Really looking forward to this one. Teaser trailer is now out.
Release Date: March 23, 2012
Studio: Lionsgate
Director: Gary Ross
Screenwriter: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Wes Bentley, Elizabeth Banks, Dayo Okeniyi, Amandla Stenberg, Jack Quaid, Leven Rambin, Willow Shields, Paula Malcomson, Ian Nelson, Kalia Prescott, Ethan Jamieson, Tara Macken, Chris Mark, Jacqueline Emerson, Ashton Moio, Kara Petersen, Sam Ly, Leigha Hancock, Samuel Tan, Mackenzie Lintz, Imanol Yepez-Frias, Annie Thurman, Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Latarsha Rose, Brooke Bundy, Lenny Kravitz, Toby Jones, Amber Chaney, Kimiko Gelman, Nelson Ascencio, Donald Sutherland
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: TheHungerGamesmovie.com
Plot Summary: "The Hunger Games" chronicles a dystopic Capitol which requires its twelve subjugated districts to pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl, forced to participate in the annual "Hunger Games," a fight-to-the-death live televised event. Katniss Everdeen's little sister is chosen in the lottery to participate and Katniss volunteers to take her place. Although persevering through hardship is commonplace for Katniss, she must start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love in order to win the games and return home. The "Hunger Games" novel has been on the New York Times best seller list for over 100 consecutive weeks. Foreign rights for the book, published by Scholastic have been sold in 41 countries.
http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=53787 (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=53787)
Hunger Games Trailer 2011 Official - MTV VMA's (HD) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvyn86hObLw#ws)
the book won the award for "most checked out book" at the school library last year. i can see why they would make a movie about it.
I've read the first book and about halfway through the second one. It's a very intense story.. I'll be interested in seeing how they adapt it to a movie format.
Girls/women seem to really enjoy these books especially.
Looks like I have my next audible book once I'm through the last two Game of Thrones books!
Holy cow - this looks great!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fye5Nwe4qeI# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fye5Nwe4qeI#)
WOW!!! :jawdrop
New pic of this film from this week's EW.
I think I'm gonna have to read this book before I see the movie. Sounds too cool.
It was a pretty good book. Entertaining certainly, but I will say Suzanne Collins cannot write male characters. All the characters in the book read like girls, and the names... Oh good heavens.. The names are awful. At least Gary Ross didn't cast Tobey MaGuire in this one. I am curious as to how they are going to make a PG13 movie about children slaughtering each other.
From what I can tell, it seems like a remake of the Japanese flick "Battle Royale" where school kids are on an island killing each other. It's pretty gory. It's about 12 years old I think.
Battle Royale Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi_gwJgtrIs#ws)
New trailer. Man, this looks so good!
The Hunger Games Theatrical Trailer #2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoUT7q2iTbQ#ws)
Yeah really looking forward to this movie.. loved the first two books and 2/3ds of the third book
Going this weekend to see this with Lynn. Can't wait!!!
The wife and I really want to go see this this weekend as well. Probably just the 2D version. Having never read the books I never really knew what this was all about. I have learned some things over the last couple months and really look foward to seeing this then hopefully Trish and I will get to read the books.
Lions Gate Film stock, symbol LGF, had been on a tear in an anticipation and the CEO has been all over financial news. They need $100-150 million opening weekend to meet Wall Street analysts expectations. I think they have a good shot unlike John Carter. This movie was well marketed and has a built in modern fan base. I'm looking forward to it as well!
The movie will do well, but a $100 - $150 million dollar opening weekend in March is very unlikely. Summer blockbusters barely can hit that.
Quote from: Rico on March 22, 2012, 05:51:30 PM
The movie will do well, but a $100 - $150 million dollar opening weekend in March is very unlikely. Summer blockbusters barely can hit that.
Let's wait and see. A lot is riding on this for the studio and I am telling you the professional projections.
I certainly hope it does well, and I think it might be able to do $100 million. But $150 in March for a pretty violent movie (no little kids should be seeing this one) might be pushing it. I loved the book, so I'm certainly hoping for a blockbuster hit. I know many of Lynn's students (high school teens) are wanting to see it.
Quote from: Rico on March 23, 2012, 05:23:34 AM
I certainly hope it does well, and I think it might be able to do $100 million. But $150 in March for a pretty violent movie (no little kids should be seeing this one) might be pushing it. I loved the book, so I'm certainly hoping for a blockbuster hit. I know many of Lynn's students (high school teens) are wanting to see it.
