History Trivia / EndersGame

* ExecutiveMeddling: ''Ender's Shadow'' was originally titled "Urchin". That title was re-included as that of the first chapter.
** An accidental example: Card intended for only ''Speaker For the Dead'' and ''Ender's Game'' to be written. His agent accidentally pitched them as "the Ender trilogy", and Card decided to use the opening to write ''Xenocide''.

* InspirationForTheWork: Orson Scott Card got the idea for ''Ender's Game'' as a kid, when he tried to theorize what the military of the future would use to train soldiers in space, thus imagining the Battle Room. That manifested into the original short story, but the full novel didn't emerge until he was trying to decide who would be the protagonist of ''Speaker for the Dead'', when his wife suggested it could be Ender.

* StillbornFranchise: Plans were made for a sequel, but the underwhelming box office performance has left that in doubt.

** The ''Shadow'' books were originally going to be written by different authors, each centering on a different member of Ender's friends.

* WordOfGod: In one interview on ''National Review'', Card says that he was inspired by Bruce Catton's histories of the UsefulNotes/AmericanCivilWar, and that part of the message was that war means sacrificing the innocence of young people for the Greater Good and that it is the duty of the old to make sure their civilization is worth it.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This is mainly due to an extremely poor marketing campaign that, in assuming that all audiences were familiar with the novel, not only made the story rather unclear but suffered from [[UncertainAudience uncertainty about its target audience]], and the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit, despite director Gavin Hood and co-star HarrisonFord stating repeatedly that they support gay rights.

** [[{{Mugihito}} Mazer Rackham is]] [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Keel Lorentz]].

* StillbornFranchise: Plans were made for a sequel, but due to poor marketing, some odd creative decisions, and possibly the backlash against Orson Scott Card's stance on homosexuality, the film failed at the box office and left any sequels in doubt.

* StillbornFranchise: Plans were made for a sequel, but instead of being the start of a new film franchise, the film adaptation could end up serving as a prime example of why creators of potential franchises should watch their mouths in the future.

* HeyItsThatGuy: You'll recognize Asa Butterfield from ''{{Hugo}}'' or ''{{Merlin}}''. Harrison Ford is one of his generation's most prolific, beloved icons, playing [[StarWars Han Solo]] and IndianaJones.
** [[spoiler:Mazer Rackham]] is played by "[[IronMan3 The Mandarin]]''.

* HeyItsThatGuy: [[Series/HannahMontana Rico]] reaches his full {{Jerkass}} potential as Bonzo.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This is mainly due to an extremely poor marketing campaign that not only made the story rather unclear but suffered from [[UncertainAudience uncertainty about its target audience]], and the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

* WordOfGod: In one interview on ''National Review'', Card says that he was inspired by Bruce Catton's histories of the AmericanCivilWar, and that part of the message was that war means sacrificing the innocence of young people for the Greater Good and that it is the duty of the old to make sure their civilization is worth it.

** [[HoukoKuwashima Alai is]] [[Anime/MartianSuccessorNadesico Yurika Misumaru]], [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEED Fllay Allster, Natarle Badgiruel]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny Stella Loussier]].

** [[RyuzaburoOhtomo Admiral Chamrajnagar is]] [[Manga/DragonBall Dabura]] and [[Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE Lord Ezelcant]]

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This is mainly due to an extremely poor marketing campaign that not only made the story rather unclear but suffered from [[UncertainAudience deep uncertainty about its audience]], and the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This is mainly due to an extremely poor marketing campaign that not only made the story rather unclear but suffered from [[UncertainAudience deep uncertainty about its audience]], and due to the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This mainly due to an extremely poor marketing campaign that not only made the story rather unclear but suffered from [[UncertainAudience deep uncertainty about its audience]], and due to the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 million worldwide. This is partially due to the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

** [[Series/GameOfThrones Xaro Xhoan Daxon]] plays Sergeant Drill instructor Dap.

** [[Film/TrueGrit|Mattie Ross]] is a long way from the wild west.
** [[Film/LittleMissSunshine|Olive]] moved on after the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant.

** [[RyokoShiraishi Valentine Wiggin is]] [[Manga/HayateTheCombatButler Hayate Ayasaki]], [[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Asuka Kazama]] and [[VideoGame/SenranKagura Hikage]].

* StillbornFranchise: Plans were made for a sequel.

** Card suggested that the scenes for the POVSequel ''Ender's Shadow'' could be filmed at the same time as ''Ender's Game'', but there has been no mention of ''Shadow'' being developed.

* BoxOfficeBomb: The film was budgeted at $110 million not counting publicity, and it only made back $112 worldwide. This is partially due to the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

* StillbornFranchise: This film could end up serving as a prime example of why creators of potential franchises should watch their mouths in the future.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Although the film was budgeted at $110 million, it only made back $88,902,915 worldwide. This is largely to do with the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' and ''Film/BadGrandpa''. The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

** [[RyotaOhsaka Ender is]] [[Manga/AttackOnTitan Marco Bodt]] and [[Anime/ValvraveTheLiberator Haruto Tokishima]].

** [[Creator/SatomiSato Petra Arkanian is]] [[Manga/{{KON}} Ritsu Tainaka]] and [[Anime/QueensBlade Laila]].

* BoxOfficeBomb: Although the film was budgeted at $110 million, it only made back $88,902,915 worldwide. This is largely to do with the tight competition it faced from ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'', ''Film/BadGrandpa'', and ''Film/LastVegas.'' The backlash the film received from the LGBT community due to Card's less-than-favorable views on homosexuality and gay marriage did not help Lionsgate one bit.

** [[AtsukoTanaka Theresa Wiggin is]] [[Franchise/GhostInTheShell Motoko Kusanagi]], [[Anime/QueensBlade Claudette]] and [[Manga/{{Naruto}} Konan]].

** [[MiyukiSawashiro Bean is]] [[VideoGame/BlazBlue Carl Clover]], [[Manga/RozenMaiden Shinku]] and [[Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead Saeko Busujima]].