The Hunger Games

August 22nd, 2012 | 12:52 pm by Sabrina Rojas Weiss (@shalapitcher)

Sam Claflin Is Our Finnick Odair! Snow White‘s Prince Gets Coveted Catching Fire Part

Sam Claflin in Snow White and the Huntsman

After years of waiting and hoping and fantasizing that everyone from Taylor Kitsch to Robert Pattinson would take on the role of Finnick in the Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, Lionsgate has at last put us out of our misery and announced who’d get the highly coveted part: Sam Claflin. After playing Prince Charming in Snow White and the Huntsman, he certainly made a number of people’s wish list to take on the role of the flashy, handsome and surprisingly lovelorn District 4 tribute. (And man, we’re glad someone’s getting a happily ever after out of SWATH.)

Does he have the kind of depth to play this unlikely revolutionary hero with a knack for spearing people with his trusty trident? Tell us what you think. Here’s a little gallery that will certainly help his case:

[Photo: Universal]

August 15th, 2012 | 1:52 pm by Jessie Rubin

Celebrate Jennifer Lawrence’s Birthday With A Look At Her Hairvolution

Jennifer Lawrence is turning 22 today, and we couldn’t be more proud of the “girl on fire.” Some of us fell in love with her back when she did Winter’s Bone, others jumped in with The Hunger Games, but regardless of when our fandom began, we haven’t been able to get enough of her. We watched teary-eyed and cheered her on as she protected her family, stepped in for Primrose, shot an arrow through an apple, devoted herself to Peeta and emerged a victor. Are we the only ones that pretend we’re Katniss Everdeen in the midst of the Games when we need to run those last few dreaded minutes on the treadmill? It definitely helped when we found out that she really trains that hard (sans arrows) off-set too.

Sure, we’ve heard rumblings that archery’s becoming more popular in recent months, but one HG trend that’s much more visible in everyday life is that signature Katniss braid. That’s why we decided to focus on her hair for this birthday celebration. Jennifer’s always keeping it fresh with her hair color and styling — with or without Cinna’s help. From her days as a spunky teenageron TBS’ The Bill Engvall Show to her ass-kicking times in X-Men, she’s always shocking us with her new looks, and we’re always looking forward to what she’s going to come out with next.

[Photos: Getty Images/TBS/Paramount Vantage/20th Century Fox]

August 8th, 2012 | 2:10 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

We Approve Of Bruno Gunn As Brutus In Catching Fire; The Man Already Has A Hunger Games Name!

Bruno Gunn Cast In Catching Fire

It’s pretty obvious why the casting director selected Bad Teacher actor Bruno Gunn for the role of Brutus in Catching Fire. No, it’s not because he has the intensity and build of a District 2 career tribute. Right, it’s because his name looks like it could have been directly lifted from any page of the Hunger Games series. We mean, Bruno Gunn? Suzanne Collins herself couldn’t have picked out a better stage name for a man playing such a brutal competitor. We bet if she tried, she’d come up with something like Peapod Flutterby, and, really, what’s a casting director supposed to do with that?

Much like Patrick St. Esprit, who was announced as the movie’s dictatorial Romulus Thread on Monday, Gunn’s IMDB page is packed with roles prefaced with the titles “officer,” “police sergeant,” “lieutenant” and “special agent.” In fact, both St. Esprit and Gunn have appeared on FX’s Sons of Anarchy, which makes us think the show is fast becoming Hollywood’s go-to source for menacing middle-aged hunks. Just like Brutus himself, we can’t wait to see Bruno get into the arena with Meta Golding’s Enobaria, or try to form an alliance with Katniss. We’d form an alliance with Gunn, if you know what we mean. Actually, we’d probably form an alliance with any of the new Catching Fire cast members announced so far. We’re just open-minded like that!

[Photo: IMDB]

August 7th, 2012 | 1:12 pm by Sabrina Rojas Weiss (@shalapitcher)

Jennifer Lawrence Deserves That Big Catching Fire Raise; Hunger Games DVD Extras Prove Why

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in The Hunger Games

So, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Jennifer Lawrence is “in the final stages of negotiations” to get a big fat raise for The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire. Whereas she got $500,000 plus bonuses from the first flick, she’ll be getting something like $10 million total for number two. And you know what? We think she totally deserves it. We’ve been catching snippets of the DVD extras before its August 18 release, and they go a long way to showing that she’s the real heart of the movie (well, that and Suzanne Collins’ story, of course). Take this latest exclusive clip on Vulture today, all about how director Gary Ross and visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal decided on the way to create Katniss and Peeta’s flaming arena costumes.