Yeah, I think if they do $100 i.e. code to it that would be considered a financial success by investors. And as you say, it has built in young audience of both boys and girls, more so then say Twilight, so the recipe is good for a hit.
I think that this is easily going to hit the 150 mark opening weekend, given the popularity and fanbase.
Quote from: X on March 23, 2012, 07:08:50 AM
I think that this is easily going to hit the 150 mark opening weekend, given the popularity and fanbase.
If it's opening on a lot of screens, maybe!
I'm just glad it's not in 3D. :)
Quote from: Rico on March 23, 2012, 08:26:24 AM
I'm just glad it's not in 3D. :)
You know, now that you mention it that's actually interesting. Why isn't it?
Quote from: billybob476 on March 23, 2012, 08:35:57 AM
Quote from: Rico on March 23, 2012, 08:26:24 AM
I'm just glad it's not in 3D. :)
You know, now that you mention it that's actually interesting. Why isn't it?
Oh, Joe. Don't set me up like that. :)
Because you don't needing frakking 3D to make a good movie! Just make a frakking good movie! - hehe :)
Not to take this OT but I don't think for a second that 3D is used in an effort to make a weak movie better, it's just a visual enhancement. I never understood or see any correlation in that argument you make against it's use.
Quote from: Bryancd on March 23, 2012, 09:20:30 AM
Not to take this OT but I don't think for a second that 3D is used in an effort to make a weak movie better, it's just a visual enhancement. I never understood or see any correlation in that argument you make against it's use.
I'm going to have to agree with you on that one. I don't think anyone has ever made a 3D movie with the idea of it needing 3D to make it good. I think that most 3D movies are made because the director or production house want to make it in 3D.
3D doesn't make a bad movie better, but it can and does enhance the experience when done well for a good movie.
I guess that's where I get confused. This movie is definitely being marketed as a blockbuster, it seems to be a common trend to release a post-process 3D version. Also being that this is more of an action-oriented movie I could see arguments for it. Frankly I'm glad they haven't, maybe it'll buck this trend that every 'summer blockbuster' needs to come out in 3D even though it won't enhance the experience in any way.
It is interesting it's not in 3D, although I wouldn't take that to be meaningful in regards to the current future use of 3D for big movie releases in general, that is likely to continue. There must have been a cogent reason why the studio/Producers decided not to. It would be interesting to hear if it was an econimic choice or a creative one.
Quote from: X on March 23, 2012, 09:26:54 AM
Quote from: Bryancd on March 23, 2012, 09:20:30 AM
Not to take this OT but I don't think for a second that 3D is used in an effort to make a weak movie better, it's just a visual enhancement. I never understood or see any correlation in that argument you make against it's use.
I'm going to have to agree with you on that one. I don't think anyone has ever made a 3D movie with the idea of it needing 3D to make it good. I think that most 3D movies are made because the director or production house want to make it in 3D.
3D doesn't make a bad movie better, but it can and does enhance the experience when done well for a good movie.
I'm not sure I agree completely here, because at least in the first year or so after Avatar hit huge, I think 3D postprocessing was most definitely used to try to cash in on the 3D craze and draw in audiences to features that would not necessarily have come out otherwise. I think it doesn't happen as much anymore because it failed to have the desired effect. Clash of the Titans comes to mind here.
I would say 3D was hastily added to a weak film in the case of Clash of the Titans in a bid to try and make lemonade out of a lemon. In that case, a bad movie was made and they tried to spruce it up a bit.
Quote from: Jobydrone on March 23, 2012, 11:20:15 AM
Quote from: X on March 23, 2012, 09:26:54 AM
Quote from: Bryancd on March 23, 2012, 09:20:30 AM
Not to take this OT but I don't think for a second that 3D is used in an effort to make a weak movie better, it's just a visual enhancement. I never understood or see any correlation in that argument you make against it's use.
I'm going to have to agree with you on that one. I don't think anyone has ever made a 3D movie with the idea of it needing 3D to make it good. I think that most 3D movies are made because the director or production house want to make it in 3D.
3D doesn't make a bad movie better, but it can and does enhance the experience when done well for a good movie.
