Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Catching Fire Gets A New Costume Designer

After successfully transforming Rooney Mara into Lisbeth Salander, wardrobe designer Trish Summerville has signed on to oversee the costumes for the Hunger Games sequel.
Fans of the Suzanne Collins book know that Summerville — who started her career as a costume assistant on films like Girl, Interrupted and later served as personal stylist to Christina Aguilera  – will be responsible for conjuring up Katniss’ wedding dress, which looks at first to be standard issue bridal attire but eventually goes up in flames to reveal a feathered (and winged) mockingjay gown.

Summerville’s heroine chic costumes for the 2011 adaptation of Dragon Tattoo earned her an award from Hollywood’s Costume Designers Guild and the opportunity to create a spinoff clothing collection for H&M. No word on whether the film stylist a fan of the Hunger Games series, but judging from the photo above, she’s clearly no stranger to the side braid.
 Source: EW

We're very sad to see Judianna go, but intrigued to see what Trish Sumerville will offer to Catching Fire!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

District13.PN Awakens!

HTML source of District13.PN page

There's nothing on the page right now except the title:

CAUTION: RADIATION HAZARD. NO TRESPASSING BEYOND THIS POINT

Looks like this will have a role in the Catching Fire marketing campaign! Who's excited?! We know that Lionsgate likes to put secret messages in their projects, so everyone keep an eye on this website!

Source: HaymitchsEmptyBottle tumblr

Thursday, August 23, 2012

The Hunger Games Trilogy Outsells Harry Potter On Amazon

CRAZY NEWS!

Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy is now Amazon’s top-selling book series of all time, outselling the seven-book Harry Potter series, the online retailer announced today. That takes both physical and e-books into consideration. Hunger Games achieved its Amazon milestone with three books over four years compared with J.K. Rowling’s seven over the course of well beyond a decade.

source: Deadline
 

The Hunger Games continues to break records!


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

BREAKING: Sam Claflin cast as Finnick


Well guys, looks like the Internet was right. Sam Claflin is Finnick! Check out his work HERE and the press release:

SAM CLAFLIN CAST AS FINNICK IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Santa Monica, CA, August 22, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Sam Claflin has been cast in the role of Finnick in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. Charasmatic and clever, Finnick was a District 4 Hunger Games victor when he was fourteen.

After breaking out in his role as the romantic lead in last year’s PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, Claflin starred in the box office smash SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN playing Prince William alongside Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Chris Hemsworth.   He recently finished filming THE QUIET ONES opposite Jarred Harris, and MARY & MARTHA,  in which he co-stars with Hilary Swank.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

The Hunger Games Adventures on iPad!


The Hunger Games Adventures is coming to iPad!

     If you’re a fan of The Hunger Games book, movie, or both, we have some very exciting news for you: The official social game based on the story is coming to the iPad very soon — and it’s really good!
      The Hunger Games Adventures game has been a huge hit on Facebook since the movie hit theaters in March. The iPad version is built from that game, but adds greater depth to the story, better graphics, and more intuitive controls. And the fact that you can play it from your iPad anytime without having to be logged into Facebook is a pretty big advantage, too.
      The one thing the game doesn’t have (although they’re working on it for the future) is the ability to transfer your character and stuff over from the Facebook version of the game. I would imagine this could be a bit frustrating for people who’ve been playing that version for some time, but the experience of the iPad game is different enough that many such people might find it fun to start over, anyway.
     The Hunger Game Adventures for the iPad will be available in the iTunes App Store very soon — the exact date isn’t yet certain. Fans of the story won’t be disappointed, I promise you. And probably a lot of not-yet-fans would have fun playing it, perhaps as a precursor to reading the book and/or seeing the movie.
 Source: Wired

We play this game a lot, and not too sure if we'd be willing to completely start over but like the article says, we hope they eventually allow the Facebook crossover!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Our interview with Jack Quaid and Dayo Okeniyi at the Midnight Release Party!


Last Friday night we attended the Santa Clarita Walmart Hunger Games DVD release party! While many fans lined up outside of the Walmart answering trivia questions and eating cupcakes, we (Courtney and Tiffany) got a spectacular opportunity to have a group fansite interview with Jack Quaid (Marvel) and Dayo Okeniyi (Thresh). We hung out with the lovely Erin and Elena from TheHungerGamesMovies.net, Beth from Mockingjay.net, and the ever awesome Aldrin from Down With The Capitol.

