Tag Archives: Catching Fire

Casting Update for Catching Fire Film

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Fans are finally getting what they have been waiting for over the last few months. Casting news for the highly anticipated film adaptation sequel, Catching Fire. The film, based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins, is the film and book sequel to The Hunger Games. 

Catching Fire includes some new characters that fans have been dying to know about. Last week it was announced that actress Jena Malone had the role of Johanna Mason, an important role in the second and third books of the trilogy.

Then this week, it was announced that Amanda Plummer, most know for her role as Honey Bunny in cult film Pulp Fiction has secured the role of Wiress, nicknamed “Nuts” by the other tributes due to her lunacy. In reality, Wiress, is actually very smart, catching on to the clock theme of the Arena early on.

Wiress is a part of a duo, though, with the character of Beetee, nicknamed “Bolts,” effectively making the duo “Nuts and Bolts.” The word announced today is that award winning actor Tony Shaloub has gotten the part. Shaloub is most known for his role as the titular character in the USA series,”Monk.” While the role has not been confirmed it seems pretty reasonable.

The biggest news of all is the casting of Finnick Odair. Fans have spent MONTHS speculating who would land the highly coveted role and it seems we finally have a winner. According to Zap2it, british actor Sam Claflin has been officially offered the role of Finnick. Claflin is most known for his role in Snow White and the Huntsman. 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set to hit theaters on November 22, 2013.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Gets Release Date

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The two-part franchise ending film Mockingjay has got its projected release date. The third book of the massively popular trilogy, will be split into two films much like franchises adaptations before it. Both part 1 and part 2 of the film adaptation have gotten their projected release dates.

The first part of Mockingjay will arrive November 21, 2014, with the fourth and final installment part 2 movie slated for November 20, 2015. Atleast four members of the main cast have already signed up for the four movie franchise. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson have confirmed their four movie involvement.

There is no word yet on where within the story the films will be broken up but some speculate it maybe after Peeta is rescued from the Capitol.

The heavily anticipated movie sequel Catching Fire based on the second book of the series is set to debut in November 22, 2013 with several new roles currently being cast. t was announced earlier this week that Philip Seymour Hoffman will portray Plutarch Heavensbee in that installment, making him the first new (confirmed) actor to sign up for the franchise, with Jena Malone reportedly circling the role of tribute Johanna Mason.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Joins The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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Casting is finally moving forward with much sought after roles in Catching Fire. Lionsgate has officially announced that critically acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has been cast as Plutarch Heavensbee. He will play the Head Gamemaker of the 75th Hunger Games.

The film, which has been rebranded as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, begins where the first left off. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark have returned home safe after being both being crowned Victors in the 74th Annual Hunger Games Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour’ of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.

The actor and filmmaker just wrapped a Broadway run as Willy Loman in the revival of “Death of a Salesman” for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. He will next be seen in Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master and the indie film A Late Quartet alongside Catherine Keener and Christopher Walken. More recent films includeMoneyball, The Ides of March and Jack Goes Boating, which marked Hoffman’s feature directorial debut.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy that has over 36 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.

All of the main cast from the first movie have already been confirmed to be returning to much anticipated sequel.

Lionsgate will release The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on November 22, 2013

Jena Malone To Play Johanna Mason In Catching Fire

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Months and months of speculation have surrounded the casting of two key roles in The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire. Thankfully, one mystery is close to be solved. Actress Jena Malone has been offered the role of Johanna Mason in the adaptation and is currently in negations for the part.

Johanna is the female tribute from District 7. Sarcastic and mean-spirited. She is also described as having a “wicked” ability to kill.  She reveals that she has no friends or family in District 7 during the 75th Hunger Games, stating “there is no one left I love.” She won her original Hunger Games by pretending she was a weakling and a coward, so no one regarded her as a threat, but when only a few tributes remained, she revealed herself as a vicious killer. Johanna teams up with Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick in the Quarter Quell, bringing Beetee and Wiress with her. Katniss describes her presence as being akin to having an older sister who hates you.

I had never considered Jena for the role but the more I do, the more I like her in the role. I have seen her play mean, sarcastic, as well as vicious. She has the wide range of acting ability to handle the part.

While nothing is completely final yet, it seems things are finally moving forward. The role of Finnick Odair has yet to be resolved with casting rumor still swirling regarding who will land the part.

