First Brief 'Ender's Game' Footage

As trailer teases go, this first brief bit of footage from Gavin Hood's adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game is pretty good. It shows the major cast members: Asa Butterfield as young military student Ender; Harrison Ford as his teacher Colonel Graff, and Ben Kingsley as war hero Mazer Rackham. It also gives you a look at the battle room, where Ender is trained to be a warrior in the fight against aliens who have battled Earth in the past and who represent a threat to humanity's future.

There's also a slightly awkward intro from Butterfield and Ford, but the footage is probably going to be the highlight for fans of the novel. Watch for the trailer on Tuesday May 7. 

Card's novel isn't the most upbeat book out there; in fact, there are scenes of serious violence (some perpetrated by Ender) and a massively destructive conclusion. I'm very curious to see just what sort of adaptation Gavin Hood has crafted, and this footage tease doesn't give us much to go on. Perhaps next week's trailer will offer up more. Depending on how faithful Hood has been, Ender's Game could be one of the more talked-about films of the fall.

Ender's Game opens on November 1, with Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Viola Davis,Abigail Breslin, Nonso Anozie, Moises Arias, and Aramis Knight

In the near future, a hostile alien race (called the Formics) have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander, Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young children to find the future Mazer. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy, but strategically brilliant boy is pulled out of his school to join the elite.

Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult wargames, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military's next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he's trained by Mazer Rackham, himself, to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.