From left to right: Jack Quaid, Aldrin, Courtney, Tiffany, Beth, and Dayo!
Fansite group hug with Jack!

You guys will definitely want to see Aldrin's Vlog of the night's events, especially our interview with Jack and Dayo. Although we have provided an audio recording and transcription for you guys, you have to see it to believe it. Hilarious conversations were had!

03:54 through 14:11 mark is the group fansite interview!




Click below for audio recording and interview transcript!

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Hunger Games iTunes Trailer!



Check out the iTunes trailer the Hunger Games Facebook posted!

Check it out here!

It gives you a look at exclusive features if you buy it on iTunes. Remember, you have to buy it on iTunes, not the digital copy you get with the DVD/BluRay!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Mockingjay Mockup: Part 2 Outline Part 1


Welcome to another edition of Mockingjay Mockup, folks! Today's title's not confusing, right?! Needless to say, this one makes our brains hurt a lot. We should also probably let you know that this took us not one, but TWO tries to get the structure sound enough to launch a discussion about it. SO much goes on in Part 2, we wonder if even this will be cut further when the real deal happens. We are expecting (and hoping) that Part 2 will be a full blown 2 and half hour movie. From our research, it seems more necessary material exists in Mockingjay than there is in any other last installment in existence.  Today we are going to delve into what some may consider the main event of this series: Mockingjay Part 2 Outline. We had Mockingjay Part 1 end with Katniss and Peeta's reunion as a cliff hanger. We think it would be super cool to end this way (especially for those who haven't read the books), and to start Part 2 with an action scene. Really, for such an epic conclusion, it's kind of mandatory to kick off the movie with something exciting.

 OPENING - New Scenes
    While it could be an option to jump into the Nut scene right away for some crazy action to kick off the conclusion of The Hunger Games franchise, we wonder if this might be too confusing for viewers even with some kind of explanation after or during.  There needs to be at least one briefing scene before the Nut, and I don't know about you, but the idea of a briefing scene to kick off the film doesn't really seem that exciting. The last thing you want to do in the first scene is lose your audience. For this reason, we
Only a small section of the Part 2 timeline
think we should explore the option of new action scenes to give that opening action kick. There's a certain tone that needs to be set, especially for the last installment of the franchise. If there's anything we can take away from the first Hunger Games film, it's that there is a bigger perspective in the movies than in the book. The District 12 rioting scene? Snow's rose garden scenes? Surely these are tastes of things to come. I would expect not only to see what's going on in Snow's neck of the woods during the war, but what's going on all over Panem. This could also assist in showing through visuals the rebels slowly taking district by district so that all that remains is District 2 and The Capitol. We'll talk about how to achieve this cinematically in our next post: Cinematic Delusions of Grandeur part Deux!
    From there, we might need to jolt the audience slightly by bringing them back to the horrible situation we left them in: Peeta's hijacking. Nina Jacobson has sworn that in making these films they would not shy away or "soften" any part of this story. I would expect no different for Mockingjay, so why not show the audience what Peeta is seeing? It could be really interesting (and frightening) to see the world through Peeta's eyes, if only for a moment. From there we may get a scene of Katniss watching him through glass with Beetee talking about what the Capitol did to him.

