Philip Seymour Hoffman was Nearly Finished with 'Mockingjay' Filming

While it may seem like inconsiderate timing worrying about the future of The Hunger Games in the wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman's death, clearly Lionsgate has been fielding a ton of questions about it. Hoffman played Gamesmaker Plutarch Heavensbee in 'Catching Fire', and was set to return for an even bigger role in 'Mockingjay' parts 1 & 2, and now the studio has issued a statement saying the productions will move forward as planned.

Lionsgate says Hoffman's work was "substantially complete on 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' and he had seven days remaining to shoot on 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.' This tragedy will not affect the films.” It's unclear how they plan to make up for those last few days of shooting Hoffman had left. The Plutarch role is crucial to the final chapters of the series, as evidenced by the conclusion of 'Catching Fire'.

The studio also added...

“Philip Seymour Hoffman was a singular talent and one of the most gifted actors of our generation. We’re very fortunate that he graced our Hunger Games family. Losing him in his prime is a tragedy, and we send our deepest condolences to Philip’s family.”

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1 is still expected to open on November 21st 2014, followed by part 2 on November 20th 2015.

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Josh Hutcherson reveals which 'Catching Fire' scenes are in IMAX

 

Those of you who are still shaking your head in disbelief over how horrible your beloved Josh Hutcherson was in Red Dawn, please just relax. Soon he'll be back as Peeta Mellark, everybody's favorite pastry chef/warrior in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, romancing Katniss Everdeen(Jennifer Lawrence) while she probably saves his life or something.

With Francis Lawrence taking over the directing reins from Gary Ross, we knew that the plan was to have the film released in IMAX, just as The Hunger Games was. But would they decide to let it all hang out and shoot the entire picture in that format? Well, no. While talking to MTV, Hutcherson revealed exactly what we can expect to see in IMAX.....

Hutcherson: "They're shooting, I think, all the stuff in the arena is going to be IMAX.  So when you go see it in IMAX, you'll see the regular movie when we're in the Districts and in the Capitol. When you see us go up in the pod in the games, it will open up into IMAX. It will be amazing. It's very cool."

Filming on the anticipated sequel should wrap up next month for release next year on November 22nd.  You can check out a clip from the interview below.

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Francis Lawrence will direct both 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay' movies

After the incredible collaborative experience Lionsgate and author Suzanne Collins had with Gary Ross during The Hunger Games, it was pretty clear their intention was for him to stick around for the long haul. So when the director skipped out to pursue other avenues, there was understandably a bit of panic, aided no doubt by all the wild speculation about who might take over. In the end, it was Francis Lawrence who won the job directing the sequel, Catching Fire, and things must be going pretty well as he'll be around for awhile.

According to Collider, Lawrence has signed on to direct the final chapters of the saga, Mockingjay, which has been split up into two parts. Apparently not having any trouble with the compressed schedule, which factored into Ross's departure in the first place, Lawrence will jump immediately from Catching Fire into prepping for Mockingjay. There had been some speculation that they might pull a Harry Potter and have different directors for each film, but decided to have a singular vision the rest of the way. Probably a good idea for all involved.

Catching Fire opens on November 22nd 2013. Mockingjay part 1 arrives on November 21st 2014, and part 2 on November 20th 2015.


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Alan Ritchson cast as Gloss in 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'

What was the most irritating part about The Hunger Games? Having to write about the 20+ nobodies who were cast as Tributes in the film. All of whom we knew would die in a manner of moments, never to be seen or heard from again. With Lionsgate casting up the sequel, Catching Fire, the same exact crap is happening again, as another guy nobody could pick out of a police line-up has come aboard.

Alan Ritchson, who played Aquaman on a couple episodes of Smallville, and served as the body image for Robert Zemeckis' CGI Beowulf flick, has joined Catching Fire as Gloss. One of the Career pack from District 1, Gloss is a young victor who won recently enough that Katniss(Jennifer Lawrence) remembers watching his win on television. He'll be paired up with District 1's female Tribute, Cashmere, who will probably be cast tomorrow considering the way Lionsgate is dropping these names out here now.

