Josh Hutcherson Talks About Francis Lawrence

'Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson on Sequel's New Director: 'It's Gonna Be a Fun Ride' (Video)

The actor tells THR he's "excited" to meet Francis Lawrence, who will helm the next installment of the Lionsgate franchise.

Amid the high profile director shakeup for Lionsgate's sequel to The Hunger Games, the film's three stars -- Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth -- had remained mum on their new leader. Attending the GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles on Saturday, Hutcherson broke his silence.

"I'm excited to meet him," Hutcherson said of newly named Catching Fire director, Francis Lawrence. "I've heard amazing things about him, so it's gonna be a fun ride."

PHOTOS: 'The Hunger Games' Cast

Hutcherson was on hand to receive the watchdog organization's Vanguard award, presented to media professionals who have increased the visibility and understanding of the LGBT community.

"It means the world to me," Hutcherson said of the honor. "Getting awards for acting is one thing, but getting awards for trying to actually make a difference in the community -- that means so much more to me."

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of THR's 'Hunger Games' Cover Shoot

The actor, 19, has lent his support to ally organization Straight But Not Narrow and has remained outspoken about equality. Hutcherson co-starred as the son of a lesbian couple in the 2010 pic The Kids Are All Right, which took home the GLAAD Award for outstanding feature, wide release.

"My fight for equal rights has been all my life," he said. "My whole family raised me very much with an open mind. Everybody deserves to be treated equally no matter race, gender, sexuality, whatever. It's a big thing that's important to me."

See more from THR's interview with Hutcherson in the video above.

THR
xoxo
Carrie

Twilight's Kellan Lutz: I Want to Be in The Hunger Games

Is there anyone who isn't a fan of The Hunger Games?!

Just ask Twilight star Kellan Lutz. The hunky actor says he loves The Hunger Games so much, he'd jump at the chance to be in one of the franchise's blockbuster films...

READ: Hunger Games' Josh Hutcherson Opens Up: "I Had Two Uncles Die From AIDS"

"I love the script, I love the movie, everything about it!" Lutz gushed to us last night at Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood bash at Greystone Manor in West Hollywood.
Lutz said he's "always been" a fan of the franchise. "I got hooked reading all those books," he said. "I remember before they ever started making a movie, I was like, "I would love to be a part of this!'"
Maybe Lutz could snag a part alongside Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth in the Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire? "That'd be really special," he smiled.
As for the never-ending Twilight-Hunger Games comparisons, Lutz said, "I feel like Twilight's kind of more girly and on the romance side and lacks the action and then Hunger Games is very much an action-packed movie that lacks some of the romance."
"But those stories, it shows that you don't have to stick to one certain formula," he said. "If you have these keys ingredients in the caldron it will make a great movie. It's great that there's fans for both of them."
E
xoxo
Carrie

Francis Lawrence Is Lionsgate's Choice to Direct 'Hunger Games' Sequel 'Catching Fire' (Exclusive)

Sources say he will receive an official offer this afternoon.

After a quick but fairly exhaustive search, Lionsgate has chosen Francis Lawrence to direct the Hunger Games sequelCatching Fire.

Sources say Lawrence will receive an official offer Thursday afternoon. If he accepts and a deal can be worked out, he will replaceGary Ross, who directed the hugely successful first installment of the franchise.

The hunt has been fast and furious, with the field narrowing down to Lawrence, director of I Am Legend and Water for Elephants, and Bennett Miller, who helmed the Oscar-nominated Brad Pitt baseball movie Moneyball. Both directors met with the studio Thursday, according to sources, and Lionsgate executives have made their pick.

PHOTOS: 10 Pre-'Hunger Games' Top-Grossing International Franchises

Lawrence was deemed the front-runner by observers simply because of his open schedule. Miller is working his way to a December start for Foxcatcher, a true-life project centering on John Du Pont that has been his focus for several years. Miller has even lined up Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo for the drama, and delaying it would have been a Herculean task.

Other directors on the shortlist of Catching Firecontenders were Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In, Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy), Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu (Babel), Cary Fukunaga (Jane Eyre) and Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code).

