that would be needed.

quote:

---

Kubrick would be a terrible choice because he's dead.

---

I'm sorry rich, but I think Fincher is a little too gritty for EG, although it would add an extra dimension to the bathroom fight scene.

I think Cameron has the right stuff for EG, but I still question whether he would ever direct a movie with which he hasn't had primary creative control. BTW, he has been given script rights to Battle Angel. No matter how much Card might like him, I don't see him giving Cameron that much power.
Kathleen, thanks for mentioning the afterword in The Abyss - I have the book, but hadn't read that.

Although I like several other directors more, I think Chris Columbus would be best suited for EG. He has the experience working with very young actors, even as a group. The movie would have to be PG-13 at the highest, because children-movies do a lot better when children can actually go to see them. He also has experience in sci-fi and special effects. And finally, he has a reputation of being slavish to original stories, which I suspect would attract Card. I believe Card is determined to have the Ender and Bean stories be combined into one story - kind of a hero/competitor/buddy type of story.

I'm...I'm speechless. I am without speech. Who's next on the list? Ratner?

Columbus - eh, looking over his prior movies...I don't think he can handle EG. He might have the basic skills, but i think he would inadvertently introduce humor into it. I need to see him direct darker subject matters. Also 12 of his 15 movies were flops.

(philo...kubrick didnt direct AI.) But...I liked AI. AI is severely underated - don't know why...
Eyes Wide Shut is a wierd one - i keep wondering what audience kubrick was imagining...most people are too jaded by pop culture to be shocked...i see eyes wide shut working on a 1960's crowd.

lol...Ratner - well, that would be one way to end the franchise.

Speaking of which does OSC want it to be a one-off movie? or a series?

I'm not that big of a fan of Columbus, but he did direct the first two Harry Potter movies, which were fairly good adaptations.

Here are some things to consider:
- Card insists on the actors being between 6 and 15 (Ender 12 or under). The director should have experience working with groups of child actors.
- The movie will need to be PG-13 or less (or it's going to bomb - movies about children that are rated-R are a poison pill in Hollywood)
- The director should also have experience with CGI and (at least) some science fiction, possibly even military stories.
- The director will have to be willing to work with Card's creative control - screenplays, approved rewrites, casting, etc.

side note: Can you imagine Ang lee directing it!?

Can you imagine a Spielburg tacked on happy ending for EG? I've been sitting here trying and I just can't.