Between this, Ender’s Game, and Thor, it’s going to be a busy month for blockbuster films.
Tag Archives: The Hunger Games
Catching Fire Teaser Trailer
Probably my most anticipated movie of the year is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (which shouldn’t be surprising considering how much Brian and I talked about the series on the podcast when we first read the books). Last night, MTV aired the “exclusive” teaser trailer during their annual movie awards. For those of you (like me) who didn’t bother staying up that late, you can watch it now online.
Personally, I’m really enjoying getting more of Snow in the films. He’s got that creepy Palpatine vibe that I find so repulsive yet so compelling. And since the books are told in first person POV, it’s nice to see what else is going on outside of Katniss’s world. It makes the story bigger and more compelling.
Jena Malone Joins the Catching Fire Cast
It’s official: Lionsgate announced this morning that Jena Malone, known for her roles in Saved! and Sucker Punch, has joined the cast of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the second part trilogy, as Johanna Mason. Some of you may know Malone from her role as young Ellie Arroway in Contact, one of my favorite movies ever.
(spoilers after the jump)
‘Catching Fire’ Casting Updates
Remember when we talked a lot about The Hunger Games on the blog and podcast? Good news, we’re talking about it again!
Academy-award winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been confirmed to play Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee in Catching Fire. While that’s the only official casting calla t the moment, the web seems abuzz that Jena Malone of Sucker Punch fame has been offered the key role of Johanna Mason.
Rethinking Romance
I read a lot—at least by any average person’s standards. Sure, there are plenty of people in fandom who can put me to shame, but I showed Brian my pinboard a while ago, and he commented that I’d read more fic in the past year than he’s read in his life—and that was just the fic. And I read everything from modern literary fiction to fanfiction.
So, while I’m certainly not qualified to comment on a lot of things about literature and stories, I do feel comfortable talking about why I read, and why I think a lot of people do. It’s an escape, certainly—last night I was unhappy and I immediately went after charming short stories that I knew would cheer me up while distracting me from my own life—but it’s also a reflection of the human condition, pretentious as that sounds. Stories are interesting because the people in them are interesting, because they have lives and struggles and triumphs and failures.
And here’s the thing I think we forget sometimes: romance and love are huge parts of the human condition. People fall in love every day, at parties and jobs and while walking their dogs. They also fall in love during wars and natural disasters, and they will continue to fall in love after the world ends. Girls fall in love and boys fall in love; teenagers and thirtysomethings and senior citizens all fall in love; deaf people and blind people and smart people and ignorant people fall in love. Sometimes the love is requited and sometimes it isn’t.
(More under the jump)
Hunger Games/Star Wars Mashup Tee is an Instant Purchase
I fully admit it, I’ve got a thing for nerdy t-shirts. Especially nerdy t-shirts that have crossover fandom appeal. I’ve got Woot’s lovely DeLorean and TARDIS fender bender shirt, the It’s a (ghost)Trap tee. I’ve even got that Cheers/Star Wars mashup. Suffice to say, when Nanci spotted today’s crossover gem, it was an instant purchase. Ript Apparel put together something I couldn’t say no to.
A Hunger Games/Star Wars mashup? Yeah, that’s a purchase. And you should get one too. The Rebel Games tee is available today only for $10.
Gary Ross Will Not Direct ‘Catching Fire’
After a weekend of confusion over whether or not The Hunger Games director Gary Ross would return to for Catching Fire, news dropped late Tuesday that he was officially leaving the franchise.
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.
Lionsgate Studio also issued a statement.
We’re very sorry that Gary Ross has chosen not to direct Catching Fire. We were really looking forward to making the movie with him. He did an incredible job on the first film and we are grateful for his work. This will not be the end of our relationship, as we consider Ross to be part of the Lionsgate family and look forward to working with him in the future.
As I mentioned over the weekend when dueling reports from the press hit the Internet, I was going to be surprised to if Ross left. Color me surprised, but I do understand his reasoning. With the mammoth success of The Hunger Games, expectations and deadlines were going to mount for the sequel. I did hope Ross would stick around for no other reason than his ability to work with Suzanne Collins to adapt the book to the screenplay. Hopefully whoever Lionsgate brings in next will be able to pick up right where Ross left off.
What this means for the future of Catching Fire is unclear and the rest of the planned four-film series is unclear. Most fans will want to know if this means the production schedule has been set back. When a film loses its director, there’s always the risk that the timetable can slide while studios scramble to find a replacement. For now, fans and the Internet will begin speculating over who will step up to direct in Ross’ place.
For the rest of Ross’ statement, head over to the Wall Street Journal blog.
Director Ross’ Status Unclear for ‘Hunger Games’ Sequel
Yesterday, it was reported that Hunger Games director Gary Ross would not be directing its sequel, Catching Fire. Speculation ran rampant as to why Ross would back away from the already-blockbuster franchise with some showbiz sites stating that a money dispute was part of the issue. Others theorized that he simply didn’t have the desire to attach himself to a single story for the next several years.
Now there are reports that the previous reports were erronious and Ross has not told Lionsgate that he’s leaving. Stepping away from an almost guaranteed hit sequel didn’t make a whole lot of sense and for the sake of the next three films, I’d hope he sticks around. He seemed to have worked well with author Suzanne Collins in creating the adapted screenplay and that chemistry could be invaluable moving forward.
As so many of these stories go, no one really has a clue as to what’s going on. Yesterday’s news sounded rather definitive and today’s followups are backpedaling quickly, leaving fans rather confused about the future of the franchise. Personally, I would be surprised if Ross and Lionsgate parted ways at this point.
H/T to Club Jade for the followup news