Francis Lawrence takes over the directing gig for Catching Fire, which opens in theaters on November 22nd 2013.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman officially joins 'Catching Fire' as Plutarch Heavensbee

It came as a little bit of a surprise when Philip Seymour Hoffman was offered the role of Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, because he's not somebody we see take on mainstream blockbuster roles very often. Sure, he played the bad guy pretty well in Mission: Impossible III, but that's really about it. For nearly a month we didn't really hear anything about it, as the casting focus switched over to characters Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason. With Jena Malone recently locking up the latter part, Lionsgate has now confirmed that Hoffman is officially on board as well.

I'm sure our resident Hunger Games critic, Rocky Hadadi, will have something more to say about this and it likely won't be positive. To me, this is an inspired move that puts one of the finest actors working today in a role that is going to be extremely important for the next two flicks. Plutarch is the new Gamemaker who takes over after the orchestrated demise of Seneca Crane. Plutarch presides over the 75th Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell, which forces a number of past victors back into competition. There's considerably more to him than meets the eye, though. He's a complex character, and Hoffman has proven time and time again that those are his stock 'n trade.

There are still a number of semi-crucial roles to be filled, but the attention will likely shift back to casting Finnick. After names like Taylor Kitsch, Garrett Hedlund, and Armie Hammer were mentioned, it appears there are no frontrunners at this point. With filming set to begin in the fall, expect to see a flurry of activity in the coming days, especially with Comic-Con right around the corner. Catching Fire is due to hit theaters on November 22nd 2013.

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Relax! Robert Pattinson (probably) won't star in 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'

Deep breath, Hunger Games fans. Robert Pattinson likely won't be starring as Finnick Odair in the newly titled The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Why is this even a question? Was there some chance that he might? Did the Twi-hards start all this nonsense in order to get their enemies on the other side of the teen-lit fence all hot 'n bothered? The rumor sprang up last week, noting that Lionsgate was interested in R-Pat for the role of Finnick, the dashing and physical former victor who is called back into action as part of the Quarter Quell. It's....in the second book. Just go read it or look it up on Wikipedia.

I kinda noted how this seemed like a silly idea having the milky and unimpressive Pattinson take on a role he seemed totally ill-suited for. Apparently he agreed, because in a recent issue of USA Today he seems to have no interest in the gig at all...

Pattinson: "I woke up this morning and saw all these things about me being cast in The Hunger Games." "I was kind of curious for a second. So I called my agent. My agent was like, 'No,' " Pattinson reports. "(My agent) was like no one's going to offer you that part," Pattinson says, breaking into a laugh. "I was like, thanks for the reassurance."

He doesn't exactly say it'll never happen, only that his agent doesn't think an offer will come his way. Even if it did, it sounds like he would shoot it down. It never really made any sense, considering how hard he's been working to try and distance himself from exactly the sort of movie The Hunger Games is. Assuming the rumor was legit, you can hardly blame Lionsgate for having Pattinson on their list. If the Twilight and The Hunger Games fans were to ever join forces......I shudder to think of the damage they could cause.

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Pre-Order 'The Hunger Games' on DVD/Blu-Ray today!

As we noted just a couple of days ago, The Hunger Games will finally hit DVD and Blu-Ray on August 18th, but you can pre-order your copy of the film now! Gary Ross's epic adaptation of Suzanne Collins' hit novel includes over 3-hours of bonus features, including an interview with the director, making-of featurettes, and the full length propaganda film shown during the movie! The film is available on DVD, 2-Disc Blu-Ray, VOD, and digital download.

Don't miss out! Pre-order your copy today by going here! And while you're at it, stock up on everything by visiting The Hunger Games store!

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'The Hunger Games' hits DVD/Blu-Ray on August 18th

Even though The Hunger Games continues to rake in the dough in theaters, fans of Katniss Everdeen won't have to wait long before they can bring her heroic fight home for themselves. Lionsgate has confirmed that The Hunger Games will hit DVD and Blu-Ray at 12:01AM on August 18th. That's a Saturday, people. The $630M+ blockbuster will be available on 2-Disc DVD, 2-Disc Blu-Ray, VOD, and digital download.

