this is a classy establishment

justira:

Cast pictures for Ender’s Game

endersgame:

lifeofkj:

There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to care that the Ender’s Game movie is going forward, but… holy crap, there’s going to be a movie of Ender’s Game!

Abigail Breslin as Val Wiggin: Approve. I don’t recognize any of the other child actors, but it looks like a nicely diverse cast. I confess it, I am a little bit excited.

I’m sure there’s someone who hasn’t seen this yet. And remember you can always check out Ender News for Ender’s Game… news.  ;)

Aside from any issues about Orson Scott Card, as opposed to his work: I can’t comment on any of the child actors really; Harrison Ford is some hilarious casting (in a good way); I like Sir Ben Kingsley.

And I love that they made Anderson a woman.

… But also, as far as I can tell, less of a hardass. That, I’m not loving so far.

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t suspect this becausethey case a woman — in fact, I would love nothing more than a female Anderson who behaves exactly as the major did in the book.

But — and I admit I only have the EW description to go on here — I’m afraid that somehow they think that’s not very ladylike [emphasis mine]:

Viola Davis (Major Anderson)

The Help’s stunning lead actress will play Major Anderson (a male in Card’s novel), a psychologist who oversees the emotional welfare of the young trainees at the Battle School. In the book, Anderson is portrayed as a much harsher figure: His job is to set up the Battle Room scenarios in order to train the young students, and he is responsible for stacking the odds against Ender during these simulated fights.

Because a lady can’t be a hardass designing brutal battle room scenarios, I guess? No, I guess ladies are responsible for emotional welfare and other typical lady stuff.

Maybe I’m wrong — I really hope I am. But given that description, and how psychology is a feminized profession, I’m really afraid that they’re going to soften Anderson and tie it, unfortunately — intentionally or not — to the character’s gender.

This was my first reaction to reading that blurb, put into excellent words.