Jimmy Pinchak Back in NOLA: The Mind Game?

Received a heads-up from a very reliable source this morning that, even though he appeared to have wrapped back in March, Jimmy Jax Pinchak (Peter Wiggin) is definitely back in New Orleans and will be filming a scene sometime today or tomorrow. Which scene, you ask? Let's speculate a bit.

First, we have to acknowledge that there are possibly Peter Wiggin scenes in the film which do not appear in the book at all. However, for the sake of speculation, we have to stick with the plotline we are familiar with. 

Here are the scenes in which Peter appears in Card's novel:

- earthside harrassment of Ender
- his face showing up in the Mind Game
- Locke and Demosthenes

It seems logical to assume that all earthside scenes have already been shot since the Wiggin family actors wrapped ages ago. Any sets would most likely have been struck by now and dragging everyone out to film on location doesn't make much sense (to me) the day before filming is scheduled to end.

That being said, there's no report of Valentine actress Abigail Breslin being back in NOLA and, apart from potential flashbacks, there isn't a single scene from the novel in which Peter appears and Valentine doesn't.

Except for when his face appears to Ender in the Mind Game.

But as we all know, Orson Scott Card mentioned in a letter he wrote in 2011 that the Mind Game would most likely be cut:

Also, the book would make a movie that was at least four hours long.  Much has to be cut - including all of Peter's and Valentine's online exploits, the mind game, and much of the incidental material before Ender gets into Bonzo's army.

While that seems fairly clear, we've heard no official report about any such cut being made, a cut that would disappoint many Ender's Game fans. Even producer Roberto Orci admits being fond of the fantasy world Ender plays in during his free time. When asked about his favorite scene, Orci replied:

I always loved the scenes within the Mind Game that Ender believes he plays for recreation in the orbiting battle school.  Part video game, part psychological test, and if you know the book, part something extraordinary that shouldn’t be given away for those who have not read the book.  As for my favorite scene from the movie, we are still filming it so I haven’t seen it yet! 

Very cleverly worded, especially if the Mind Game hasn't been cut after all. 

And if the Mind Game is still being included, then a lot of it is going to have to be worked out post-production, possibly with a CGI mouse, giant and crazy wolf children. Maybe Pinchak is being used at some point during these last two days to film the mirror scene that Digital Domain can play around with and insert into the Mind Game later.

Fingers crossed, right?

As mentioned above, it's possible that all of this speculation is for naught and that Pinchak is back in NOLA filming a scene we don't yet know about; perhaps Peter ends up tormenting Ender in Battle School some other way. But that he is back on set this week at all definitely seems to improve our chances of getting to see the Mind Game on the big screen.

So, what do you guys think? Is it possible we'll get to visit Fairyland after all?