The 2-Disc sets will each feature over three hours of bonus content, marking this as the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate's history. Of course there will be an interview with director Gary Ross, and an 8-part documentary titled The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games. The full-length propaganda film shown during the Reaping scene will also be included.

Lionsgate's 12-week build up to the August 18th release begins on May 25th when The Hunger Games is made available for pre-order. So on Friday, be sure to head here to be the first to buy your copy! Check out the special DVD trailer below....

BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
* "The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games" - an eight-part documentary covering the "making of" the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions
* "Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon" featurette
* "Letters from the Rose Garden" featurette - insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow
* "Controlling the Games" featurette - stories and concepts behind creating the control center
* "A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell"
* Propaganda Film (in its entirety)
* Marketing Archive
* "Preparing for The Games: A Director's Process" (Blu-ray Exclusive)

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Robert Pattinson to play Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'?

Even before that whole Twilight thing was reaching its final stages, Robert Pattinson was doing everything in his power to not be forever linked to the teen-lit franchise. For the most part he's done a good job, with a decent turn in Water for Elephants and the period drama, Bel Ami. He's currently working his way through Cannes for the premier of David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, another sharp departure from his vampiric movie past. So for a guy who clearly wants to be left alone to work as a real actor, would it make sense for him to slip back into the frenzied world of young adult blockbusters?

The rumors have been floating around for the last day or two that Pattinson is the guy Lionsgate wants to join Jennifer Lawrence in Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games. Pattinson would play Finnick Odair, a handsome, bronze-skinned former Tribute who gets drafted into the Quarter Quell. If you don't know what a Quarter Quell is...well, then you need to catch up on your reading. Ok, it's really just another competition, except it includes a bunch of former victors thrown into the mix. Odair is a natural charmer, but he's more than just a pretty face. He's one of my favorite characters in the entire trilogy, and the thought of the milky and marginally talented Pattinson playing him has me more than a little bit pissed.


Then again, this is all just speculation. On one hand there's an obvious connection, as Pattinson's Water for Elephants director, Francis Lawrence, is now at the helm. Obviously, Lionsgate want the added buzz Pattinson would bring, and he might like the huge payday he'd no doubt receive. On the other hand, Pattinson would be committed for not only this film, but also for whenever Mockingjay gets off the ground. And you know Lionsgate will split the third book up into two movies, so that'd be three films he's committed for. I don't think that's the path Pattinson wants to go right now. We'll see how this shakes out, but it's worth keeping an eye on.

Personally, I'm hoping that whole campaign to get Jesse Williams(The Cabin in the Woods) to play Finnick ends up a success. He'd be a fantastic choice, who would also be a star that can be developed into something bigger. For other solid options, you might want to check out Rocky Hadadi's posts on just this very subject by going here. Filming on Catching Fire begins later this year for release on November 22nd, 2013. [TMT]

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'Toy Story 3' scribe Michael Arndt may rewrite 'Catching Fire'

It looks like there will be more changes afoot for Catching Fire than just a new director in Francis Lawrence. With production set to begin this summer, and an even tighter filming schedule than before thanks to Jennifer Lawrence's X-men: First Class commitments, Lionsgate is hoping to bring in Michael Arndt(Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine) to do some scriptwork.

Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire) wrote the first draft, with the Academy Award winning Arndt coming aboard for a rewrite if the deal comes through. This is one of the side effects of losing Gary Ross and adding Lawrence as director, as Ross was very hands on with the writing process along with Billy Ray and author Suzanne Collins. Lawrence doesn't really handle that part of things, and so another needs to be brought in to help punch things up. They couldn't have made a better choice than Arndt.

In a nice little twist, Arndt recently did some writing on Disney's Order of the Seven, their Snow White adaptation which once had Lawrence attached to direct. Catching Fire is expected to open on November 22nd 2013, but I'm starting to catch a whiff of desperation in meeting the time crunch.

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Francis Lawrence confirmed to direct 'Catching Fire'

Hey, remember two weeks ago when Francis Lawrence was offered the directing job on The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire? This won't come as any surprise, but he's accepted the job and is officially on board to take over for Gary Ross, who departed the lucrative franchise.