I hope you don’t take away my HG fangirl badge for saying this, but the Girl on Fire scene was basically my least favorite of the whole movie. The effects fell way short of my imagination, and they just seemed rather cheesy to me. Not that I could tell you how it would look better, mind you. My point is, even though the effects very occasionally reminded you that you were watching a fictional movie, Lawrence’s stark performance consistently brought me back into the story. I’m sure a whole lot of the three hours of behind-the-scenes footage the DVD contains is going to show more of the same. Here she is learning how to climb trees — but of course, we never care how well she climbs the trees in the end, it’s all about the look on her face once she’s up there, watching the Careers plot her demise.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below!

August 2nd, 2012 | 2:15 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Sex And The City‘s Lynn Cohen Cast As Catching Fire‘s Mags. We’ll Just Start Crying Now.

Lynn Cohen Cast in Catching Fire

Hopefully she’s as good at making fish hooks as she is at making Miranda feel terrible about her sexual choices! Lionsgate announced today that America’s favorite judgmental housekeeper Sex And The City’s Lynn Cohen has been cast as District 4 victor-turned-coach-turned-tribute in Catching Fire. Partnered with Finnick Odair and endeared to Katniss, Mags is an 80-year-old Hunger Games mentor who volunteers to protect tribute Annie Cresta. If that already sounds like a tear jerker, you might need to stock up on Kleenex now. It only gets more heart-wrenching from there.

Cohen has most recently appeared in Nurse Jackie, Bored to Death and basically every permutation of Law & Order on television. In case you thought Cohen’s range was limited to just “comically old-fashioned domestic worker,” her emotional moments with Cynthia Nixon over her ailing mother-in-law, as well as her turn as Golda Meir in Munich, will show you otherwise. Seriously, you will cry at your desk if you watch the videos below the jump. Oh no…we just remembered more details from Catching Fire. Yeah, we are already dreading that whole “falling to the ground in a horrible dance” business…

Read more…

July 12th, 2012 | 3:00 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Glee‘s Grant Gustin Auditioned For Catching Fire, Bringing Our Possible Finnick Count Up To Infinity

Grant Gustin Up For Finnick In Catching Fire

Just when you think every actor under the age of 30 has tried out for the role of Finnick in the Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, you find out that you are totally and completely correct. Glee’s Grant Gustin is just the latest man-child to throw his name into the reaping ball, joining the likes of Garrett Hedlund, Hunter Parrish and whatever actor just popped into your head after Hunter Parrish. Oh yeah, he’ll do. “I have auditioned for the role,” he admitted in an interview with The Insider today. “I don’t think [the producers] know what they’re looking for just yet, but yes, I auditioned for the role.” Hmmm, an interesting aside. Were the casting directions literally scratching their heads and shrugging in the middle of auditions? Did giant cartoon question marks appear about their heads? From all the names that have been swirling recently, all signs point to…yes.

When not subtly and hilarious undermining Kurt’s relationship on Glee, Gustin stars in the upcoming Lifetime movie A Mother’s Fear, a film which also sounds like it could be about a dystopian teen battle royale. We’re intrigued by him as a choice, but other than Glee, he doesn’t have much on his IMDB to go by. Which begs the question…who do you want to see don the trident and fishnet underwear of Finnick Odair? Right, right, all of them, but in the movie. Who do you want to see put them on in the movie?

[Photo: Getty Images]

July 10th, 2012 | 7:00 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

The Mockingjay Release Dates Are Here: They Are An Eternity From Now

Hunger Games Sequel Mockingjay Due Out November 2014, November 2015

Dear god! All the young adults that read the Hunger Games series’ final book Mockingjay….will be regular, old adults when the final movie comes out! Is there any fate worse than this? How could the universe be so cruel? We’re kidding, of course, but dang, the Mockingjay release dates do seem to stretch out into the infinite span of time. Deadline reports that having split the series’ final book into two films Harry Potter-style, Mockingjay Part 1 will debut November 21, 2014. Okay, sure. Seems reasonable. Mockingjay Part 2, however, doesn’t hit theaters until November 20, 2015. All we’re saying is that the world had better end in 2012 like the Mayans predicted, or we are going to straight up die of yearning between those two Novembers.