PHOTOS: 28 of Summer's Most Anticipated Movies

Lawrence’s selection raises the question of the state of the Catching Fire screenplay. Ross, who is a writer as much as he is a director, worked on the Hunger Games script and was planning on spending two months honing Fire, working from a script penned by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire). The producers and the new director now will need to keep working with Beaufoy or hire new scribes to hammer out the script before shooting begins.

The moviemakers are facing a ticking clock, especially since Lionsgate has set a Nov. 22, 2013, release date for Catching Fire, the second of four planned movies based on Suzanne Collins' trilogy of books. Also coming into play is that shooing for Fire likely needs to be done by early January so that star Jennifer Lawrence, who is not related to the Austria-born director, can begin shooting the sequel to X-Men: First Class in late January. Fox, which is making that movie, has an option on the actress that supersedes her Lionsgate commitment.

Lawrence is repped by CAA and 3Arts and attorney Gretchen Rush. 

THR
xoxo
Carrie

Bella And Katniss: Analyzing Their Literary Appeal

For 'Twilight' Tuesday, we chat with experts about why young readers relate to the YA heroines.

No matter how you feel about "The Twilight Saga" as a film franchise,Stephenie Meyer's vampire romance inspired millions of young readers to pick up a book and read. Anything that gets young people to lose themselves in the written word — whether it's "Twilight," "The Hunger Games" or "Game of Thrones" — is a positive step.

This week's "Twilight" Tuesday is all about understanding what it is exactly about the characters in these books, particularly the very popular YA genre, that gets us obsessed and day-dreamy about them. Why do we love Bella and Katniss? What does that say about young readers today and the future of the genre? I took my questions to a few very informed experts.

"The thing with the Bella phenomenon, she was kinda like an empty vessel, and I feel like part of the appeal there was just a really blank slate on which people could project their own identities," said Lauren Oliver, best-selling author of "Delirium" and "Pandemonium." "It was fantasy. It allowed you to float up through it.
"In terms of heroines now, I think what's really interesting about them is that, many of them, for example 'The Hunger Games,' certainly in my books, the characters don't necessarily start out being so fierce and badass, which I think to some extent would be not even off-putting, but alienating," she continued. "Because I'm not sure that people feel that way. I do think what's significant is that these characters are portrayed as being very much at the start, normal girls, but very moral normal girls who because of a set of very extraordinary circumstances are able to step into strength that they didn't know they possessed. I think that really resonates with people because everybody I assume would like to feel that, if given the chance, they could be someone special."
Dr. Jenn Berman, host and therapist on VH1's "Couples Therapy" said the love for both types of heroines hearkens back to classic literary characters we've loved for centuries.
"Both characters are appealing on a very archetypal level. One is very much a damsel in distress, this sort of empty, insecure vessel, which I think is very identifiable for young women," she explained. "The other is sort of this superhero, strong, independent woman who doesn't need anybody, which I think is also something that is very inspirational for women. In each one of us we have both of those entities, and as a result, people are drawn to these characters."
Kristin Rens, senior editor at HarperCollins, pointed out that while Bella and Katniss are pretty different, they also share a few qualities to which a lot of teens relate.
"Bella and Katniss are obviously very different characters. But one thing they have in common is their drive — the fact that they both very much know what they want, and they won't stop until they reach their goals," Rens said. "When you're a teen, there are so many parts of life that are out of your hands, so there's something very aspirational and appealing about characters like Bella and Katniss who are able to take control of their own lives, even when the odds are stacked against them."
Dr. Berman added that we all have a little damsel in distress in us, as well as a superhero; the trick is balancing them.
"In order to become fully formed people, we have to find a way to both make friends with our damsel in distress and find a way to rescue her on our own," she said. "As long as you understand why and what you need to do with that archetype, it's OK, but to romanticize the damsel-in-distress archetype, you set yourself up for unhealthy relationships. What you do [to prevent that] is you say, 'Wow, there is a part of me that would really like to be rescued, but I'm not going to give into that part of me. I'm going to rescue myself instead.' "
The same goes for the superhero Katniss archetype, however, in that romanticizing that type of woman can also set you up for an unhealthy perspective.
"Healthy relationships are interdependent," Berman said. "If you are an island, then you're not having an emotionally intimate relationship, so the truth of a healthy relationship lies somewhere in between both of these archetypes."

