Weekend Box Office: Ender's Game ends Bad Grandpa's reign
And just like that, a new film has reached the top. The film adaptation of Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game made $28m in its debut weekend to trump last weekend's top box office film, Bad Grandpa. The sci-fi/action film starring Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield faced some controversy over the novel's author's political opinions, but that didn't stop it from making a good return in its first weekend at theaters. With Thor: The Dark World opening this Friday, however, I predict Ender's Game at the top to be short-lived. This weekend's two other new releases, Last Vegas and Free Birds, opened at 3rd and 4th, respectively. Keep your eyes on 12 Years a Slave as it spreads wider into more theaters over the next few weeks. Like I've said in the past, I predict it'll get a slow hype build the way The Butler did earlier this year.
You can read the rest of this weekend's box office numbers below.
1. Ender's Game - $28,000,000
2. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa - $20,500,000
3. Last Vegas - $16,520,000
4. Free Birds - $16,200,000
5. Gravity - $13,130,000
6. Captain Phillips - $8,500,000
7. 12 Years a Slave - $4,600,000
8. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - $4,200,000
9. Carrie - $3,400,000
10. The Counselor - $3,250,000
[via Rentrak]
New poster, film stills, and interactive panoramas for Ender's Game
The final marketing push for Ender's Game has begun with the film's release in less than one month. Below is the final poster for the film, as well as some final promotional film stills for the Gavin Hood-directed adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi staple. As you may recall, controversy has surrounded the film due to Card's personal political views overshadowing the film's production. Nevertheless, Ender's Game is still on track to become the next sci-fi YA film adaptation to fill our hearts and minds and empty our wallets.
Enjoy the new pieces, especially the 360 degree panorama pieces. It's like you're actually a part of Ender's Game.
360: Colonel Graff Command Center
360: Dragon Army Barracks
[Trailer 2] Ender's Game
[iframe id="http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/embed/endersgame/trailer2/index.html" mode="normal" align="center"]
The final trailer for Ender's Game was just revealed today, drawing importance (and mankind's future) on young Ender's (Asa Butterfield) shoulders. The film adaptation of the sci-fi epic is causing waves, both amongst fans of the novel and detractors of author Orson Scott Card's personal political ponderings. Despite the controversy, however, the story can stand on its own, with this new trailer illustrating the action-heavy tone that is shaping the film.
Considering there are over a dozen novels within the Ender's Game universe, the franchise is already prepped to be exploited and cashed in on... as long as this first film performs well. With an insanely loyal community of Ender's Game, again in spite of Card's bigotry, I'm predicting the film will make a good amount of money when it hits theaters November 1st.
A boycott of Ender's Game is brewing
The Ender's Game adaptation is shaping up to be a solid film for both literature and sci-fi fans alike. However, with anything related to Orson Scott Card's name comes the scrutiny that follows his political views. Years ago, Card made some controversial statements against marriage equality, causing quite a storm that has led to him losing writing opportunities. With the adaptation of arguably his most popular and successful novel set for a November release, the movement to boycott Ender's Game has begun.
LGBT group Geek Out has started a petition, "Skip Ender's Game," with a pretty clear directive: ignore Ender's Game. With Card set to receive money from the film's revenue, the group is aiming directly at his wallet as a show that they don't endorse his views. Card recently responded to the boycott to Entertainment Weekly recently, in which he said the following:
Ender’s Game is set more than a century in the future and has nothing to do with political issues that did not exist when the book was written in 1984.
With the recent Supreme Court ruling, the gay marriage issue becomes moot. The Full Faith and Credit clause of the Constitution will, sooner or later, give legal force in every state to any marriage contract recognized by any other state.
Now it will be interesting to see whether the victorious proponents of gay marriage will show tolerance toward those who disagreed with them when the issue was still in dispute.
Orson Scott Card
The problem I have with his statement is how ignorant it comes across. Gay rights didn't exist in 1984? Really? However, while I support most LGBT movements and hate when people on a platform spread hate and venom against people, I feel that this boycott might be a bit misdirected. Yes, it's a strong way to battle against Card's views, but in doing so, the decision also affects the actors, the production crew members, the writers, everybody attached who probably don't see eye-to-eye with Card.
What do you think? Will you boycott Ender's Game because of Card's views? Or do you even care about the controversy at all?
[via Entertainment Weekly]
New Ender's Game propaganda posters want you to join the International Fleet
The International Fleet is the centralized government in the Ender's Game universe. The film has a viral site named after the government's ship, I.F. Sentinel, has recently released some propaganda posters that share three different parts of the International Fleet's recruitment process. As film posters, they don't really stand out against similar sci-fi films. However, that's not to say that they don't look good; they definitely capture the tone Gavin Hood is exploring for the film. If you need a reminder, last month's Ender's Game trailer is still around.
Ender's Game will be hitting theaters on November 1st. Below are the three propaganda posters for the film.
[Trailer] Ender's Game
http://youtu.be/vP0cUBi4hwE
2013 is shaping up to be a big year for science-fiction films. The latest to find itself added to this list is the film adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel, Ender's Game. Directed and written by Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Ender's Game involves humanity searching for a new military leader amongst its children following an alien attack. When Ender Wiggin easily passes all of the challenges at the Battle School, he finds himself promoted to the Command School, as well as named to be humanity's new hope against the alien Formics.
The ensemble cast stars Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Harrison Ford (Star Wars), Abigail Breslin (Zombieland), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), and Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3). You can watch the special effects-heavy trailer below. Ender's Game is scheduled to hit theaters on November 1st.