I'm not sure I agree completely here, because at least in the first year or so after Avatar hit huge, I think 3D postprocessing was most definitely used to try to cash in on the 3D craze and draw in audiences to features that would not necessarily have come out otherwise. I think it doesn't happen as much anymore because it failed to have the desired effect. Clash of the Titans comes to mind here.
I'm not seeing your disagreement. I never said that it wasn't tacked on to some movies for extra cash. That's clearly happened. I just don't think that it was done to make those movies better. More profitable, but not better.
Crap! Why did I bring up 3D?
Ok, truce. Let's try to keep this topic on "The Hunger Games." I'm still excited to see it. Who else has read the book? Or read all three books?
I want to see this now!!!
The Hunger Games TV SPOT #2 "Tribute" HD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmOcVzXaNBg#ws)
I think this will be very successful. To be honest, based on the trailers, it doesn't look like it was an expensive movie to produce, which is another reason why they likely chose not to film or up convert to 3D. The effects are minimal, design work isn't very involved. Kudos to Lions Gate for keeping a cap on the production costs thus increasing profitability. Maybe I should look at the stock...
Yeah, see, 4000 theaters, 10,000 copies, potential screens opening weekend. See, they could really hit it out of the park. Never doubt a finical analysts who is paid to make predictions vs. a critic or fan clouded by emotion. My interest in the investment side continues to build, this film was very well pre sold to theater owners.
http://www.themarysue.com/hunger-games-charity-copyright/ (http://www.themarysue.com/hunger-games-charity-copyright/)
The Hunger Games Posts $19.735 Million at Midnight Screenings
Lionsgate report that The Hunger Games earned $19.735 million at midnight screenings last night, the seventh-best performance at midnight screenings of all time and the best ever for a non-sequel. The only films to better that number are all from the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises. Based on this pace, and comparing with those franchises, the film should do between $40 million and $50 million on Friday as a whole. But we're in somewhat uncharted territory here, so a direct comparison may not be entirely accurate. If comparatively more fans have decided to buy tickets for this evening's shows, then a day closer to $60 million is possible. So there's still a lot of uncertainty, but a total weekend between $90 million and $125 million seems likely.
A group of friends and I went to see the movie earlier this afternoon and we all throughly enjoyed it!! I knew nothing about the story beforehand, and is now something I want to see again!! :)
Just got back from it. Brilliant movie! Right down my alley! Now I must read the books.
Daily Chart Record
Date Rank Gross % Change Theaters Per Theater Total Gross Days
3/23/2012 1 $68,250,000 4,137 $16,497 $68,250,000 1
I so want to see this!!
$155 Million. Hunger Games and Wall Street analysts for the win!
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2012-03-25/box-office-hunger-games/53769322/1 (http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/story/2012-03-25/box-office-hunger-games/53769322/1)
I'd say fans for the win too! :)
Just got back from seeing the movie. Enjoyed it a lot. I think I liked it more having read the book since they have to move pretty fast and a few things get a little glossed over. But overall, an excellent job on the film and by the actors.
I should have seen this coming earlier and bought Lions Gate shares. I hate it when I miss an obvious opportunity. I had all the research and the forum buzz to hit me over the head. Wealth creation 101. I think Jamie wold like to see this but likely not until iTunes streaming.
About half-way through this book. Hope to finish before the weekend, and maybe check out the movie.
Estimates of a total box office haul of $350 Million, maybe 4.
Quote from: Bryancd on March 26, 2012, 09:35:55 AM
Estimates of a total box office haul of $350 Million, maybe 4.
Hey, I called it too. In fact, I think my stating that it would easily do 150 is better than the analyst's 125 -150 range.
I will also go out on a limb and say it will 500 -600 world wide and it will probably have a pretty long release time.
Saw the movie this past Sunday in IMAX (well faux IMAX) . I really enjoyed it. I think I had more of an emotional response to the movie because I have read the books and loved them. I think the movie does the book justice. It's like Harry Potter... the main stuff is in there but of course you get many more details from the books. I'm glad it's doing well at the box office and I plan to see it at least one more time in the theater.
I think I might want to see it again too while it's still playing in theaters. Going to start reading book two soon too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kij2kzRC_YA# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kij2kzRC_YA#)
Well, director Gary Ross won't be making the sequel movie, "Catching Fire." He says it's due to the tight schedule the studio has set.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/the-morning-fix-ross-out-of-hunger-games-sequal-spears-to-x-factor.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsandbuzz+(News+%26+Buzz) (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2012/04/the-morning-fix-ross-out-of-hunger-games-sequal-spears-to-x-factor.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsandbuzz+(News+%26+Buzz))
Saw the movie and really enjoyed it. The only downside for me was all the shakycam scenes had me in a cold sweat and semi-nauseous for the duration.