MTV
xoxo
Carrie

Could Hunger Games Could Dethrone Robsten For Best Kiss? Josh Hutcherson Weighs In

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We’re still enjoying this little breather in between awards season madness and summer blockbusters, but our own Kate Spencer already has the MTV Movie Awards on her mind — specifically, the Best Kiss Golden Popcorn, which has been dominated by Kristen Stewartand Robert Pattinson for three years now. When she got a minute with Hunger Gamescutie Josh Hutcherson at the NewNowNext Awards, she gave him the toughest of tough questions: Will Katniss and Peeta’s cave kiss rival any of Bella and Edward’s from Breaking Dawn – Part 1?

“I don’t know, they had a great kiss,” he admitted. “Theirs was so passionate. Ours was like, I was on my deathbed, wasn’t very sexy. I don’t know, we’ll see. Maybe. I’d be so lucky. One can only hope.”

We applaud his honesty — and wonder whether the kisses in Catching Fire will give Jennifer Lawrence and Hutcherson, and Jen and Liam Hemsworth a bit more of a competitive edge in the awards game (though Twilight will no longer be in the running by then). Regardless of who wins this year, all this speculation just got us really excited for June 3, when the Movie Awards will air live from Los Angeles.

VH1
xoxo
Carrie

11 Possible Directors That Should Continue The ‘Hunger Games’

With Gary Ross officially exiting The Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, Lionsgate and Summit will need to scramble to find out who will helm the next in the franchise. We’ve cobbled together a list of our top eleven picks and while some our clearly dream choices, if they hand it over to any of these directors, we’ll certainly be content. Check out our list below and let us know your choices.

Bill Condon

Yours truly did not see Breaking Dawn: Part 1, but reviews have credited Condon for taking a pulpy, silly work and at least doing *something* with it. Now, his reported decision to camp things up wouldn’t jibe with more serious (and generally respected) source material, but, at the very least, Breaking Dawn shows he has an understanding of said source. Condon’s already done good work with good material (Kinsey, Dreamgirls); give him another crack at it and see what happens.

Rupert Sanders

A wild card. None of us have seen his pending debut, Snow White and the Huntsman, but it looks as though he’s concocted something with scale, rousing adventure and an interesting universe all its own. As with Joe Cornish and his personal skill with characters, Sanders – again, thanks to Collins – will have these qualities ready and waiting for his own input. While I hope not to regret this choice in a couple of months’ time, so strong are the early indicators that I feel generally confident here.

thefilmstage for the rest
xoxo
Carrie

Dear Fans of all Fandoms: Please stop the hate!

I totally agree, why can't we all get along?

Dear fans of all the fandoms, this is an open letter asking you to please stop the hate. You may only be a fan of select fandoms -- maybe only one fandom -- but as a Fan (with a capital "F") it's important to remember, that when you get to the heart of it, we all share the same type of feelings towards these different subjects.

Over the last few years, I've witnessed different bouts of hatred between or towards certain fandoms. They flare up more potently from time to time, and for whatever reason, we seem to be experiencing another flare up right now.

Maybe it's the fact that the mainstream media likes to pit us against each other. News outlets are constantly publishing articles asking what is going to be "the next Harry Potter" or "the next Twilight" or "the next Hunger Games," and this immediately sparks a flurry of angry bashing between the fandoms.

But let's take a step back a moment, shall we? Let's start by addressing the first problem: there will never be a "next Harry Potter" or a "next Twilight" or a "next Hunger Games." The reasons these things (and other big franchises) are so successful is because they were completely new and original. Anything that aims to replicate that will inevitably fail because (a) you can't improve upon the original and (b) cultural phenomena can't be made; they just happen. It's an organic process.

So my first plea to my fellow Fans is this: stop buying into these articles. We all know they are rubbish, so let's treat them as such. Ignore them, and perhaps eventually they will go away. (Well, a girl can hope, right?) But seriously, these articles are just meant to garner readers -- yet they do nothing to further promote the fandom itself. We know that there will be no "next XYZ Franchise." There will simply be another new big as-yet-unidentified thing. And honestly, when media outlets try to compare franchises like Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games, I think the comparison isn't about subject matter or what you think the quality may be, but rather the level of commercial success. They're talking about "The Next Big Thing" -- not the next big wizard franchise, or vampire franchise, or what-have-you. So take that into consideration, as well.