TRAINING
    To save time, it's possible that Katniss' recovery from Peeta's throat-lock may be nonexistent. It's possible that it is just not necessary because in this two and a half hour movie, every second counts. Let's talk about the whole training part of the books. It's really (aside from the hospital) where Johanna and Katniss hang out. It also seems evident at this point, they (the collective Hunger Games body) doesn't plan on diminishing Johanna's role. We were thinking they might cut out all the training for time reasons, but we've put it in the graph because with just a little scene here and there, because it may not have to be sacrificed. Honestly, it shouldn't be given the nature of what this movie is. District 13 is not just a community, but home to the rebel base (with much better protection against those AT-ATs that's for sure) so naturally, we feel that Katniss would always be training during her
Those Capitol AT-ATs don't stand a chance against District 13!
stay there. I mean, really. It's a military operation and to not see Katniss training to killl Snow is just silly. In the books of course there is a whole backstory about her training and how she never goes to any of her classes, but in order to focus on the major events going on, we could see them downgrading that story line to just a few training scenes with Johanna.
    We've put a short training scene inbetween the Peeta scenes. We've done this so the first scene you see explains about his hijacking and follow up to the cliffhanger that ended part 1. Then we get a casual training scene, perhaps with some comic relief, and also so we can see Katniss letting of steam due to the whole stressful situation. After this training scene, we'd like to revisit Peeta, only this time he actually talks to someone. In the books, it is Peeta's childhood friend Delly. Many fans have wondered and are worried she might go the same way Madge does, and I would have to agree that fans have a right to feel that way. It's probable her character will be cut, but perhaps Lionsgate and whoever is writing the script for Mockingjay part 2 will see her value and keep her in, even to also have her around for that hilariously awkward District 13 lunch scene, which we are crossing our fingers for. At any rate, Peeta will have to talk to someone whether it's Delly or Katniss herself, which is a very real possibility. The scene is just to establish how rabid Peeta is at the moment, which in turn makes Katniss want to get away from the situation, and go with the others to District 2.

TO NUT, OR NOT TO NUT?
    Perhaps Katniss wants to retrieve Gale for the District 2 briefing and she finds him and Beetee poring over blueprints and such in the research room. OOOOOO FORSHADOWING!!  We feel this scene is mandatory. It really doesn't even matter where this scene gets put, as long as it's in the first half of the movie. This ABSOLUTELY needs to be addressed because to stay true to the books, there must be either ambiguity on which side deployed the parachutes, or at least inferring it was the rebels. Say it with me kids: Set up, pay off, Set up, pay off.
    Before we can be whisked away to District 2, there needs to be a scene in the District 13 War Room where we can have The Nut briefing scene along with logistics of taking the Capitol and why taking "The Nut" is so important. Explaining the way the rebels have been taking the districts to eventually take the Capitol is a fairly simple concept that the audience will understand. Let's just hope the audience has played enough Risk games in their lifetime. Which makes us think…just HOW cool would it be to play Risk: Panem Edition?! Okay, okay, let's get back on track.
Lionsgate, make this happen!
      Inciting Incidents are sort of odd to place in second parters because it is half of a story. We still found one in Mockingjay Part 2, we marked it as the War Room scene mentioned above. This scene is Part 2's Inciting Incident since that is when we first find out how exactly the rebels plan to invade the Capitol. The mission briefing of The Nut is the chain reaction that will eventually lead to the assault on the Capitol.
    We've been talking about The Nut briefing taking place in District 13, which is possible may happen that way in the film. However, we could see a movie where all the briefing and such take place in District 2, for the running time's sake. Unfortunately though, we probably won't get a Coin scene if that happens. But maybe Coin having a subdued role in the beginning of the film is better that way. By having the briefing in District 2, we get an idea of why The Nut is important to take, ways of taking The Nut, eventually leading to everyone going along with Gale's plan. Some questions to ponder: Will it be Gale's idea or not? If the producers are so keen on remaining true to the book and not backing away from the severity of the original text like they have claimed, then they will keep Gale's role in logistics for taking The Nut. We hope they will stay as true to the book as possible, which is the utmost importance to the team of people behind The Hunger Games. We're also wondering if they plan on keeping in Lyme's character, or if they will just replace her with Paylor since we were introduced to her character in Part 1, not to mention her eventually becoming leader of the newly free Panem.
    No doubt the whole lead-in and the action scene of taking The Nut as well as Katniss' speech will indeed be a tad condensed. Much like the first Hunger Games film, we're expecting part 2 to be GO GO GO, because a lot happens, many of these events being post climax. The Nut is put here so that we can have a big action scene in the first fourth of the film.
    We have heard discussion about putting The Nut towards the end in Part 1. If there was a good way to achieve this, we would welcome it. However, we really do like the idea of ending on a cliffhanger, and that would also mean The Nut scene being diminished (it's a pivotal scene for the success of the rebellion!), severely diminishing the District 13 bombing, as well as many other things being diminished from Part 1 (I'll be damned if the District 8 scene doesn't get the focus it deserves!). Of course it would be great to have more time to focus on the many important things that occur in part 2 by not having The Nut, but like we said, we are a little afraid of that scene being too diminished or rushed as well as other incredibly important things such as Katniss' friendship with Finnick,  and those other action scenes we've already laid out in Part 1.  We think Part 1 has enough going on already, especially alongside the fact that there's the whole system and location of District 13 to establish and explain.

