'Ender's Game' director and star discuss the proposed boycott of the film

During a Comic-Con panel, the director of the “Ender’s Game” film and its star discussed a proposed boycott of the film by those who object to author Orson Scott Card’s writings opposing gay marriage.

As noted by the Associated Press, no protesters appeared during the “Ender's Game” panel at the convention in San Diego.

When asked about the controversy, director Gavin Hood said because he has been a part of the Courage Campaign, a group which supports gay marriage, “I'm a little distressed by his point of view on gay marriage,” according to the AP.

“However, the book is not about that issue,” the director continued. “So I hope people can still appreciate the book because I think he wrote a great book, and the themes and ideas in the book, I think, are universal and timeless and applicable, and I hope the book will still be appreciated as a great work of art, even though I don't agree with the author. I optioned the book, not an author, and I love what the author said in that book.”

Hood said he was taken aback by Card’s views because “Ender's Game” presents such a clear message of understanding and reaching out to others. 

“I think it's slightly bitterly ironic that those themes that are present in the book are not carried through on his particular view on gay marriage,” he said.

“Ender's Game” star Asa Butterfield, who portrays the title protagonist, said he “agree[s] with rights for everybody.”

“You can't blame a work for its author,” Butterfield said.

The website Geeks Out has been attempting to convince its visitors to engage in a boycott against the film, titling the effort Skip Ender’s Game and asking visitors “Do you really want to give this guy your money?” According to its site, Geeks Out “rallies, empowers and promotes the queer geek community.”

Card had previously given a statement to Entertainment Weekly in which he said the recent decisions by the Supreme Court make the debate over gay marriage “moot.”

“Ender’s Game is set more than a century in the future and has nothing to do with political issues that did not exist when the book was written in 1984…. The Full Faith and Credit clause of the Constitution will, sooner or later, give legal force in every state to any marriage contract recognized by any other state,” the author said. “Now it will be interesting to see whether the victorious proponents of gay marriage will show tolerance toward those who disagreed with them when the issue was still in dispute.”