But really, my main beef right now isn't with the mainstream media. They're going to do what they want, and my voice isn't loud enough for them to care what I have to say.

My real beef is with the fandom haters. You know who you are: you claim you are a die-hard Hunger Games fan, you balk at anyone who ridicules your beloved series, yet you freely dole out hate on other series like Twilight or Harry Potter. Please. I'm begging you: STOP.

Because here's the thing: you may only be a fan of this one thing, but many fans cross over multiple fandoms. I write the Hunger Games Examiner column, but I also run NovelNovice.com -- which got its start as a Twilight website, and now features all manner of young adult literature. I'm also a huge geek for Harry Potter. I also love Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Indiana Jones movies and the Marvel comic book movies and Disney princesses.

I'm not alone. Just look to some of my fellow Examiners: Amanda Bell is the brilliant voice behind the Twilight Examiner column, but she's also a big fan of The Hunger Games, as well as other books, movies, and TV shows. In fact, she now writes about several of them for Hypable.com, a really fantastic resource for fans to connect with all their favorite franchises (and it was started by the guys who created the Harry Potter fansite, Mugglenet). Or head over to Natalie Markey's The Mortal Instruments Examiner column. She covers all things related to Cassandra Clare's book series and upcoming movie adaptation, yet she's also a huge supporter of The Hunger Games, Twilight, Harry Potter, and more. The ladies who run the Twilight Lexicon got their start running a Harry Potter/Remus Lupin website. Or the Page to Premiere Network, that includes websites like Mockingjay.net and HisGoldenEyes. Many of the admins who run Hunger Games fan sites like The Hob and Down With The Capitol are part of other fandoms, too!

Because you see, Fans are not limited solely to one fandom. We are Fans because we have the "Fan mentality" -- when we love something, we share our passion, and we in no way want to limit ourselves to one single thing.

So sure, you may not like Twilight or Harry Potter or what-have-you -- but that shouldn't give you free reign to bag on the people who do like them.

Let me pose these questions to you:

What do you really get out of belittling something that is beloved by so many others? Does it make you feel good about yourself? Does it make you feel cool? Because in reality, it just makes you look like a bigoted jerk.

How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? How would you feel if you saw someone writing negative, hurtful comments about something you loved? I presume you came to this site because you are a fan of The Hunger Games. What if someone started writing mean, hurtful comments about that series? It would probably make you feel like crap. So don't make someone else feel bad just because they love something that you don't.

And honestly, if something like Twilight or Harry Potter or WHATEVER is big enough to have a large fan following, then the creative forces behind that franchise are quite clearly doing something right. So even if it isn't suited to your tastes, it is appealing to a massive audience. And whether you are intimidated by that or simply feel as if that massive audience is misguided, that doesn't give you the right to bash them.

Here's another bit of food for thought:

When you post comments online, does it ever occur to you that another human being will read them? It's almost as if the Internet has given us a great disconnect from humanity -- and by simply typing comments onto a screen, it feels anonymous and innocent. But on the other side of that screen are individuals with feelings and emotions and thoughts and opinions just like you. So remember, before you type something hateful or hurtful or negative online ... remember someone WILL be reading it. Would you say something so hurtful to another person in real life, face to face? Really? Whatever happened to common courtesy and manners and the age old saying, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"?

I'm not saying you should be forced to accept and love and support all fandoms. Hardly. I'm simply saying this: RESPECT the other fandoms. They have just as much a right to be here as you do.

And because Fans tend to think about things in the same way -- with that "Fan mentality" I talked about -- I'm guessing, we all have a lot more in common than you'd think regardless of which Fandoms we follow.