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
    Despite how much we have been talking about this, we are still only a fourth of the way through Mockingjay Part 2. We've got what's going on in Panem, Peeta's situation, reference to Gale and Beetee's brainchild weapon, obligatory training scene, and The Nut (introduction and action scene). We're only about 40ish minutes in. After a few more scenes (some of them likely to be cut), it'll be one big race to the finish. Before we get into that, let's look into the "calm before the storm" scenes.
    The big scene following The Nut will be Finnick and Annie's wedding. Structurally speaking, I think we can count on this making the cut. First of all, it's possible Lionsgate may be too afraid of the fan fury they would receive if they cut it out. Secondly, in such depressing subject matter, there comes a point where you need a mood relief. It's a necessity. After this enjoyable scene, Katniss visits Peeta for the first time. Depending on whether Delly makes the cut depends on if it will be Katniss first or second time visiting Peeta. Really whether it is or not does not matter, what matters is that Peeta is still sick, but not as rabid as the first time we saw him. We're not expecting this scene to be cut at all.
    The next scene is one that might be cut, but we put it on the list because we're hoping it makes it in. This is the scene in which everyone is having lunch together, and Peeta joins them. We like the idea of there being at least one lunch scene in all of the Mockingjay movies, so we can see all of the main characters interacting, most specifically Johanna, Finnick, and Annie. Due to all the madness going on in the books, it's hard to put in those scenes where they are all together sort of socializing. When Peeta comes to join the party, it establishes that he is slowly being integrated back into society, and also provides for some of Johanna's hilarious awkward comments on the whole situation.
    The last scene before things gets real, is something actually….not real at all. It makes the training scenes relevant and sort of completes the whole military operation image. Katniss' final test for the field: Street Simulated Combat. We think this is just a cool scene to see (and probably expensive. Yikes!) as well as establishing Katniss' continued weakness of not following authority. It's VERY possible this will get cut, but we just thought it'd be a cool thing to see. Plus, ACTION SCENE!

COMING SOON
    In our next Mockingjay Mockup post, we will reveal the rest of our Mockingjay Part 2 chart and discuss important scenes that will most likely make the cut! There will also be some discussion about Mockingjay's diversion from your run-of-the-mill film structure featuring Pre-Climax and Climax, and some interesting options for the ending of The Hunger Games franchise. See you next time!

May your bread be toasty and your arrow fly straight,
Courtney & Tiffany

Previous Mockingjay Mockup editions:

INTRO

PART 1 OVERVIEW

STORYLINES

PART 1 TIMELINE

CINEMATIC DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR (Part 1)

Sneak Peek at Walmart's #HungerGamesDVD Extra Features

Walmart's Hunger Games BluRay/DVD comes with 30 extra features! At least, that's what the fine people at Lionsgate told us! Check out some these sneak peeks of those features:


See more sneak peek videos under the cut...

Casting Alert! Stephanie Leigh Schlund cast as Cashmere!


Getting closer! Today we got Cashmere, who started off as a Price is Right model and moved on to other film projects. Check out her work HERE.

Check out the press release:

STEPHANIE LEIGH SCHLUND CAST AS CASHMERE IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Santa Monica, CA, August 14, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Stephanie Leigh Schlund has been cast in the role of Cashmere in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former Career tribute from District 1, Cashmere and her brother Gloss are both competing in the Quarter Quell.
Stephanie Leigh  Schlund is an Atlanta, Georgia based actress who has appeared in television series including Drop Dead Diva, and films including “The Last Song”.  She can next be seen in the upcoming Fox series The Following, premiering this Fall. 
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com

Monday, August 13, 2012

Nowhere Bad Hunger Games Weapons Shirts!


AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS ONLY!

