Sci-Fi Film and Television Developments

The Hunger Games

5/31/11 - Donald Sutherland will star as President Snow in The Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  President Snow is described as “cruel and ruthless in his intimidation and control tactics,” ruling over Panem and its contained districts for 25-plus years. He and District 12 tribute Katniss have a contentious relationship throughout the series.

5/24/11 - Lenny Kravitz has joined the cast of The Hunger Games as Cinna, the fashion stylist assigned to Katniss Everdeen as she prepares to take part in the Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  "When I saw Lenny's work in Precious, I was just knocked out," director Gary Ross said. "It was quiet and strong and understated and open-hearted: all qualities which define this character."

5/18/11 - Entertainment Weekly posted the first look of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in Hunger Games.  Katniss, the protagonist of Suzanne Collins' books, goes from being a girl struggling to feed her family to a young woman leading a revolution in a post-apocalyptic America.

5/11/11 - Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Fuhrman have been cast in the roles of District 2’s Cato and Clove, respectively, joining 22 other relative unknowns in the anticipated Lionsgate adaptation.  In the Suzanne Collins novel, District 2 tributes are a part of a group known as the “Careers,” often volunteering to participate in the deadly Hunger Games. District 2, located not far from the Capitol, specialized in mining before moving into the production of nuclear weapons after the war and its tributes were better fed than other citizens. Cato and Clove play pivotal roles during the 74th Hunger Games, proving to be obstacles for protagonist Katniss and teammate Peeta.

5/10/11 - Woody Harrelson has landed the role of Haymitch Abernathy in the upcoming big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Haymitch, as described in the book, is a drunk who was victorious in the 50th Hunger Games, more than two decades before Katniss’ deadly adventures begin.  Additionally, tributes for District 10 have been revealed: Jeremy Marinas and Dakota Hood.

5/9/11 - Stanley Tucci will join The Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The actor has been cast in the role of Caesar Flickerman, the iconic host of the Hunger Games. In the Suzanne Collins’ novel, Caesar -- known for his “outrageous appearance and buoyant personality” -- interviews the 24 tributes, which are televised for the nation to see. 

5/2/11 - Ashton Moio and Kara Petersen have landed the unnamed tribute roles of District 6 in Lionsgate’s upcoming Hunger Games film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  In Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, it is unclear what the district specializes in, though it is assumed to be medicine and drugs. Key roles still left to be cast include tributes from District 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10, along with Haymitch and Cinna, Katniss’ designer.

4/28/11 – In addition to Elizabeth Banks officially signing on for Lionsgate's Hunger Games movie, Ethan Jamieson and Tara Macken have been cast as the unnamed District 4 tributes, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The actors join an ensemble cast made up of Banks, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Paula Malcolmson, Willow Shields, Amandla Stenberg, Dayo Okeniyi, Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Ian Nelson and Kalia Prescott in the film, to be directed by Gary Ross.

4/22/11 - Paula Malcomson joins Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) and Willow Shields (Prim) as her daughters in Lionsgate Film's Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  In the books, Katniss and Prim's mother is grieving after her husband's death, living in fear that her daughters will participate in the deadly Hunger Games.

4/19/11 - Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin will play District 1 tributes Marvel and Glimmer, respectively, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Marvel and Glimmer are among the group of tributes nicknamed “Careers” in the books.  Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence star as the District 12 tributes Peeta and Katniss, respectively. The Last Song actor Liam Hemsworth will play Gale.  Elizabeth Banks is also in talks to play Effie Trinket, Katniss’ pink-haired showbiz type who becomes her handler.

4/18/11 - Lionsgate has cast two more characters in Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  The District 11 tributes, Rue and Thresh, will be played by newcomers Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Oekniyi, respectively. The pair joins previously cast District 12 tributes, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), along with Katniss’ hunting partner Gale (Liam Hemsworth).  In Hunger Games, Rue becomes Katniss’ eventual ally, but things get hairy at the end of the Games for the 12-year-old girl. Thresh, in the book, is known to be an intimidating and physically strong tribute who spares Katniss’ life.

4/4/11 - Lionsgate announced that actor Josh Hutcherson has been cast in the role of Peeta Mellark, with Liam Hemsworth joining the film in the role of Gale Hawthorne in the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ worldwide smash hit novel, The Hunger Games.

3/17/11 - Jennifer Lawrence has been cast as plucky protagonist Katniss Everdeen in Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Gary Ross is directing the Lionsgate project, which is being produced by Nina Jacobson and her Color Force banner.  Collins said of Lawrence's casting, "Jennifer's just an incredible actress. So powerful, vulnerable, beautiful, unforgiving and brave. I never though we'd find somebody this perfect for the role."

1/25/11 – Variety reported that Lionsgate set a March 23, 2012 release date for The Hunger Games.  Gary Ross is directing the adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel of the same name.  The Hunger Games takes place in a society in which districts pay tribute in the form of a teenage boy and girl who are forced to fight to the death on live TV.  The second installment, "Catching Fire," was published in 2009 and the third, "Mockingjay," was released in August.   

3/18/09 - Lionsgate has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film project The Hunger Games, which will be derived from a futuristic young-adult novel written by Suzanne Collins, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Producer Nina Jacobson grabbed film rights to the book for her independent Color Force banner in a highly competitive environment two weeks ago. Collins will adapt her own book for the screen.  The Scholastic novel, which is the first in a planned trilogy, imagines a dystopian future in which North America has been divided into 12 oppressed districts, each of which is forced to send tribute in the form of a boy and a girl to compete in a televised battle to the death once a year.  Collins' second installment, Catching Fire, is due on bookshelves Sept. 1.

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