Luckily we still have Catching Fire due out November 22, 2013 to sustain us, featuring the illustrious Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone and…well, whoever is going to play Finnick. Weeds actor Hunter Parrish, Armie Hammer, and Garrett Hedlund are allegedly still in the running for the tribute/pseudo-gigolo with a heart of gold, with Hedlund in the lead. Taylor Kitsch maintains that he’s not up for the Catching Fire role, but we wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up snagging it anyway. Just like we wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve totally forgotten the plot to Mockingjay before it’s a officially a movie. Haha, just kidding. We will never forget the Mockingjay.

[Photo: Getty Images]

July 9th, 2012 | 4:40 pm by Halle Kiefer (@hallekiefer)

Philip Seymour Hoffman Will Kill It As Plutarch Heavensbee — He’s Been Playing Him For Years

Philip Seymour Hoffman Cast In Catching Fire As Plutarch Heavensbee

We can already hear the accent Philip Seymour Hoffman is going to use when he’s bringing it as Plutarch Heavensbee in Catching Fire. You know, the one he uses all the time? The one where he sort of sounds like Oscar Wilde, and he just woke up from a century-long nap? So, how are we so sure PSH is going to kill it as the Head Gamemaker of the 75th Hunger Games/secret rebel leader, now that he’s been officially confirmed for next year’s Hunger Games sequel? Maybe because he’s been playing Plutarch Heavensbee his entire career (excluding Along Came Polly) (which should always be excluded) Not that he was, you know, doing it intentionally, but let’s be honest: PSH’s previous roles definitively demonstrate that he is perfect for the job. Need more proof? We’re happy to refresh your PSH memory:

Read more…

July 4th, 2012 | 7:55 am by Ambika Muttoo (@missmuttoo)

The Rumors Were True: Jena Malone Is Offered The Part Of Johanna Mason In Catching Fire

Jena Malone, In Talks For Johanna Mason In "Catching Fire"

The rumor mill was spot on with this one. News broke last month that Jena Malone was in the running for the role of in Catching Fire, the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy. Johanna is a female tribute from District  7 and is often described as sarcastic and mean-spirited. That’s the vanilla shade of her character, because for all her bitchiness, Johanna is an odd character to pin down. Remember when she stabs Katniss in the arm? Turned out it was to disable a tracking device. And as we all know, Johanna’s character in Mockingjay becomes even more sympathetic. It’s a tough role to play! We do feel like Jena has the look of Johanna, and could do the character justice. Which is good news because The Hollywood Reporter has published news saying that the actress has now been offered the part and apparently, is in early negotiations for the role. The role will obviously be reprised for Mockingjay as well. This would be quite a coup for her, even though she’s been around for a while now. That’s THG for you. A franchise like this is like solid gold for an actor. While we think Jena’s a great choice, we want to know your thoughts. Do you think she’ll be able to pull it off?

[Photo: Getty Images]

Related: JLaw The Hero, Johanna Mason Casting Rumors: Whatever Helps You Make It Until Catching Fire

June 27th, 2012 | 2:01 pm by Sabrina Rojas Weiss (@shalapitcher)

Did Miley Cyrus Hook Up With Jennifer Lawrence On The Hunger Games Set? Hilarious Rumor Of The Day

Jennifer Lawrence and Miley Cyrus at the People's Choice Awards, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus at the Hunger Games premiere

One of our bosses just walked out of his office saying “I hate the Internet.” We’re pretty sure he was joking … or he’s secretly a Miley Cyrus fan. Because if we were Miley or one of her fans, that’s how we’d feel today. First there’s the latest rumor, which we read via GossipCop, that Liam Hemsworth has threatened to call off their engagement if she doesn’t start eating more. Which, girl is looking quite thin these days, but that is what happens when you cut out gluten, and she seems OK in the muscle tone department, and also, what century do we live in that any man would dare say such a thing? Internet rumor number two is much more fascinating and timely: Crushable brought our attention to a blind item that states that two young actors from “one of the biggest movies of the year” weren’t hooking up with each other, as some speculated, but in fact “the female lead DID have an on set fling – but not with her costar – with her costar’s GIRLFRIEND when she came to visit!” And Crushable, along with all of the commenters on BlindGossip.com, are convinced that this is referring to Miley, Liam and his Hunger Games co-star Jennifer Lawrence.

Huh. We wouldn’t blame Miley for wanting to hook up with Katniss — she’s enough to make anyone consider switching teams. But based on how adorably chummy JLaw, Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson were on the set and in interviews after the fact, we have a really hard time believing Jen would jeopardize that relationship. Especially given the fact that they have to make three more movies together and hooking up with Miley would make things rather awkward. So, yeah, the Internet. What are you going to do with it? Let’s just go back to admiring Jennifer’s real-life heroic efforts.

[Photos: Getty Images]