1st look at Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth in The Hunger Games

I don't know if I expect there to be the type of partisan uproar over The Hunger Games' love triangle as we see with Twilight, but based on this first pic I can see a few ladies hopping on the Team Peeta/Team Gale debate.  EW has released the first image of Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth in Gary Ross's adaptation of Suzanne Collins revered trilogy. Hutcherson plays Peeta Mellark, a citizen of District 12 and competitor in the violent competition. He also has a pretty heavy attraction to Katniss Everdeen(Jennifer Lawrence). Hemsworth is Gale Hawthorne, Katniss's best friend and hunting partner, who also happens to be in love with her.

The biggest question mark I had was Hutcherson, an actor I've liked since Bridge to Terabithia, but not at all who I envisioned as Peeta as I read through the books. If this image tells me anything it's that both men have bulked up a little bit, especially Hutcherson. With the dusty blond hair they've given him, I have to confess he more than looks the part. His age was also a factor, but he appears to have gotten much older since The Kids Are All Right. I guess what surprises me most is how normal their outfits are, especially when compared to the very showy gear Jennifer Lawrence was sporting in the first shots we saw.

The Hunger Games takes place in a future version of North America where 12 districts are ruled by a cruel central government. Each year the districts are forced to give up two youths, a boy and a girl, to compete in the Hunger Games, a battle to the death until only one remains.  Woody Harrelson, Wes Bentley, Stanley Tucci, Elizabeth Banks, Toby Jones, and about 28 other folks are set to star. Look for The Hunger Games to create quite a stir when it hits on March 23rd 2012!