Lawrence makes for an interesting choice, but a fitting one. Catching Fire should be vastly different than The Hunger Games was, with an increased emphasis on the futuristic glitz of the Capitol. The story will also heavily center on the love triangle between Katniss(Jennifer Lawrence), Peeta(Josh Hutcherson), and Gale(Liam Hemsworth), so the skill Lawrence showed in a character project like Water for Elephants should come into play just as much as his technical ability with I Am Legend.

Author Suzanne Collins and Simon Beaufoy are currently working on the script, with filming to begin this fall for a November 22nd 2013 release.

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Gary Ross officially out as director of 'Catching Fire'

Poor Josh Hutcherson. He seemed so sure that Gary Ross would return to direct The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, and now he'll have to deal with the fact that somebody else will be behind the camera. A few days ago, ThePlaylist broke the story that Ross was dropping out of the film, basically citing the desire to pursue other projects. This was quickly followed by other sites and Lionsgate reps stating that negotiations were still under way and nothing was final. Well, it's sure as sh*t final now. Here's the official statement from Ross....

"Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct 'Catching Fire'. As a writer and a director, I simply don’t have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule.

I loved making 'The Hunger Games' – it was the happiest experience of my professional life. Lionsgate was supportive of me in a manner that few directors ever experience in a franchise: they empowered me to make the film I wanted to make and backed the movie in a way that requires no explanation beyond the remarkable results. And contrary to what has been reported, negotiations with Lionsgate have not been problematic. They have also been very understanding of me through this difficult decision.

I also cannot say enough about the people I worked with: Producer Nina Jacobson, a great collaborator and a true friend; the brilliant Suzanne Collins, who entrusted us with her most amazing and important story; the gifted and remarkable Jennifer Lawrence whose performance exceeded my wildest expectations, and the rest of the incredible cast, whom I am proud to call my friends.

To the fans I want to say thank you for your support your faith, your enthusiasm and your trust. Hard as this may be to understand I am trying to keep that trust with you. Thank you all. It’s been a wonderful experience."

Based on that, it doesn't sound as if money was ever the issue, and like I speculated before, he simply wanted to move on and do something different. It's what Ross has always done.

Now the question turns to who will take over Catching Fire. While the name Steven Soderbergh may be first on fans' lists as the top notch filmmaker did 2nd Unit work on The Hunger Games, chances are it'll be somebody with more franchise experience. David Slade(The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Andrew Adamson(The Chronicles of Narnia), Francis Lawrence(I Am Legend), and Sam Mendes(Skyfall) were contenders the first time around and may be considerations again. 

Catching Fire is currently being written by Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire) and set for release on November 22nd 2013.

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Gary Ross may or may not have dropped out of 'The Hunger Games' sequel; Depends on who you ask

So I go away for eight days and what I come back to is the year's biggest franchise film possibly losing one of its most important components. Of course I'm talking about The Hunger Games, and there have been some significant moves taking place in the last couple of days. It's actually more of mixed bag of good news and bad news, so let's just start with the good.

Jennifer Lawrence now has two major franchises under her belt, with The Hunger Games taking aim at nearly $300M in just over two weeks. But she also has X-men: First Class, which last year reinvigorated the sagging mutant franchise to the point where 20th Century Fox greenlit a sequel with Matthew Vaughn returning to direct. So here's the dilemma: Fox wanted to begin filming on the X-men sequel this fall, which would have crashed into Lawrence's schedule to shoot Catching Fire, the second film in The Hunger Games trilogy. Let's face it, Lawrence probably wouldn't choose a side role as Mystique in X-men: First Class over the global juggernaut that is The Hunger Games, but fortunately she won't have to make that decision. THR says that Lionsgate and Fox have ironed out a deal that will push X-men back to next January, meaning Lawrence will be tackling two huge films in a row. Not bad for an actress none of us had heard of  three years ago.

Before Catching Fire can get rolling, they may need to find a new director. Over the last few days, reports began to trickle out that Gary Ross wasn't making negotiations to return very easy on Lionsgate. He signed a low figure deal to direct the first film, and since he wasn't signed to a multi-pic deal, the story was that he was aiming for huge A-list numbers to return. Can't really blame him considering Lionsgate had to have known The Hunger Games would be a smash hit from the start. A recent story by ThePlaylist states that Ross will not be coming back for Catching Fire, which is already in the scripting process with Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire) writing, and a release set for November 22nd 2013. How much of their report is accurate is up for dispute, as other trade sites are stating that nothing is a done deal as of yet.