BUY THEM HERE

Source: NowhereBad

Mockingjay Part 1 and 2 to be Shot Together



Some more Mockingjay news! The LA times recently came out with an article about Lionsgate foreseeing a bigger loss financially with Catching Fire, but to improve with the Mockingjay movies. In the article they reveal that Mockingjay will be shot back to back:
Lions Gate expects to make slightly less money on next year's "Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire" than it did on the original due to higher costs, but hopes to improve its bottom line on the final two films in the franchise by shooting them back-to-back.
On a conference call with analysts discussing the company's financial results for its fiscal first quarter, Lions Gate motion picture group Co-chairman Patrick Wachsberger said, "The profitability of 'Catching Fire' might decline slightly due to the scope of the film." That's a reference to higher costs for production and bringing back the movie's actors, which will apparently outweigh improvements the studio is receiving in its production tax credit as well as the terms of sales to foreign distributors.
"The Hunger Games"cost nearly $100 million to make, though tax credits brought that total down to a little more than $80 million. Lions Gate executives did not specify the planned budget for "Catching Fire" on the conference call.
 Analysts estimated soon after the March release of "The Hunger Games" that the movie would bring in about $300 million in profit to Lions Gate.
"Catching Fire" begins production in September with new director Francis Lawrence and will be released in November 2013.
Although no director has been selected for the two planned films to be adapted from “Mockingjay,” the third book in the "Hunger Games" trilogy, Wachsberger said that the two movies, to be released in November 2014 and 2015, will be shot together.

Meanwhile, fans twiddle their thumbs saying, "Well, DUH."

Source: LA Times

Hunger Games Cast Members Appearing at Walmart Midnight Release Parties!

Check it out! Looks like some cast members from The Hunger Games are due to appear at some Walmart #HungerGamesDVD release parties! Our friends at Down With The Capitol posted a fantastic rundown of the events to go on:


Certain Hunger Games cast members will attend Wal-Mart midnight release parties starting at 11 p.m. on Friday, August 17! In addition to the midnight party release fun, fans will also be able to access never-before-seen interviews and behind-the-scenes footage on Walmart’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/walmart.
Check out what fans can find at the parties:
  • District Parties featuring special giveaways, movie trivia and the opportunity to win exclusive The Hunger Games prizes
  • Fans who purchase the DVD at midnight will receive a special pack of collectible The Hunger Games trading cards, while supplies last. A select number of random packs will include an autographed card from one of the cast members.
  • Customers who prefer to pre-order The Hunger Games 2-disc Blu-ray or DVD online at Walmart.com prior to the movie’s release on August 18 will have a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to attend The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiere or other exclusive prizes.
  • In select stores, fans will have the opportunity to meet the following cast members:
o   Glimmer (Leven Rambin) in Dallas, TX
o   Cato (Alexander Ludwig) in Miami, FL
o   Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) in Phoenix, AZ
o   Thresh (Dayo Okeniyi) in Santa Clarita, CA
o   Atlanta, GA, TBD
For specific store locations and event activities, please visit: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/Event-Detail.aspx?txtEventID=1017
And for even more fun, celebrity party-planning expert Hostess with the Mostess has partnered with Walmart to host a live #DistrictParty Twitter party at 4:00 p.m. ET Thursday, August 16. Fans can follow @Walmart and use the hashtag #DistrictParty to join the conversation and get tips and ideas about hosting their own The Hunger Games themed viewing party to celebrate the DVD release.

Sounds like a blast!  Remember, you can head over HERE to see where the closest Walmart midnight release party is happening near you!

Source: DWTC

#HungerGamesDVD Sneak Peek: Cast Bonding

Can't wait for The Hunger Games DVD? Check out this sneak peek of the DVD bonus features. In this video, the cast talks about good ol' bonding times!



Source: Access Hollywood

Casting Alert! Maria Howell cast as Seeder!


Another day, another tribute casting! Maria Howell cast as Seeder! Check out her IMDB page HERE.
Check out the press release:

 MARIA HOWELL CAST AS SEEDER IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Santa Monica, CA, August 13th, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Maria Howell has been cast in the role of Seeder in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former victor from District 11, Seeder competes in the 75th Annual Hunger Games, also known as the Quarter Quell.  

Maria Howell is an Atlanta, Georgia based actress, singer, and voiceover artist best known as the choir soloist from the movie “The Color Purple.” She has also appeared on television in Army Wives, Drop Dead Diva, The Vampire Diaries, Meet The Browns, and House Of Payne, and in the acclaimed film “The Blind Side.”  

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com
 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Red Dawn Trailer and Images!

