Wolfgang Petersen No Longer Directing Ender's Game

Somehow we missed the original announcement for this project, but here's a recap. German filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen was originally set to direct an adaptation of Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game. Now word comes from io9 that Petersen is no longer attached the project and that it's currently seeking a new director. Originally slated to be released this year, the project is now hoping to shoot by early 2009 as long as they find a new director and suitable cast. I'm not too familiar with Ender's Game, but after reading into it a bit more, I'm ashamed to have missed this the first time around!

Andrew "Ender" Wiggin is humanity's last hope. He doesn't know it, but he will have to prevent and counter-attack an extra-terrestrial species called the Formic, or "Buggers" informally. After a fight with a bully, he gets drafted into Battle School, where the best of the best wind up to become highly trained combatants. Ender faces many challenges in this school, makes friends and enemies, and must learn to survive alone in order to save earth, but he's also in danger of losing his sanity throughout the entire story. This is Ender's Game. The first book is actually part of a series written by Orson Scott Card. You can pick them up on Amazon.com.

Despite Petersen is no longer directing, the series' author Orson Scott Card is still writing the script. He's already finished a draft and is "already working to make it even better," according to producer Lynn Hendee. They're also looking for someone to cast as Ender, but haven't settled on anyone because they're waiting for the new director. "We all have our favorites, but it is crucial for the new director to weigh in on that." And of course, the earlier the better, because this isn't going to be a low budget sci-fi flick. "Ender's Game requires an extended pre-production due to the many visual effects."

Wolfgang Petersen has directed films like Poseidon, Troy, The Perfect Storm, Air Force One, Enemy Mine, and Das Boot previously. He actually didn't seem like a bad choice, but now the search is on to find someone else. The only problem - let's hope they find someone who can direct a big-budget summer blockbuster on the scale of those films from Petersen's past. I do think this could become an awesome sci-fi film in the end and I hope it keeps moving forward! There's a lot to look forward to with this and I really hope they don't screw it up - although it sounds like Lynn and Chartoff Productions has it under control.