Catching Fire is scheduled to hit theaters on November 22, 2013.

Hunger Games Star Jennifer Lawrence Talks New Director

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Catching Fire, the sequel to the phenomenal movie The Hunger Games switched directors at the last minute, with Gary Ross leaving the sequel and Francis Lawrence picking it up. Many fans are worried what this change in vision can do to the much anticipated sequel. To quell fears, actress and star of the first movie, Jennifer Lawrence, has said quite a few nice things about the director and what he has in store.

Jennifer had this to say:

I really like his take, which is a lot of what I liked in [The Hunger Gamesdirector] Gary Ross. It’s the realistic grasp of the story instead of all the details of the imaginary things… The new movie will be very real, which is what I’m excited about.”

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth will reprise their lead roles as Katniss, Peeta and Gale, with Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones, and Woody Harrelson also returning to their respective roles.

The coveted roles of Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason have not yet been cast despite several rumors of who is in the running.

The film is set to be released in theaters November 22, 2013.

Catching Fire To Film In Hawaii

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Fans have been eagerly awaiting any news regarding the film adaptation of Catching Fire. It was recently announced that the highly anticipated sequel to the The Hunger Games will be shooting a portion of the film in Hawaii.

The set for the 75th Annual Hunger Games will be shooting in Kauai, a small Hawaiian island. In the novel, the 75th Annual Hunger Games is known as the Third Quarter Quell takes place on an island arena thats works as a clock.

While the casting for the major roles of the sequel have not been settled, just yet, we can expect the announcement to be soon due to the fact the film must finish filming by December. The two incredibly anticipated roles of Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair have not been cast and fans have been rampantly debating who should play the roles.

“Catching Fire,” Finnick Odair and the Third Quarter Quell will strike theaters late November 2013.

Catching Fire Moves Forward With Another Screenwriter

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Now that Catching Fire finally has a director confirmed, it seems the project is moving forward. Lionsgate is now bringing in screenwriter Michael Arndt to rewrite the initial draft for the film adaptation.

The first draft came from Simon Beaufoy, and as he is already an Oscar-winning screenwriter, the re-write should be relatively painless.

The new screenwriter, Arndt has also done well making a name for himself. He previously wrote the screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine, which earned him an Academy Award. He also penned the screenplay for Toy Story 3, contributed to the writing for Rock of Ages, and also did a refurbishing of Disney’s Snow White-inspired martial arts epic, Order of Seven – and is handling the Mouse House’s impending Phineas and Ferb movie.

Author of the series, Suzanne Collins has already confirmed that she has had a hand in adapting her novel into the screenplay for the film. After writing the first draft of the script, Beaufoy confirmed that he handed the script over to Collins for her to review.

Things always do have to change otherwise there’s always something very flat about very faithful adaptations. But on the other hand, there’s an extremely loyal fan base and readership and you just have to be careful of how many liberties you do take. So fortunately Suzanne is here to help me… she’ll tell me, ‘You can’t do that. You must do this.’ Because there are some things that are sacrosanct to her readers and she knows them very well and she’ll let me know.”

It isn’t clear as of yet, whether or not Collins will play such a direct writing role with Catching Fire as she did with The Hunger Games. However, it is good news to fans that she has at least helped create the script for the film.

With all the actors returning, and Collins helping with the script, it appears the second film of the series is finally materializing.

Catching Fire remains scheduled to begin a theatrical release in the U.S. on November 22nd, 2013.

Will Francis Lawrence Be Good For Catching Fire?

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It was announced last week that Lionsgate had officially offered director Francis Lawrence the job of directing Catching Fire. As of now, fans are still unsure of the decision as many felt that the departure of Gary Ross was the first step into disappointment for the mega popular trilogy written by Suzanne Collins.

However,  Lawrence may just surprise fans. He is qualified for the position and his previous experience may lend itself to the expansive setting of Catching Fire.

Lawrence definitely has more experience when it comes to large-scale action scenes and settings. After his previous work on I Am Legend, he has proven himself to be adept at creating worlds where CG and live action merge harmoniously for the audience. Considering the large-scale world of Arena, Lawrence may be more at home than Gary Ross was during the first installment.