So I invite everyone to join me and proclaim ... FANS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!

examiner
xoxo
Carrie

Peter & Luca Facinelli at the Hunger Games Premiere

Official Photos

 

 

Twitter photos.

facinellilatino || @peterfacinelli || @PanemCitizens || @HollywoodLife || @LucaFacinelli || @mandysmind

Update: Zimbio

gossip-dance

~Robstenfan

'Hunger Games' & 'Twilight' Oddly Absent From Oscars

There's still a lot to discuss and digest from the 2012 Oscars, from the glitz and glamour, to the surprises, snubs and glaring omissions.
Speaking to the snubs and omissions category, MTV News couldn't help but notice that, for an awards show designed to appeal to all movie fans, three of the most buzz-worthy film franchises of the last decade were mostly left out of the festivities: "Harry Potter," "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games."
This is not a story about the lack of nominations for the films; we've already complained about the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" shutout and "The Hunger Games" hasn't even been released yet. But why not involve a few of these noteworthy films' castmembers in the telecast? We consulted a few experts on the subject.
"I think this year is more glaring than most, for sure," said Entertainment Weekly senior writer Sara Vilkomerson. "Personally, I'm surprised there was not a lot of 'Potter' stuff; that was a very lucrative franchise for a lot of people and really critically acclaimed, the last movie. I feel like there was a definite lack of youth. I know in my house, when the 'Hunger Games' ad came on, it felt a little more exciting than certain parts of the telecast."
"The Academy obviously went out of their way to acknowledge the lack of youth appeal — but a handful of jokes in Billy Crystal's video montage and a little token Bieber isn't enough to fix it," added Brooke Tarnoff, senior editor for NextMovie.com. "It's a hard line to walk, enticing younger viewers but still voting with integrity. Maybe the answer is expanding Academy membership to more young actors who will be able to choose 'young people movies' with a clear conscience."
"I'm a house divided on the Oscars and the youth audience," said Shylah Addante, who runs "Hunger Games" fan site Down With the Capitol. "On one hand, as a card-carrying fangirl, I absolutely understand the outrage about last night's 'Potter' snub. For a franchise that has touched the hearts and minds, not to mention the wallets, of so many people around the world for a decade, the absence of Oscar gold left me feeling like the Academy was full of Dementors. On the other hand, the fiercely proud side of me wants a film to win an Oscar because it deserves it — not because it's a tentpole franchise or because it made one bajillion dollars worldwide. If 'Hugo' was any lesson to young Oscar viewers, it is that, in the right hands, a children's/young adult book can become a film worthy of major awards."
"It's a very, very hard line to teeter on. I have full sympathy for the people who are trying to organize it," Vilkomerson said. "It just shows how challenging it is to put on a really good Oscar telecast that makes everyone happy, that hits everything that everybody wants. It's a hard, hard show to put on. Maybe next year, 'The Hunger Games' will be nominated and that will be the easiest way to interlace these two worlds."
Addante agreed with next year's potential for "The Hunger Games." " 'Potter' and 'Twilight' may not have wooed the Academy, but 'Hunger Games,' with its decorated cast and crew, contemporary social and political messages and dramatic plot, may just have what it takes to finally give some critical legitimacy to young adult series and their fans."

--mtv.com

~Robstenfan

'Twilight' Vs. 'Hunger Games': How Do They Compare?

Disclaimer: This is not a story about warring fanbases, nor is it intended to instigate a fan war. This is about how the smashing success of "The Twilight Saga" has led to Hollywood's search for another young-adult mega-franchise and the media's tendency to compare every teen-targeted film to it.
"Twilight" is its own magical, mysterious beast, the overwhelming success of which we will very likely not see replicated anytime soon. While there are indeed similarities between the Stephenie Meyer-created behemoth and other successful franchises like "Harry Potter," they are very, very different.

The latest "Twilight"-vs.-X conversation features the highly anticipated "Hunger Games" movie. In my opinion, there are only two comparable elements: They are both based on very popular young-adult novels and feature two romantic interests for the female protagonist.
MTV News recently posed the comparison question to "Hunger Games" stars Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence, who both said they understand the link.
"I get why people make the connections, because it's a very popular book, especially amongst young people," Hutcherson said. "However, I think it's an entirely different world, and the challenges the characters face are very different."
Those of us who have read both series — and "Potter," for that matter — likely agree with Hutcherson and know they are completely different stories. As long as the greater population at large can accept and understand these differences, I am completely OK with the many comparisons. Just don't lump the two together for the sake of convenience.
The best thing I've seen so far in the "Twilight" and "Hunger Games" comparisons is the fact that Edward Cullen himself, Robert Pattinson, has read "Games" and is just as excited as we are to see the film — in addition to "Breaking Dawn - Part 2," of course.
"I sort of came across it last year, and I didn't realize it was the most enormous thing in the world," Pattinson told Entertainment Weekly last year. "It's good! It will be a good movie."
Now if I can just get a slightly out-of-touch colleague to stop harassing me with "But where are the sparkly vampires?" questions every time a new "Hunger Games" trailer or teaser premieres, I'll feel as though we've made some headway on the subject.

