Comic-Con : Highlights from the Ender’s Game Press Conference

Harrison Ford – or as I like to think of him, Han Indy – Hailee Steinfeld, Assa Butterfield, and director Gavin Hood sat down with press at comic con to talk briefly about “Ender’s Game” before being whisked away to Hall H for the big panel (read Brooke’s report on it here).

Highlights of the press conference:

• When asked about the Orson Scott Card controversy surrounding the novel and now the film, Harrison Ford replied with grace, stating the views aren’t those of the cast or a theme in the film. “I think none of Mr. Card’s concerns regarding the issue of gay marriage are part of the thematics of this film. He has written something that is of value to us all to consider our moral responsibilities.I think his views outside of those that we deal with in this film are not an issue for me to deal with, so I have really no opinion on that issue. I am aware of his statements admitting that the question of gay marriage is a battle that he lost, and he admits that he lost it.” Instead, he said, I think we all know (when the Supreme Court ruled) “it was a win for humanity.” Applause broke out in the press room. Well done sir.
• Director Gavin Hood was impressed with the fan experience stationed outside of comic con in downtown San Diego, where several of the practical set pieces are on display.
• Harrison Ford pontificated on the moral themes in the film: “This movie is very pressing and the novel was very pressing in recognizing something that we now have to deal with in our lives, which is the business of war. We are somewhat disconnect from that. So the morality of a military commander and a military command structure was exciting to explore as well as the reasons why we wage war.”
• Ford said there are many conversation topics that might arise out of the movie. “This movie I think is very prescient, and I think the novel was very prescient, in recognizing something that we now have as a reality in our lives, which is the ability to wage war at a distance — and to do the business of war somewhat emotionally disconnected from it. So the morality of that military commander, and the military command structure — the morality of a society which raises a military and wages war — are the moral concerns of this film. They are something we are wrestling with daily in our lives.” He would add, “The issue of having interplanetary warfare is a science fiction aspect of it, but what gives it such emotional tone and reality is that these are the concerns of our everyday lives. Drone warfare and the capacity that we have technologically is one part of the moral package. The other is the use of young people in the business of war, which has always historically been the case. The youngest and fittest of our cultures have always been the ones who were first in line for warfare.”