Any adaptation of a well-loved book, particularly a genre novel, is often met with shrill yelps of “Really? Why can’t they leave it alone? It’s my FAVOURITE book! I loved it before anyone else read it. Even the author!” Such cries from Orson Scott Card fans fell on deaf ears when Hollywood stepped up to adapt his sci-fi classic, Ender’s Game. It’s not the only sci-fi tome this year that’s made the move from page to screen – and this first full length teaser attests that it might possibly be the most successful.
Following on from the brief snippet of footage released last week, this latest trailer fleshes out those initial glimpses. Harrison Ford commandeers the narrator role, his voiceover guiding the direction of the story. Intermittent shots of a fleet of aircraft getting blown up look mightily impressive. Asa Butterfield in the lead as Andrew “Ender” Wiggins, is slowly making the transition from child actor to teen actor by waving his arms about and shouting at translucent monitors. More footage of Ben Kingsley as badass Mazer Rackham is only too welcome, as the seasoned veteran brings his years of experience to creating a character who, from this short trailer, is thoroughly tough-as-nails.
What’s most exciting are the chances to see more of the female cast members. Abigail Breslin and Hailee Steinfeld make flash-and-you-miss-them appearances, while Viola Davis is granted a few lines. Davis, who was Oscar-nominated for her role in The Help, is a joy to watch. Not the sort of actress you’d expect in a sci-fi actioner, she looks like she’s relishing every moment of her performance.
Directed by Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Tsotsi), the film follows Ender in a distant future when the Earth is under attack from a nasty bunch of aliens. As he excels at Battle School, Ender may be the only hope for humanity.
Ender’s Game is released on November 1st, 2013. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think.