Okay, so I know we don't typically post about The Hunger Games actors' other projects (partly because it's not directly related plus there are just so many to post about), but over a year ago Tiffany and I got to go to a test screening for Red Dawn and LOVED it. Since then, we've been very aware about any Red Dawn news coming out. It was made way back in 2009 and FINALLY it will be in theatres in a few months! Josh Hutcherson fans, you won't wanna miss this one!

Check out the trailer:


Check out the official poster:

Don't miss RED DAWN, the must-see action movie of the Fall, in theaters everywhere November 21, 2012!
 
Starring CHRIS HEMSWORTH (Thor, The Avengers), JOSH PECK (Drake & Josh, The Wackness), JOSH HUTCHERSON (The Hunger Games), ADRIANNE PALICKI (Friday Night Lights, upcoming GI Joe: Retaliation), ISABEL LUCAS (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, upcoming Knight of Cups), CONNOR CRUISE (Seven Pounds), and JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN (Watchmen).

Casting Alert: E. Roger Mitchell cast as Chaff!


We're sensing a pattern here! It's another day, another casting announcement! It's just been announced that E. Roger Mitchell has been cast as Chaff! Make sure to check out his lengthy IMDB page.

Check out the press release from Lionsgate:

E. ROGER MITCHELL CAST AS CHAFF IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Santa Monica, CA, August 10, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that E. Roger Mitchell has been cast in the role of Chaff in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A tribute from District 11, Chaff won the 45th Annual Hunger Games and will compete in the Quarter Quell.

E. Roger Mitchell is an Atlanta based actor with decades of experience on the stage.  His small and big screen roles have included “Battle: Los Angeles”, The Shield, One Tree Hill, and Tyler Perry projects including “Diary Of A Mad Black Woman”, “Daddy’s Little Girls”, and House Of Payne

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com

Happy Birthday, Suzanne Collins!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SUZANNE COLLINS!!

Suzanne, we hope you have a fantastic day today and we cannot thank you enough for everything you've given us. You have changed our lives forever and because of you we have experienced things we would not have had otherwise. We don't know where we'd be without you! We love you!

Secrets of The Hunger Games Blu-Ray UNCOVERED! *Spoilers*

Before you read anymore, keep in mind this post is exposing the deep dark secrets of The Hunger Games Blu-Ray DVD (Click here if you wanna read our HG Blu Ray review!). If you want to figure it out on your own, (I'll admit it's pretty fun), I suggest you stop here and wait for August 18th until you can get your hands on one and start exploring! If you just want to know what message Plutarch Heavensbee wanted to send us, keep reading....

We first noticed it while watching the special features disc. I had the World of the Hunger Games highlighted, and for whatever reason pressed down on the key pad. Very strangely this appeared:

What could this mean? Of course I started to press the down key on all the other sections of the Blu-Ray. I was rewarded with one more message:
     So, I sat on this information for a few days. Frustration abounds, really. So excited about the discovery, but nowhere near finding an answer. We tried taking the first letters and jumbling them, taking the district names away, etc. Then, a breakthrough! Just a few hours ago I was looking at the main Blu-Ray disc to see if I missed anything. FINALLY, it made sense and I was kicking myself that I didn't see it before! After the Lionsgate logo shows up, the opening animation of The Capitol reveals banners of each district, each with a word at the bottom of each banner. As these banners zoomed by, you saw some letters light up red, and some green. While this was confusing as hell the first time around, everything started to fit into place.
     Fast forward to 20 replays later (that section of the Blu-Ray, unfortunately, is not pauseable), I circled every letter to the corresponding word according to what color they were attached to in the first two messages. The response gave me chills:


"Beware of the Quarter Quell. District 13 survives. All is not lost."
                                        -Plutarch Heavensbee




The Ultimate Hunger Games Blu-Ray Review!



     We've got a real treat for you guys today! We're going to give you the full scoop on the Hunger Games Blu-Ray: Special Features, cool stuff it comes with, and something The Capitol NEVER intended us to see! That's right folks, we uncovered an Easter Egg on the Blu-Ray. Very curious...

MY EYES!!

    Since the version we have is a Blu-Ray, we have to say that watching The Hunger Games is a total eye feast. Be prepared to pause a lot because you'll be wanting to take in every aspect of those Capitol scenes. (Has anyone been able to spot Haymitch taking a long whiff into a white rose at the Tribute Parade?) Fans will be able to appreciate the detail and beauty of the costumes and locations that Gary Ross and his crew made come to life.