--mtv.com

`Robstenfan

‘Twilight’s’ Ashley Greene Ready To Pass The Torch To ‘Hunger Games’ Stars

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- As “The Twilight Saga” draws to a close this year, young adult fiction fans are hungry for the next book-to-big screen hit – and Ashley Greene thinks the upcoming “The Hunger Games” will fill the fans’ need for the next great story.

“It’s really nice that ‘Twilight’ is coming to an end and I think a lot of our fans are going to feel that same love and that same passion for ‘The Hunger Games,’” the actress told AccessHollywood.com’s Laura Saltman on Wednesday night at the People’s Choice Awards.

”[The fans will] have something else to… feel that way about,” she explained. “I’m really excited for people to be able to go through what we went through. I’m very excited for that one to come out.”

The 24-year-old actress, who plays Alice Cullen in the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer’s novels, is also happy she’s wrapped her franchise.

“All the hard work is done, we’re done filming it,” Ashley said. “Now we just get to kind of sit back and watch it unravel.”

“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2” hits theaters on November 16 and “The Hunger Games” debuts on March 23.

Find out what it was like for “Hunger Games” star Josh Hutcherson to kiss co-star Jennifer Lawrence, HERE!

AccessHollywood
xoxo
Carrie

MTV: 'Breaking Dawn,' 'Hunger Games' Top Movie Brawl Sweet 16

What a ride it's been so far in the MTV Movie Brawl 2012! After more than a quarter million votes, fans have whittled down the competition from an opening round of 32 films to a 16-flick bracket topped by #1 seeds "Hunger Games" and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2."
Now that the pretenders and also-rans have been axed — See ya later "Expendables 2"! Thanks for playing "Rock of Ages"! — it's time for the big guns to face off. Let's get right to it.
Upper West Region
Otherwise known as the Robert Pattinson Honorary Region, this section of the bracket features three RPattz films. While we love seeing the 3-D re-release of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace" sneaking into the Sweet 16 after a wild-card win in round one, George Lucas' baby doesn't have much of a shot to knock "Breaking Dawn" from its perch atop the bracket. Twi-fans came out in force over the weekend to conquer "Hunger Games" and assure itself the highest vote total of round one. So Pattinson and his vampire pals have got to be feeling good as voting moves forward. Things are much more up in the air in the region's other matchup: "Cosmopolis" vs. "Bel Ami." Will Pattinson fans favor his cerebral, David Cronenberg-directed drama or his Uma Thurman-co-starring love story, which holds out the prospect of, as RPattz himself told us, "a lot of my crack in it." This matchup is just too close to call at this point.
Lower West Region
This region is all about the superheroes, though neither "Dark Knight Rises," "The Amazing Spider-Man" nor "Marvel's The Avengers" performed heroically in the first round. The MTV Movies team had been eyeing "TDKR" as one of the films to beat headed into the tournament, but fans didn't turn out to support Christopher Nolan's final Batman film in the numbers we expected. "Avengers" managed to nab a six seed, but Captain America and his crew had better bring their A-games if they want to give "TDKR" a run for its money. By contrast, "Spider-Man," which barely survived round one, is going to have to deliver nothing short of an inspired performance if it expects to knock off "Dark Shadows." Tim Burton's adaptation of the supernatural soap opera announced itself as a potential dark horse after an impressive and unexpected first-round showing. An Elite Eight showdown between "Dark Shadows" and "Dark Knight" would make for a kick-ass brawl.
Upper East Region
"Hunger Games" enters the Sweet 16 with a bit of wind taken out of its sails, following its failure to garner the most round-one votes after leading for most of the week. Its new matchup is a pivotal one, and a blowout of "Prometheus" would go a long way toward assuring fans that "Hunger Games" has its eye locked squarely on a final matchup with "Breaking Dawn." But before we get there, "Hunger Games" will have to contend with two action flicks, in "John Carter" and "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," that have been surging in recent days. "G.I. Joe" didn't even look like it was going to make the Sweet 16 until a last-minute rise. That sequel could potentially play the spoiler in this four-seed vs. five-seed matchup.
Lower East Region
Anything can happen in this region. Based on its pedigree, you might expect "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" to run roughshod over anything at this point in the tournament. But Peter Jackson's flick faces off against Emma Watson's "Perks of Being a Wallflower," a wild-card entrant that can easily spoil the hopes of everyone in Middle-earth. This matchup to just too close to call. And don't count out another upset in the game between "Snow White and the Huntsman" and "The Woman in Black." Though "SWATH" has a lot of heat behind it, based on a top-notch trailer and the leadership of Kristen Stewart, you underestimate Daniel Radcliffe's fans at your own peril. But which star has the most feverish following? The answer to that question will likely reveal which film moves on to the Elite Eight in the MTV Movie Brawl 2012.