I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to, but I have to rule this one a thumbs up.
When I heard about it at work it was my understanding it was something like twilight and aimed and the preteen girl market so I would feel silly going to it. Then heard more about the plot and that 24 kids were being put in a game to fight to the death, by definition breaking a huge taboo about killing kids onscreen. And the horror/scifi curiosity kicked in and wanted to see it. I felt like it missed a mark, but not by much.
*****Spoiler alerts******* You might not want to read if you haven't seen the Mist.
I know I'll be in the minority, but killing a kid is horrific, and toning down the violence to sanitize it hurts the film a little bit. I know Rico was shocked and disturbed at the end of Stephen King's the Mist where a child was killed at the end. And this gets me on my horror movie soapbox because we have this reaction to a well made horror flick if we care about what happens to the characters in the story. Even if we get angry, but that is a different topic. I think they should have pressed for at least a more psychologically intense scene when kids were killed to make the film stronger. You're supposed to cry when Old Yeller dies!
I won't really defend the "whole killing kids thing" in a film, but there are some major differences between "The Hunger Games" and what happens in "The Mist." I can't quite tell if you've read "The Hunger Games" book but it gives you much more regarding the brutality and nastiness of the games. Also, in the games they are at least trained and have a chance to survive. There's also much more going on than just the games in the books. Again, I'm not defending the idea of this type of society but there are reasons for it. I think you missed my point about why I didn't like "The Mist" and it wasn't just the kid thing. I just felt the ending didn't work for me at all. I've seen that type of ending before. I'm also a mixed fan of Stephen King in general. Some of his stuff I love and other things I've seen or read of his just don't do it for me. But, I digress.
I haven't read the book yet, but from your review I do plan to read it soon.
The warped and morally absent futuristic society is something I really like about scifi. I recently watched the The Obsolete Man (Twilight Zone) again and forgot how good it was. A Taste of Armageddon is another good example in a way. I really don't have a problem with how far they go as long as it is within the boundaries of a fiction story.
Not to get off on a HUGE tangent or touch on a sensitive subject, but conscripted military service (especially during war time), isn't too far removed from the scenario in "The Hunger Games." In fact, many more young people have died in wars than in just about any fictional scenario. It's actually something they touch on in the books - to a degree. How this "Games" thing in a way keeps all out war from breaking out - where many more would probably die. "The Needs of the Many,..."
Finally got to see 'The Hunger Games' yesterday. I thought it was pretty good didn't think it was awesome but did enjoy it. I'm glad the violence wasn't over the top but I really didn't expect it to be. Don't get me wrong not a fan of seeing kids getting killed but I thought it wasn't to graphic. I went with the wife and my Mom. My Mom has read all the books so I told her not to fill in any gaps or mention anything from the other books. The wife and I do want to read them but we like to read the book after seeing the movie. The wife and I give it a rating of 8 but mine was almost a seven. My Mom really liked it maybe because she did read the books. I'll also say I liked 'John Carter' better than 'The Hunger Games.' Next up at the theater for me will be 'The Avengers.'
Glad you finally got to see it. I think reading the book will enhance your experience a lot. I know I enjoyed the movie much more since I had just read the book. I usually try to read books that get turned into movies before I see the film (did that with all the Potter stuff, Lord of the Rings, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc.). Much more depth in the books.
Just saw this last night with the family (yes pretty late in watching, I know). It was a pretty good adaptation. They simplified things a bit, but it worked well.
This is being released on August 18 on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Bought the Blu-Ray and book of 'Hunger Games' today. Plan on reading the book before we rewatch the movie. It was only $20 bucks for the set we bought. It came with the blu-ray, extras disc & digital copy. And the book was the original softcover and it was under $7. Pretty good deals at Wal-Mart.
bought the bluray and got a free prime version. I enjoyed it.
Oh didn't realized this had come out.. hmmm think I'll put the blu-ray on my birthday list. :)
My daughter wants the film but she's waiting for Christmas. By then we'll all have finished the books so the timing should work out well.
I bought this and have watched it no less than three times since sat and read the first book while watching it a 4th time.