The Special Features Fans Deserve

     Whether or not you own the Blu-Ray or DVD, you will get to see the documentary (either all at once or section by section, up to you!) The World of The Hunger Games. This documentary (which runs somewhere between 2 and 3 hours) covers pretty much all the aspects of the film process. Fans will get a look at development, casting, design, tribute training, shooting on location, visual effects, scoring, sound design, editing, and the press tour. When we watched the special features there were certain moments that really made us think of the fans and how much they will enjoy this documentary. Fans who remember when The Hunger Games was in the casting and production stage will especially have an appreciation for these special features. Some questions you have had will be answered, as well as completely new information will come to light. Of course we are incredibly grateful for all these special features, but our only regret is a lack of focus on the Foley team. But really we can't complain, we just CANNOT get enough of extra content!
     Lastly, be prepared to wipe a tear from your eye during the press tour part of the documentary. Fans who attended mall tours or the LA premiere will take a trip down memory lane. We wish they had a little more content in this section (purely for selfish reasons) but again, we can't complain! Fans will be beside themselves with the amount of extra content and it of course does not stop there...
    Hands down, the coolest featurette is Letters from the Rose Garden. This, of course, is the famed email Donald Sutherland wrote to Gary Ross about power, READ by Donald Sutherland himself. This truly took our breath away. From all we know, feel, and love about The Hunger Games, you might just want to cry. Donald Sutherland understands the books as well as any one of us, and we were just so overcome with emotion because of how lucky we are to have such a lengendary actor who truly understands what makes Snow tick.

What's Missing?

     We know fans are hoping and expecting certain things from the special features, so we made sure to find out these things when we went to Lionsgate. First of all, no deleted scenes. The truth is that there was not enough deleted scenes in existence to put it on the DVD. All is not lost though, friends! The Lionsgate folks said that the movie we have come to love is pretty much the first version Gary Ross showed to Lionsgate, which is rare. This is why there are limited deleted scnes. There are no full deleted scenes to offer, but I imagine they have tidbits lying around somewhere. The fine people at Lionsgate said they would probably save these small bits of footage for a future box set much like the later released Harry Potter box sets. So Hunger Games fans, do not despair!
     As for the commentaries, it unfortunately did not work out for this particular round. Because the special features were being put together during the press tour, they were unable to get Jennifer, Josh, and Liam together to record a commentary track. Hopefully they will have better luck next time!
     Lastly, the Marketing Gallery consists of the trailers, set photos, and movie posters. While we are glad they included this, we wish they would have added some concept art. But then again, we are special features junkies and too much is never enough for us.

The Easter Egg - PLUTARCH, IS THAT YOU?!
     By accident we stumbled onto something on the Blu-Ray: two VERY cryptic messages from someone signed, "pH". Now, the only person that comes to mind is Plutarch Heavensbee. Curious...


 Our DVD EASTER EGG POST IS UP! Click HERE to see Plutarch's message!

The Verdict Is...
     We are giving Lionsgate a solid A for the Blu-Ray! Of course they don't have every single thing fans wanted, but we can't deny that they've given fans a whopping 3+ hours of special features. They wanted to give fans as much as possible, and they certainly delivered. Keep in mind there are still other BOX SETS that will also be available upon release!

Digital Copy
     Something for you to look forward to: alongside your Blu-Ray or DVD you will receive a digital copy from iTunes or you can download and stream through the Ultra Violet service. Also, VERY cool news for The Hunger Games Adventures fans! Inside our Blu-Ray/DVD we found a virtual item code!

So in conclusion, we hope to see you guys at some midnight DVD release parties! Happy Hunger Games!

Buy ALL the DVD Box Sets!

