Anghus Houvouras on the marketing campaign for Ender’s Game and how it’s the perfect example of how not to launch a four quadrant franchise….
I hate box office prognostication. This isn’t a column whose goal is to handicap or accurately guess how much Ender’s Game is going to make. Our collective fascination with the balance sheet of Hollywood blockbusters is something I abhor. Nor do I want to contribute to crucifying a movie prior to release. I will however opine on a film’s marketing, particularly in an instance where it seems like a real hindrance to the finished film. That very well seems the case for Ender’s Game which comes out this Friday. The film has been beleaguered by bad press and hampered by terrible marketing. What once felt like a potential ‘can’t miss’ hit feels like it’s about to crash and burn on opening weekend.
When 2013 began, Ender’s Game was easily one of the most anticipated big budget films in the pipeline. The source material is considered by some to be a modern sci-fi classic and the hopes were high that this could be the first installment of a new franchise. Summit made sure to pack the film with quality actors including Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley. After years of development issues, fans felt confident that they were going to get a worthy adaptation…
But then something went wrong.
And no, I don’t mean the controversy over author and producer Orson Scott Card’s hardline anti-gay marriage position which went beyond normal rhetoric and into ‘crazy gun toting lets overthrow the Government’ territory. Though I can’t imagine that helped.
I’m talking about the marketing for the film which has been a strange and awkward series of trailers and commercials that has not only failed to generate interest in the movies, but one could argue has actually worked overtime to curb enthusiasm for the film.
Both the trailer and commercials feature the basic tenants one has come to expect in a big budget blockbuster: Attempts at epic narration, glimpses of big name talent, and oodles of special effects. However, the Ender’s Game marketing lacks cohesion. The marketing is ugly and stiff. And the elements they’re focusing on are guaranteed to keep certain demographics away from the theater. So much of the Ender’s Game game plan is off. For example…
1. Harrison Ford’s terrible line readings
To call Harrison Ford’s voice overs for Ender’s Game wooden feels insulting to mahogany. The stiff, emotionless drone does nothing to generate any excitement. I don’t know if the character he’s playing had his charisma surgically removed, but there’s depressingly little energy to his performance in the marketing materials. And if the guy starring in the movie can’t muster any enthusiasm, what chance do I have?
2. There’s no ‘Holy Shit’ moment
Every good piece of marketing needs that ‘wow’ moment. Ender’s Game hasn’t been able to produce a single solitary one. They try. There’s a moment in the trailer where Ender positions a bunch of ships underneath an ice field and fires upwards into enemy ships. They cut to someone saying “No one’s ever done that before.” Seriously? No one in the history of space war ever considered firing lasers from behind cover. None of these future battle geniuses ever thought about employing stealth? No wonder they’re losing this war. All the marketing for Ender’s Game hasn’t produced a single must see moment. For a big budget blockbuster set amidst an intergalactic conflict, that’s tragic.
3. Casting a lead on the wrong side of puberty
Your movie is already going to have to work overtime to get women into the theater. This demographic isn’t exactly lining up in droves Thursday at midnight to see a science fiction epic (no offense female Sci-Fi fans). To rope in the casual female movie-goer, you either need to:
A. Balance the heavy sci-fi elements with some of the personal elements and relationship drama from the story.
B. Focus on the female members of the cast, which apparently they don’t have. Seeing Viola Davis in the commercial for a nanosecond isn’t enough.
C. Have a lead actor who can attract the female demographic.
Nothing against Asa Butterfield, but if you’re going to pull in the female quadrant Summit should have cast someone a little more like Robert Pattinson from Twilight than Daniel Radcliffe from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I could be wrong on this. Lord knows the female demo isn’t exactly my area of expertise. But if I was sinking $100 million dollars into a hard sci-fi adaptation with franchise aspirations, I might consider going with a lead that is more classically handsome than adorable.
4. From the Director of X-Men Origins: Wolverine…
Can you even imagine seeing that title card? The laughter that would erupt from everyone who suffered through that train wreck of a film? I’m sure Gavin Hood is a decent guy. Right now it feels like he could become the next Renny Harlin or the next Stephen Norrington. His selection to direct Ender’s Game isn’t one that inspired much confidence. He’s an uninspired choice. Even similar franchise launches like The Hunger Games found someone with a pedigree like Gary Ross. Not every film can be directed by Spielberg, Nolan, or Gilliam I suppose. While the film isn’t being marketed on Gavin Hood, someone in-the-know would certainly have to consider this on the ‘con’ side when making a ticket buying decision.
Maybe I’m wrong. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time. Perhaps there’s more to Ender’s Game than the terrible marketing has shown. But I know botched first impressions are hard to shake, and I know that if you can’t make your two hour movie look interesting in two minutes, there’s may be something to be concerned about.
I’m curious to see if I’m the only one getting this vibe…
Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker. His latest work, the novel My Career Suicide Note, is available from Amazon.
Originally published October 31, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
