Sam Claflin officially cast as Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'

After over a month of being in need of confirmation, Lionsgate officially took to their Hunger Games Facebook page earlier today to announce that, yes, Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) has been officially cast as Finnick Odair in Catching Fire.

Maria Howell cast as Seeder in 'Catching Fire'

Lionsgate has formally announced that actress Maria Howell (The Color Purple) has been cast as Seeder, the District 11 Tribute in the 75th Annual Hunger Games, in Catching Fire.

Seeder is from the same District from Rue, and shares some characteristics with Rue, leading her to become good friends with Katniss.

So, yeah...

Hey, everyone. Sorry for the lack of news-being-posted, but I swear I have an alibi! I was on vacation, and while I did have wi-fi access, the only outlet I had to the internet was my Kindle Fire, and I absolutely hate posting things from there, because I've got to do it from the HTML section, and it takes me forever to type on thing and yeah. So, yeah...

I suppose to make up for all the lack of news, I should sort of round things up a bit, shouldn't I?

Here goes nothing/this super-post:

• LeakyCon 2012 took place this week in Chicago, and seemed to be a success from everyone who went. The Leaky team announced that not one--but two--LeakyCons would be taking place next year; one in Portland, OR, over the last week of June, and one in London over the course of August 8-11. Will you be attending either?
• Catching Fire casting has been...out of control lately. Meta Golding has been cast as Enobaria, the brutal Victor from District 2, and Bruno Gunn as her fellow Victor-Tribute, Brutus. Alan Ritchson has been cast as Gloss, the glamorous District One VT (to the pleasure of many female fans...just--just Google him--or look at his face). 
• Primary casting for City of Bones also came to a close with the casting of Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Valentine Morgenstern, *spoilerspoiler* Clary's father/the story's main antagonist.
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower was pushed back to a release date of September 27, which now, unfortunately, clashes with Jennifer Lawrence's thriller, House at the End of the Street, both of which I was planning on seeing at midnight, buuuuut, now I've got to choose between the two.

Alright, then. I hope this makes up for all the news-lackage, so PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I should be getting back in the routine of posting news and book reviews within the next few days, although don't hate me if things don't get posted right away. School is starting up in two days, and I'll be quite busy, but I'll still make time for the site!

Jena Malone cast as Johanna Mason in 'Catching Fire'

It's official! Lionsgate announced via their official Hunger Games film page on Facebook that Jena Malone (Sucker Punch, Pride & Prejudice) has been cast as the District 7 tribute in the Third Quarter Quell, Johanna Mason!

This has been long speculated, and even reported that she had been offered the role, but now Lionsgate had confirmed it. Last night, though, Josh Hutcherson spilled on the Teen Choice Awards red carpet that she was in the film.

Thoughts?

Sam Claflin offered role of Finnick Odair in 'Catching Fire'

QUICK NEWS UPDATE Zap2It is reporting that Sam Clacking (Snow White and the Huntsman) has been offered the role of Finnick Odair by Lionsgate and Nina Jacobson! What are your thoughts? More to come...

Amanda Plummer cast as Wiress in 'Catching Fire'

Lionsgate announced via their official Hunger Games Facebook page that Amanda Plummer (Get a Clue, multiple voice roles, Pulp Fiction) has been cast as Wiress, the spacey-yet-intelligent tribute from District Three. If you are a big Disney fan, as I am, you'll notice Amanda Plummer from her role as Miss Dawson in Get a Clue, starring Lindsay Lohan and Brenda Song. ALSO, she played Reese Witherspoon's mother in the kinda-sorta-not-really-retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Freeway.

Congratulations to Amanda, and keep tuning in for more Catching Fire news!

Opinion: Cato's speech in 'The Hunger Games' is NOT a defining moment

Most people seem to think that Cato’s monologue at the end of the Hunger Games film was a redeeming moment of characterisation for Cato, and that it showed a lot of the ‘pain and torture’ the Careers went through growing up in a lifestyle where they are forced to volunteer for the Games.

I’m hear to prove them wrong.

A. If one were to grow up in a lifestyle where they are forced to volunteer for the Games, as Cato is, one would never have the intellectual capacity to begin to “consider themselves dead,” as Cato does at the end of the film. From birth, they’re trained to reach a level of brutality unprecedented in Panem’s history, all for the pleasing of the Capitol. The Career Districts are the Capitol’s little minks that it’s got wrapped around its neck. Cato’s mind has been drained of any purity and innocence and replaced with anger and hatred to be used in the Arena. He doesn’t have compassion, he doesn’t have sympathy, and he especially does not have the ability to acknowledge that he was ‘already dead.’ He cannot be already dead, because that would imply that some past incarnation of Cato had been killed, when Cato had never been anyone else prior to the murderous boar he was in the first book. Had he wanted to, he could have refused that lifestyle. Sure, the repercussions would have been extremely detrimental, but he most definitely could have run away or rebel. 