Can't figure out what Hunger Games DVD box set to buy when it comes out on the 18th? Maybe this will help:

Blu Ray - $22.96
Disc 1• Feature Film

Disc 2Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and the Hunger Games Phenomenon
The World is Watching: Making the Hunger Games
• Letters from the Rose Garden
• Controlling the Games
• A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell
• Preparing for The Games: A Director’s Process (Blu-ray Exclusive)
• Propaganda Film
• Marketing Archive


DVD - $18.96
Disc 1
• Feature Film

Disc 2
Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and the Hunger Games Phenomenon
The World is Watching: Making the Hunger Games
• Letters from the Rose Garden
• Controlling the Games
• A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell
• Propaganda Film
• Marketing Archive




Target - BluRay: $25.99 DVD: $20.99
-Same extras as DVD or Blu-Ray
-Tribute Video Diaries -- "The seven main tributes use their flip-cameras to document the build up to the release of The Hunger Games, (2) Stories from the Tributes – sit down with the tributes and hear the best stores of their time filming the most anticipated movie of 2012, (3) Tribute Biographies – find out all about your favorite tributes with this animated gallery and (4) Tribute Photo Gallery – personal photos of the tributes."



Walmart Box Set
Blu-Ray: $26.96 DVD: $22.96

-Same features as DVD and Blu Ray
-VUDU EXCLUSIVES:
     -The Stunts of the Hunger Games
     -Capitol Couture: The Styles of Panem 
-Comes with Mockingjay Pendant

Best Buy - $45 range
Unfortunately, it's not available to preorder online because there are a limited quantity of them (I believe the people at Lionsgate said around 40,000). It comes with both the DVDs AND Blu-Rays. No particular special features, but does come with cool acrylic Mockingjay which would probably look pretty sweet on your mantle.



Costco - We're guessing in the $50 dollar range
This fancy box set will be available at Costco! In addition to the movie, this comes with a District 12 arena bag, a Hunger Games bag clip, and a parachute necklace! Oo la la!

That's it for all the popular DVD box sets available for purchase! Choose wisely! Or, you know, buy them all.


One last thing! Be sure to check out Aldrin's vlog from our trip to Lionsgate! Watch Courtney do something silly at the 4:43 mark, and at 5:17 watch Arianna from DWTC and Courtney give a rundown on our recommended box set: Target!



Thursday, August 9, 2012

Casting Alert! Alan Ritchson Cast as Gloss!


Casting Alert! They just keep coming! Alan Ritchson has been cast as Gloss and you can check out his work HERE.

Check out the press release:


ALAN RITCHSON CAST AS GLOSS IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
Santa Monica, CA, August 9, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Alan Ritchson has been cast in the role of Gloss in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former Career tribute from District , Gloss and his sister Cashmere are both competing in the Quarter Quell.
Ritchson most recently starred in the CBS comedy pilot SUPER FUN NIGHT with Rebel Wilson, and BLUE MOUNTAIN STATE, which aired on Spike TV for three seasons.  
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.
Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Find A #HungerGamesDVD Party Near You!


Isn't this fancy?! Check out this super cool website! Just type in your zip code to see if there will be a midnight release party near you on the night of the 17th!

Stay tuned for a more detailed post on your Blu-Ray/DVD options!

Source

Casting Alert: Bruno Gunn Cast as Brutus!


More casting news! Bruno Gunn is known for his television work, you should definitely check him out. Here is the press release:

BRUNO GUNN CAST AS BRUTUS IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Santa Monica, CA, August 8, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Bruno Gunn has been cast in the role of Brutus in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. Brutus is a former Career victor from District 2.

Gunn has co-starred in a variety of films, most recently the comedy hit Bad Teacher, and is recognizable to TV audiences from frequent guest starring roles including on “The Office”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Sons Of Anarchy,” “Oz,” and “Prison Break.”
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.
com 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Casting Alert: Meta Golding Cast as Enobaria!


More casting news! Meta Golding is Enobaria! Check out her work on IMDB, she's done lots of television work. Check out the press release:


META GOLDING CAST AS ENOBARIA IN LIONSGATE’S THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Santa Monica, CA, August 7, 2012- Lionsgate® and the filmmakers of THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE are pleased to announce that Meta Golding has been cast in the role of Enobaria in the much anticipated film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel Catching Fire. A former career tribute from District 2, Enobaria is known for the particularly brutal, disturbing way in which she came to win The Hunger Games.

Golding is known to television audiences from series regular and guest starring roles on “CSI,” “Criminal Minds,” “House,” and “Cold Case” and will also be seen in the upcoming independent film The Chicago 8

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark.   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 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 sold more than 50 million books in print and digital in the U.S. alone.

Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE on November 22, 2013.

Ongoing casting news and information for the film can be found at: www.CatchingFireCasting.com


Source: CF Casting