Let's (Still) Boycott Ender's Game!

So remember how we were all going to boycott Ender's Game? And then when anyone asks 'so, what did you think of Ender's Game?' we were going to sniff derisively and explain that we didn't see it because we don't support movies written by homophobes.

Then we were going to mention that we were into A Song of Ice and Fire before
it went all mainstream. And they'd be like: "A Song of Ice and Fire? What's that?"
And then we'd just shrug and walk away, smug in our superior nerd cred.

Ok, so this gay guy probably
knows how to make a hurricane.

Don't remember? Really? It was like four months ago. Here, meet me halfway, read this. I'll wait. See? Yup, boycotting Ender's Game was going to be great. Was. You see, so far it's been my understanding that seeing the movie would, however indirectly, be exactly like giving that Omega-Level homophobe, Orson Scott Card more money to print up his flyers about how hurricanes are God's punishment for gay people, but, it turns out that this might not be the case after all. I mean the thing about the author getting a cut of every ticket sold, not the hurricanes. I'm pretty sure gay people don't cause those.

Above: Orson Scott Card
Photo credit: The High School
 yearbook committee.

Anyway, it seems that Orson (really, his parents named him Orson, I guess they somehow sensed his douchiness even then) Scott Card sold the movie rights off ten years ago. According to The Wrap, some authors opt for a guaranteed paycheck instead of the riskier but potentially more profitable cut of the box-office.

"It changes with every deal depending on the stature of the property and the author, how the picture is financed and balancing all that out to decide if an author wants upfront cash versus backend participation."

 -Jason Dravis, some guy who represents authors

Ok, so Orson heard the phrase 'backend participation,' clenched and just signed the rights over then and there. Great, let's go see the movie, free of guilt. After all it's not like the novel contained any of Card's vitriol, and the movie's cast and crew don't share his views. So what's the problem?

Pictured: An astronaut experiences some 'backend participation'
with a Bugger in a comic book prequel about the Formic Wars.

Spoiler alert: The sequels mostly suck.

Paying to see a movie based on Card's work might not be exactly the same thing as handing the Family Research Council or NOM $10, but if the movie does well, doesn't that increase the likelihood that the studio will want a sequel? Movie makers love sequels, no matter how ill-advised and there's like a ton of Ender-verse novels to draw from. Does Lionsgate (the studio that made Ender's Game) own those already? If not, wouldn't they have to give him more money if they want to do Ender 2: Electric Buggerloo (working title)?

Maybe he meant one of those visually
stunning, thrill-a-minute migraines that
doesn't let go until the end? 

And another thing: doesn't the news that Card gets exactly $0 if we go see the movie feel kinda suspect coming only days before the release and only after some seriously mixed reviews started trickling in? This guy called the script a 'cut rate Top Gun for 'tweens, and compared watching it to a migraine. So if this thing about the author's pay is true, why didn't Lionsgate mention this back in July instead of spending the last four months trying to disassociate themselves from his politics and throwing lavish benefit galas? Now it just looks like damage control for a mediocre movie.

Look, I've never thrown an apology gala myself, but it just seems like bringing up this little fun fact about the film's royalties earlier would have been way easier and less expensive. Also, seriously, a goddamn migraine?

You know Orson, if people have to throw galas to apologize
for you being such a tremendous dick, you're doing something
seriously wrong in life. Maybe it's time to reevaluate.