B. For all we know, this could have been a guilt-trick towards Katniss. Obviously Suzanne Collins had to approve of this for the film, being a screenwriter, but does that mean that she approved of it for the sake of making Cato turn into a good guy? No, not precisely. She could have chosen to keep the scene for the purposes of adding a layer of cunning intellect to Cato’s character, very similar to Foxface. Foxface died as a result of an internal choice, but Cato makes a lot of external choices, and I think that Collins wanted to make that contrast, but also etch in a bit of comparison between the two. You’ve got to have a hint of intelligence to be from the Career Districts, so maybe—just maybe—this scene is Cato’s way of displaying it. 

C. We don’t know enough of Cato to judge whether or not this is a “defining character moment for him!” It’s a major difference between, say, Hermione leaving Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Cato’s film-only speech in The Hunger Games. For instance, by the time Hermione makes the decision to drop out of school, we have known her for six full books—not to mention six LONG books. Hermione’s defining characteristic is that she’s bookish; she needs logic to make decisions. Cato makes impulsive, comfortable decisions that he is familiar with from growing up. It’s more of a ‘defining’ moment for Hermione because we know of her life before the books, her life during the books, and we even know her life after the books—working for the Ministry, etc. We only really know Cato for a bout 200 pages by the time his death comes around, and he isn’t even in a large majority of the pages. This translates oddly to film, because Lionsgate plays Cato up as the main antagonist of the film, even though the book-readers know that the Capitol is the main enemy. It’s very hard to discern ‘shining scenes’ for Cato, because we really know barely anything about him. Come on, we don’t even know the guy’s last name, which is made obvious in the film when Caesar Flickerman’s reading the Tributes’ names, goes through the first 22 without a last name, and then reads the last names of only two tributes—Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen. Silly Caesar.

So I know a lot of the fangirls love to swoon over Alexander Ludwig’s tears at the end of Gary Ross’s masterpiece, but I, on the other hand, do not. The scene means nothing to me, I felt nothing for Cato, and I hope this piece provided some insight on my opinion.

Potter People Podcast #3 - "The One with Marissa Meyer"

In which Isaac and Riley interview Marissa Meyer, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles, and discuss the latest fandom news, including:

• Beautiful Creatures filming
• Sea of Monsters filming
• Catching Fire casting
• Doctor Who filming
• Poking fun at Twilight, but what else is new?

You can download that episode here!

Rumor: Philip Seymour Hoffman offered role as Plutarch Heavensbee in 'Catching Fire'

According to Hypable, a rumor is floating around that Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Big Lebowski, Moneyball) has been offered the role as the new Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee, who later becomes the leader of the anti-Capitol rebellion in the third book. Hypable reports that a man called Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) tweeted about the news, but there is no confirmation from Lionsgate.

What do you guys think about the possibility of Hoffman portraying Heavensbee? I, personally, am not a big fan of the idea, for I pictured Plutarch very Finnick-y in the sense of being tall, slightly less muscular than Finnick, but still handsome and charming. Let us know in the comments below!

Fan Casting: My choices for Finnick and Wiress in 'Catching Fire'

The past few weeks have been studded with news and rumors about who's playing who in the upcoming film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which is obviously the film adaptation of the book, Catching Fire. The second book in Suzanne Collins's beloved Hunger Games trilogy introduces many new, pivotal characters, two of which being Finnick Odair, the handsome Capitol-favorite from District Four, and Wiress, the zany, eerily silent Ravenclaw-type from District Three.

Seemingly the hottest franchise in Hollywood, Catching Fire is the sequel to this year's blockbuster, The Hunger Games, and will be directed by Francis Lawrence, has a completed script by Simon Beaufoy, and will feature the returning roles of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. But perhaps the most highly sought-after role in the film industry right now is that of the green-eyed, sugar-cube hunk, Finnick Odair.

For almost years now, fans have been hitting social networking websites, namely Tumblr, with who they think should play the fictional heartthrob, and so I am going to try my best and provide my analysis on who I think should play Finnick Odair, and I'll even pipe in on my personal choice for the wacky Wiress.