Ross really seemed to be enjoying his time with the cast and crew of The Hunger Games, and is genuinely fond of the material, having helped in the adapting process with original writer Suzanne Collins. So it wouldn't surprise me to see him return as long as Lionsgate paid him what he's due. On the other hand, Ross doesn't really do sequels. Never has. And one glimpse at his resume shows that he relishes taking on sensitive subjects, such as oppression and race with Pleasantville, and never does the same thing twice. The Hunger Games probably scratched a particular itch for him, and maybe he's done with it?

If Ross does go, expect to see some of the names he beat out for the job initially resurfacing, especially those with considerable franchise experience. Names like David Slade(The Twilight Saga: Eclipse), Andrew Adamson (The Chronicles of Narnia), and Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend). Sam Mendes (Away We Go) also was a top contender at one point.

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'The Hunger Games' scores record breaking $19.75M at midnight screenings!

The odds were definitely in The Hunger Games' favor last night, as the film is already breaking records before it has even been in theaters an entire day. Lionsgate released the film last night in just over 2500 theaters and scored an unbelievable $19.75M. That is the most ever for a non-sequel midnight debut, and the 7th highest of all-time period. Opening in IMAX for a one week run, it also earned $1.3M at 269 such screens, the most for a non-summer, non-holiday 2D movie. By comparison, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight hauled in a massive $18.5M back in 2008.

With analyst projections trending towards a $130M+ opening weekend, The Hunger Games appears to be on the cusp of taking over the top franchise spot from The Twilight Saga. On Fandango, The Hunger Games has already sold out at more than 3500 screenings for the weekend, and has surpassed Twilight in terms of advanced ticket orders.

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Lionsgate isn't waiting to capitalize on The Hunger Games phenomenon, setting a November 22nd 2013 release date for the sequel, Catching Fire. Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire) is currently writing the script

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Seneca Crane and President Snow discuss strategy in new 'The Hunger Games' clip

A new clip from The Hunger Games has been released, and unlike the others we've seen up to this point, it provides a glimpse at what motivates the ruling Capitol. Despite the glitzy, showbiz atmosphere that surrounds the brutal annual event, President Snow(Donald Sutherland) makes it clear to Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane(Wes Bentley) that he has an ulterior, sinister motive.

Directed by Gary Ross and based on the wildly popular novels by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is the first part of a planned trilogy starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, and Elizabeth Banks. As if you don't know by now, the film opens on March 23rd....[IGN]

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'The Hunger Games' action figures are here!

What better way to rebel against the Capital than with this set of three 7-inch action figures from The Hunger Games? For the low price of only $46.37 you can get this three figure set based on Suzanne Collins' best selling trilogy and the upcoming movie! You'll get immaculately detailed versions of Katniss Everdeen(Jennifer Lawrence), and the two objects of her affection, Peeta Mellark(Josh Hutcherson) and Gale Hawthorne!(Liam Hemsworth) Who will she choose?  Fortunately you don't have to pick, just get them all with one simple click by going right here! Supplies are going fast so buy yours today!

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Why wait? Simon Beaufoy already writing sequel to 'The Hunger Games'

If you're Lionsgate and you just spent over $400M to buy Summit, you have to be tinkled pink at the prospect of having the two biggest tween franchises under the same banner. Twilight may be wrapping up, but there's a good chance it'll continue in some form. And The Hunger Games, while probably not quite on the same level as those glittery bloodsuckers, is poised to take over the top spot starting on March 23rd.

A couple of months ago we learned that Lionsgate wanted to get the ball rolling on Catching Fire, the second novel in Suzanne Collins' trilogy, and were looking at Simon Beaufoy to take over the script. The Wrap now confirms Beaufoy has begun work on the adaptation, which already has a release date nailed for November 22nd 2013.  Gary Ross, who directed The Hunger Games and co-wrote the script alongside Collins, has been confirmed to return. In less surprising and slightly spoilery news, Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, and Liam Hemsworth will all be back.