Another reason we may be able to trust Lawrence with the beloved second installment is his previous film experience is just as apocalyptic as The Hunger Games. He definitely knows the genre and has a love for it. He has proven through his past films that he can create a post-apocalyptic world that is not only familiar but also far removed from the society we know. Creating the tone of Catching Fire should be easy for him.

Also, the second book and upcoming movie will have a ton of new elements including characters, settings, and most importantly the Arena. Lawrence won’t be boxed into being influenced by Ross’ directing style. He can strike out with his own style while creating a world fans already love.

On the professional side of things, however, Lawrence is basically guaranteed that he will have a hit film. With the large fan base already in place, the movie is going to take off. Thankfully, Lawrence is willing to compromise with the studio to make the film happen, and to further the creation that Ross began. Catching Fire HAS to begin very soon if it expects to stay on track and based on Lionsgate offering Lawrence the job, they must have faith that he can get the ball moving on the project.

It seems that Catching Fire might just be a fantastic blend of the Lawrence’s directing strengths.

Catching Fire has a release date of November 22, 2013 with the major stars all confirmed for the sequel.

Francis Lawrence Offered Catching Fire Directing Gig

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The Internet has been swirling with rumors over the past week of which director was going to land the coveted gig of directing the sequel to The Hunger Games, called Catching Fire. It was revealed to be between two directors, Francis Lawrence and Bennett Miller. The scramble to find a new director began after director Gary Ross opted out of returning to direct its sequel.

Now, EW has confirmed that Francis Lawrence has been offered the job.

Lawrence (no relation to Jennifer Lawrence, star of the franchise) previously helmed I Am Legend. They have reported that Lawrence won the job after a Miller’s commitment to shoot the biopic Foxcatcher ultimately proved he would not be able to do the film.

It was no secret that Lionsgate needed a new director fast after Ross bowed out. The film was scheduled to begin production this fall in order to stay on course for their already planned release date of November 22, 2013. In order to stay on track, the film must finish shooting by December for production to begin and for Jennifer Lawrence to begin production of her other film, the sequel to X-Men: First Class.

Considering that Catching Fire is on a considerably larger scale with several locations as well as a tropical-type Arena, Lionsgate is putting their trust in Lawrence’s ability to handle this bigger and more exotic canvas of the setting and story. Lawrence already has extensive experience with incorporating visual effects-drive action scenes and large scale worlds from his first two films, 2005′s supernatural thriller Constantine and 2007′s post-apocalyptic thriller I Am Legend. However, despite his ability, one reservation occurs and that is the romantic angle of Catching Fire. Lawrence previously director the drama Water for Elephants, which fizzled at the box office with many critics giving bad reviews for the romance between between Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. However, the romance between Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, is a huge part of the sequel. Some worry he will stick with the less romance more action angle that the first film put in place, much to the dismay of diehard fans everywhere.

Lawrence will have to prove himself to fans and critics alike for this highly anticipated sequel.

As the sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire continues the story of Katniss and Peeta. Following the events of the previous novel, a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol has begun, and Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are forced to return to the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games in the 75th Hunger Games Quarter Quell.

The sequel will see the return of stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson.

The Hunger Games Wins Box Office For A Fourth Week

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It seems that after four weeks in theaters, The Hunger Games will continue to dominate. Even though it has slipped since opening weekend, it has successfully fended off several films in the box office, and accumulating over $300,000 domestically.

The Hunger Games adaptation based on the novel series by Suzanne Collins was adapted for the big screen by Gary Ross. Despite three new films hitting theaters over the weekend, The Hunger Games earned $21.5 million while in its fourth week. It should be noted that a film remaining at #1 for several weeks back in 2000, wasn’t that surprising. However, with the downturn of the economy, much has changed in the movie industry in the last 12 years. Now it is pretty amazing for a film to grab audiences like it has.

The only other films to achieve this honor has been The Dark Knight and Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King, while James Cameron’s Avatar remained at #1 for seven weeks.

Globally, The Hunger Games has crossed the $500 million mark with its success this weekend gaining its spot in the Top 100 Highest Grossing Films of all time after just one month in theaters.

This past weekend, The Hunger Games was up against new releases of Battleship, The Three Stooges, and The Cabin in the Woods.

The film is expected to gross even more by the time the weekend is over.

The director of the smash-hit film, Ross, has decided agaisnt directing its sequel, Catching Fire which is scheduled for release on November 22, 2013.