The main three contenders for the seductive sailor were Taylor Kitsch, Garrett Hedlund, and Armie Hammer, for they were, and in some cases still are, believed to be the lead three actors being auditioned by Lionsgate. Kitsch, though, debunked and and all rumors that he'd be playing Finnick, leaving Hedlund and Hammer as the fan-favorites, among other actors.

My choice is:

• Garrett Hedlund
• Armie Hammer

For a while, I was beginning to like the idea of Hedlund (whom I've seen in Tron: Legacy and Country Strong), but then I found Hammer, and Garrett immediately became a shaggy, scrawny guy to me compared to Armie Hammer. 

Hammer, who can be seen in The Social Network, J. Edgar, Mirror Mirror, and the upcoming The Lone Ranger, really personifies my visualization of this beefy, tall, nice-smiled guy who also had this element of classiness, femininity, and real charm to him that Finnick has. I haven't actually seen any of his films, but he really looks the part in my opinion. When I read the book, I always pictured Finnick with the type of up-swept hairstyle that Armie Hammer has, and even that bright smile that Hammer comes close to possessing! I also constantly think of that iconic scene when Finnick is draped in ropes, but is fully nude, and you really have to remember that he's this built, athletic guy, and I've seen Hedlund with no shirt on in Country Strong, and he isn't quite as structured as I'd expect Hammer to be. Sure, Garret Hedlund could hit the gym like Taylor Lautner did, but I'm honestly just really starting to find myself incredibly fascinated by the possibility of Armie portraying my personal favorite Hunger Games character! I mean I was never really able to put a face to my interpretation of Finnick, and Hammer cuts close. I think with a little bit of glisten added to his hair, a heck-lot of teeth whitening, and that tan I know we all have associated with Odair, Armie Hammer could be the perfect Finnick.

I also wanted to bring up my choice for some casting that hasn't really been speculating, and that's for Wiress from District Three. I'm going to kind of jump to the chase here and say that I'm recently picturing...

Rooney Mara as Wiress.

I know, I know, many people are instantly picturing Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and, admittedly, I also would like to see Mara as Cressida, the tatted reporter in Mockingjay), but when Rooney Mara isn't sporting multiple piercings and tight leather clothes, she's got this really soft, delicate look about her that I envision with Wiress. Sure, Wiress is obviously older than Rooney Mara is, but that's what the makeup department is for. I mean, it's really all about the acting, and Mara is undoubtedly an astounding actress, and she would bring a level of eeriness and emotional attachment to the role of Wiress, in my opinion.

Let me know what you guys think of my casting and my reasoning for my choices in the comments section below! Who do YOU want to see play Finnick, Wiress, and even other CF characters like Plutarch Heavensbee, Beetee, Johanna Mason, and Enobaria!

The Kansas City Star Provides Insight on the draw to 'Games'

The Kansas City Star, our hometown newspaper, has provided a rather interesting look at the reason that people, especially adults, are drawn to the concept of Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games.

"I start to question my own excitement about this movie. Why do I want to watch this? Why is it so seductive to see children in peril? The author is critiquing violence, but she's reminding us that we are implicated. It's within us."

Check out the full Star article to learn more about the allure of Panem.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/28/3519270/hunger-games-is-part-of-a-long.html#storylink=cpy

'The Hunger Games' Box Office Update

Since I have no Wi-Fi in my house, it's been difficult to post my updates with The Hunger Games' box office performance. So listed below is a quick recap of midnight sales, opening day sales, and the astonishing opening weekend performance.

Midnight
19.7m dollars, making it the highest midnight opening for a non-sequel
Opening day
68.25m dollars, making it the fifth-highest opening day ever, behind DH2, New Moon, Breaking Dawn, and Eclipse.
Opening weekend
155m dollars, making it the third-highest opening weekend ever, behind DH2 and The Dark Knight

Looks like the film is on the fast-track to the top ten highest-grossing films of all time! Highly deserved!

Film Review | 'The Hunger Games'

The Hunger Games

Directed by Gary Ross

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson

Run time: 2h 22m

Distributed by Lionsgate

Rating: 5 stars (A+)

The Hunger Games is the one film I’ve been waiting three years to see now. I mean, sure there were the final Potter films, and I did wait for those, but the anticipation was entirely different for these two franchises. For Potter, it was definitely more of a sentimental thing for the films to come out, and as wondrous as the acting is in the films, I always valued the story much more than I did the people who represented it. It’s tough for me to admit this, but I think having that closure nearly a year after the final film definitely helps, as well as the release of the first film in The Hunger Games. Looking back, I am able to openly point out flaws in the acting and in the adaptations made from the books to the films, and while I will always value Harry Potter more than anything, I think that The Hunger Games is a wholly better adaptation, and a wholly better film.