Beaufoy is a frequent collaborator with Danny Boyle, having written both Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours. So yeah, he's pretty good. Ross will be overseeing his work on the script, but to what degree he'll have input is unclear.

I'm not going to dive into the plot of Catching Fire, since it gives away some key plot points. I'll just say that the world of Panem is expanded to a considerable degree, and we find out there's a lot more going on than just the tournament. 

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Hear Taylor Swift's new song, 'Safe and Sound', from 'The Hunger Games' soundtrack

This is really the only way you're going to get me to listen to a Taylor Swift song voluntarily, by adding i to the soundtrack of a film I'm itching with anticipation for. Last night, Swift tweeted a link to her new track, 'Safe and Sound', which will be featured in Gary Ross's The Hunger Games.  I checked out about thirty seconds of it before zoning out, but it's pretty inoffensive. I can see Katniss(Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta(Josh Hutcherson) making out to it in between dodging fireballs and kids with murderous intentions.

My lukewarm response to it aside, Swift's tactic proved successful as #safeandsound quickly become the top trending topic on Twitter. I'm sure that means something somewhere. The Hunger Games opens next year on March 23, but you can check out 'Safe and Sound' below....

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Sure Shots: The Hunger Games; Kirsten Dunst; Pacific Rim

* Lionsgate must be feelin' pretty good after the wave of good reviews for The Hunger Games' trailer. So much so that rumors are they're already at work trying to snag a writer for the sequel, Catching Fire. Gary Ross will be back to direct, and the studio is said to be aiming for Academy Award winning writer Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire) to pen the script. He hasn't taken the job yet, so this is still pretty early, but it shows that enthusiasm for The Hunger Games is pretty high. The sequel, which is set for a March 9th 2012 release, expands on the world of Panem considerably, but I don't want to say more and spoil who comes out of the first film alive. [Deadline]

* Kirsten Dunst, Best Actress award winner? She's got my vote, thanks to her gripping performance in Melancholia, and I've been very happy that others are starting to take notice and give her roles that will make people forget she was ever in those Spider-Man movies. The latest addition to her slate is Red Light Winter, based on the play by Adam Rapp(Winter Passing). Starring Mark Ruffalo and Billy Crudup, the story centers on two friends who travel to Amsterdam to get away from their lives, only to have a sexy prostitute(Dunst) get between them. Sounds like another mature role for the actress, who has a number of interesting flicks on the way. Filming will kick off in January. [Thompson On Hollywood]

* If it wasn't enough that Pacific Rim sounds like the perfect film for Guillermo Del Toro to make his directing return to after what'll be five years at the time it comes out, but he gave us a drool worthy cast that promises it'll be one of the most fun films of that year. Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, and Max Martini are all lined up for the massive creature feature. But wait...isn't there an old Del Toro favorite who seems to be missing? Like say...Ron Perlman? No need to worry, as Del Toro recently revealed to Wired that his Hellboy star will have a role in the film, which chronicles a futuristic battle between humans and an invading swarm of monsters.

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Katniss prepares to strike in new image from The Hunger Games

More important than the cool new image above, featuring Katniss Everdeen(Jennifer Lawrence) about to let fly one of her signature arrows, is the news that exclusive new footage from The Hunger Games will premier on Monday. Unfortunately it'll mean having to endure Good Morning America and George Stephanopoulos' helmet hair to see it. Fans of the crazy popular novels by Suzanne Collins will be more than happy to do it just for a glimpse at what Gary Ross is doing with their beloved books.

The bigger question to me is what exactly is Lionsgate expecting out of The Hunger Games? Clearly they want this to be their Twilight, but I have my doubts whether it'll have that sort of broad appeal. We can mock those sappy adaptations all we like, but it's not just teeny boppers paying to see the movies. The Hunger Games is far more disturbing, basically revolving around child violence. Even with it's PG-13 rating I suspect there'll be some folks turned off by the idea of minors slaughtering eachother for sport.

Whatever the case may be, March 23rd is rapidly approaching, and as someone who has read and basically enjoyed all of the novels, I'm pretty amped for Monday to get here. [Moviehole]

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