--mtv.com

~Robstenfan

'Bel Ami,' 'Cosmopolis,' More: MTV Movie Brawl Wild Card Winners Revealed

"Hunger Games" and "Twilight" fans, watch your backs: some new competitors have just entered the ring!
The MTV Movie Brawl 2012's Wild Card round is closed, and five new movies have now been admitted into the tournament for your voting pleasure. Just like the other films, you have until Sunday to vote these new movies into the March Madness-style bracket tournament that's launching on Monday (January 9). Can you rally enough support behind these newcomers to ensure their spots in the Sweet 16? Let's find out!
Your new competitors are…

"Bel Ami"
Ask and ye shall receive! Robert Pattinson fans came out in full force to support this long delayed indie starring the "Twilight" hunk as journalist Georges Duroy. The film chronicles his rise to power, not to mention his encounters with sexy co-stars Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas. The movie hits theaters on March 2, 2012.
"Cosmopolis"
If "Bel Ami" was going to crack into the Wild Card round, it should come as no surprise that this other Pattinson flick squeaked in as well. This time, the film follows big-time money-maker Eric Packer (Pattinson) and his very bad (hair) day through the streets of Manhattan. The David Cronenberg movie is set to arrive later in 2012.
Vote In The MTV Movie Brawl 2012!Read the rest of the article at moviesblog.mtv.com

~Robstenfan

Summit in Talks to Merge with Lionsgate

Summit, the studio behind The Twilight Saga, is reportedly  in talks to merge with Lionsgate, creator of the upcoming Hunger Games movies.
This isn’t the first time talks have happened behind closed doors according to Bloomberg, and neither studio is commenting at present. The current rumors are based on the word of three people “with knowledge of the situation,” according to Bloomberg, who broke the story.
This would allow the studios behind two of the biggest book-to-movie translations in recent memory to pool resources.
Summit was a tiny studio before it hit gold with the Twilight series. Lionsgate hopes to find the same success.
This deal could allow the studios to take on more projects like The Night Circus, which is a fantastic book from a first-time author that Summit recently picked up before it = hit shelves. Had Twilight not happened, it’s hard to imagine Summit having the resources to make the fanciful and fantastic book a reality on screen.
While the financials and terms are unknown, it’s hard to see the downside. As long as Edward Cullen doesn’t pop up in Hunger Games 8: Volturi vs. The Capitol, this sounds good to me!
[Bloomberg, Photo by Dave Young]

--breakingdawnmovie.org

~Robstenfan

The Hunger Games vs. Twilight: Brief Synopsis

Twilight: "Bella" Swan is a teenage girl who essentially has to move to Forks, WA. There, she falls in love with classmate Edward. Problem? He's 104 and a vampire. Needless to say their love story isn't an easy one. Twilight is the first of four books that detail Edward and Bella's romance.

The Hunger Games: Set in the future, Panem (what used to be North America) is a nation that consists of 12 districts run by The Capitol. The Capitol keeps them in line by forcing each district to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark represent District 12. This is essentially a story of survival, but there is some romance involved too. 'The Hunger Games' is the first of three books.

