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SAN DIEGO — On a San Diego Comic-Con panel Thursday, Harrison Ford defended the “Ender’s Game” story amid cries of boycotts to the film due to Orson Scott Card’s expressed opinions toward homosexuality.
Card, the author of the post-apocalyptic “Ender’s Game” series upon which the film is based, has repeatedly made remarks opposing homosexuality and marriage between gay people, including a comment following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to legalize gay marriage. Some who supported the SCOTUS decision have called for a boycott of the film.
On a Comic-Con panel Thursday, Ford responded to questions about Card’s views on homosexuality.
"I think none of Mr. Card's concerns regarding the issue of gay marriage are part of the thematics of this film," Ford said. "He has written something that is of value to us all concerning moral responsibility. I think his views outside of those that we deal with in this film are not an issue for me to deal with and something I really have no opinion on.”
For him, Ford said, the issue with Card’s novel ended there.
"I am aware of his statements admitting that the question of gay marriage is a battle that he lost and he admits that he lost it,” Ford said. “I think we all know that we all won. That humanity has won. And I think that's the end of the story."
The film’s producer, Robert Orci, expressed a similar sentiment.
“The best message of the book is tolerance, compassion, empathy,” Orci said. “Rather than shying away from the controversy, we’re happy to embrace it and say we support LGBT rights.”
Ford mentioned the novel’s “prescience” 28 years ago in recognizing the contemporary ability of the military to wage war at a distance, and the moral issues it presents to the military and society.
"The issue of interplanetary warfare is the science fiction aspect of it, but what gives it such emotional tone and reality is that these are the concerns of our everyday lives," Ford said.
"Drone warfare and the capacity that we have technologically is one part of the moral package," he added. "The other is the use of young people in the business of war, which has always historically been the case. Our youngest and fittest of our cultures have always been the ones who are first in line for warfare."
