‘Ender’s Game’ Trailer Focuses On Stars And Action, Adaptation Continues To Draw Controversy

The big-budget film adaptation of “Ender’s Game” has its first trailer out, and it sells the story’s action but does not focus on the child protagonist.

The movie of Orson Scott Card’s classic sci-fi novel will hit theaters on Nov. 1. Directed by Gavin Hood (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine”), it stars Ben Kingsley, Harrison Ford, Abigail Breslin and Asa Butterfield.

According to the book’s synopsis, “In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin, lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut — young Ender is the Wiggin drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training.”

Ender, played by Butterfield, excels during his training but has a difficult time adjusting to becoming a great military leader as a child. During training, Ender has few friends and struggles to accept his role while battling loneliness and his fear that he’ll be just as mean and violent as his older brother.

“Ender’s Game,” with its focus on the psychological struggles of a brilliant child, may be a difficult sell for a blockbuster Hollywood movie, and the first trailer shies away from these aspects, instead putting the attention on Ford, who plays Col. Hryum Graff, charged with training the young soldiers. Kingsley is Mazor Rackham, Ender’s mentor during the training. With the new trailer, Summit Entertainment also created a Tumblr for the new movie that gives a look at the training program and the International Fleet.

The first trailer also gives a look at the climactic battle as well as the iconic zero-gravity Battle Room. While “Ender’s Game” may be a hit at the box office, its reception could be affected by the controversy over Card’s anti-gay opinions, which recently received renewed attention after he was signed to write a new “Superman” comic for DC Comics.

The “Ender’s Game” trailer can be viewed below.