--celebuzz.com

`Robstenfan

Ashley Greene Offers Sage Wisdom to the 'Hunger Games' Gang

As Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson and the rest of the cast of "The Hunger Games" are about to embark on a journey of screaming teenagers, publicity bonanzas and paparazzi stalking, they'd probably benefit from a few pointers from someone who's been there.
Enter Ashley Greene, wise sage of "The Twilight Saga" franchise.
"Buckle up — it's a crazy ride, but you just have to enjoy it and embrace it," she advised them courtesy of our cameras at the New York City premiere of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."
"One of the best things you can do is to turn to your team and the family that you have around you and the family that you make," she continued. "Being a part of something like 'Twilight' or 'The Hunger Games,' you do form this bond with each other because not a lot of people go through the same thing. Just look to each other because that's some of the best advice you can get."
Greene confessed that even she has had moments since "Twilight" debuted in 2008 where the fandemonium got the best of her.
"There were certainly points where I got a little overwhelmed and I didn't know what was going on," she admitted.

--nextmovie.com

~Robstenfan

Jennifer Lawrence Says Hunger Games Is Heartbreaking And Not Like Twilight

This morning's eye candy came courtesy of a big photo spread featuring the entire Hunger Games cast standing in a field and looking like Dawson's Creek: The New Batch. For the most part the photo seemed intended to explain to us who all these kids are, from Jennifer Lawrence in the lead role as Katniss to Jacqueline Emerson as the girl known only as Foxface. There were a few quotes from each of them about the audition process, including several who went in with sticks and mud in their hair, but the photo was mostly the news.

Ah, but wait! Jennifer Lawrence still have something to say. There's a quick interview with the star that runs along with the photo, in which she says, for the first but almost definitely not the last time, "Hunger Games is not Twilight." She also had a pretty grim perspective on the violence that makes up the heart of the book and most definitely separates it from most young-adult fare:

Katniss is an incredible character: she’s a hunter but not a killer, a 16-year-old who’s being forced into the arena. These kids are killing one another only because if they don’t they’ll die. It’s needless, pointless, unjustified violence. It’s heartbreaking. When I auditioned, I told [director] Gary [Ross], “I understand if you don’t hire me, but please remember that after Katniss shoots a bow and kills someone, her face cannot be badass.” So there’s nothing cool about her. It’s not like she looks around the arena and goes, Yeah, I got this. I think she looks around helplessly, and thinks, I made a promise to my sister that I would survive; now I have to kill in order to do so.

That might be the most intelligent thing I've heard anyone say about this adaptation so far, and it's encouraging-- though of course, not surprising-- to see that Lawrence gets her character not just as a hero and a warrior, but as a scared girl who doesn't trust anybody. Basically, The Hunger Games ought to be a lot more badass than the MTV TV spots and the golden-hued photo would suggest-- and the way Lawrence is talking, it will be. The movie comes to theaters on March 21 next year.

--cinemablend.com

~Robstenfan

The Hunger Games Gets the Twilight Treatment

Personally, I LOVE these 3 series!

Ka-ching.
That's the sound that was dancing in Lionsgate's head when the studio decided that The Hunger Games trilogy should unfold as a four-film series, à la The Twilight Saga and Harry Potter. (Well, those are four-turned-five and seven-turned-eight, but you get our drift.)
Obviously, we're muy curious about how (if not why) the team plans to go about this. Like, is there going to be Catching Fire and then a two-part Mockingjay? Or...
Alas, those answers are for another time.
But while the creative kinks are still being worked out, the real brains behind this decision are talking up what they see as the studio's next tent pole.
"The property is generating tremendous buzz and excitement, and it all points to a major Lionsgate franchise in the making," CEO Jon Feltheimer said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday.
"We have distributors who consider this as their big brand next year, the movie that can change their company," added motion picture group president Joe Drake.
Actually, Lionsgate probably wouldn't mind if it changed their company a little bit, either. Its motion picture group saw a 10-percent surge in revenue over the last fiscal year (including on-demand and DVD money), but Feltheimer admitted that their films had been hit-and-miss at the box office.
"Our numbers going forward should reflect growing momentum in our film business," he said in a statement.
Not to mention growing interest in an independent, ass-kicking teen played by Jennifer Lawrence who's fighting for her life at the behest of a cruel and unusual government.
For four films instead of three!

eonline.com

~Robstenfan