The acting spotlight in this film is definitely shed on Jennifer Lawrence, whose performance as the world-renowned heroine in the oppressing Panem trumps over all over actors in the film. This is probably a result of the fact that Lawrence’s character is the one seen most in the film. She provides a sense of irresistible courage balanced with a sense of haughtiness, something I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but that I definitely loved. I think the second-best acting job comes from either Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, or Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, the Capitol-based talk-show host whose character plays a much more expanded and important role in the film than in the first novel. I read many reviews prior to the official release of the film stating that Harrelson didn’t portray Haymitch as drunk or funny as he was in the book, but I totally disagree. Harrelson’s performance definitely deserves an Academy-Award nomination for its honesty, its complexity, and its hilarity. Tucci just wowed every single person who saw the film, cracking a laugh out of the audience just with his charm and his facial expressions. There always is just something about Stanley Tucci that wins an audience over. My personal favorite character in the series’ entirety is Effie Trinket. Effie was portrayed by Elizabeth Banks, who took Effie’s mannerisms and eccentricities and built upon them in a major, yet surprisingly subtly hidden, way. Effie is perhaps the most frighteningly ignorant character in the series, building a false sense of hope (“Contain it”) at the Reaping, as well as trying so hard to cheer up the Tributes when they arrive at the Capitol (“I don’t think they get dessert. But you do.”). Banks and Harrelson perfectly portray the animosity between their respective characters as present in the novel, and Effie is always irritated when Haymitch is around (“That is mahogany!”). The Tributes, portrayed notably by Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Alexander Ludwig, the chilling Isabelle Fuhrman, Jacqueline Emerson, Amandla Stenberg, and Dayo Okeniyi, were all their own characters, something I was worried they wouldn’t be. I liked the romantic build-up between Glimmer and Cato, seeing as they’re both attractive people, as well as immensely strong and powerful. I thought Foxface’s appearance was downsized a bit too much to the point where a non-reader wouldn’t know the threat she posed (she wasn’t brutal, but she was stealthy). Amandla Stenberg, as well as Willow Shields as Prim, delivered a heart-wrenching performance as Rue, Katniss’s ally during the Games. Her death scene truly was painful. And of course, I could not have gone through this film review without mentioning the stylists, most importantly Cinna. Lenny Kravitz’s performance was astoundingly intimate and phenomenal, maintaining the ambiguity of his character as well as providing a sense of adoration and admiration. Truly superb acting from all, really.

As far as direction and adaptations go, Gary Ross was a great director for this film. The cinematography, the screenplay, the set design, everything was just so similar to the way they were in the novel, and none of that could be so without such an amazing director. Lionsgate made the right decision bestowing this tale unto the hands of Gary Ross, and it truly shows. As for book-to-film translations, I believe this film is the most accurate that I have seen in my life. More on omissions and inclusions in the spoiler filled part of this review, appearing below.

'The Hunger Games' Ranks 15th Highest-Opening Theatre Amount

Box Office Mojo reports that The Hunger Games has ranked 15th on a list of films with the widest openings--a list that takes the amount of theatres the film opens in as a factor.

The Hunger Games will open in 4,137 theatres on the 23 of March.

What are your plans for the film? Are you going to the midnight premiere tonight like we are?

First of many 'Hunger Games' reviews pour in

Major entertainment websites such as The Hollywood Reporter and Empire have posted their reviews of The Hunger Games. The general consensus of reviews seem to be positive, praising Jennifer Lawrence's undoubtedly splendid portrayal of Katniss Everdeen, as well as the sense of realism to the film. The film currently sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, denoting a perfect set of ratings from the film's critics.

Check out Rotten Tomatoes for more updates on the film and its reviews.

'Hunger Games' Already Sets Record

The Hunger Games has surpassed The Twilight Saga: Eclipse on first-day ticket-selling! Meaning? This means that, on February 22 (when we here at Potter People all bought our tickets!), The Hunger Games accumulated more money for advance tickets than the previous record-setter, Eclipse.

The Hunger Games is expected to make more money than Twilight did, at least as far as opening weekends go.

Thanks to Hypable.

Eight 'The Hunger Games' Character Posters Released From Lionsgate

Lionsgate, in cooperation with several entertainment sites such as Yahoo! Movies, Entertainment Weekly, and IGN, released eight character posters from the upcoming The Hunger Games film! The posters depict Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch, Effie, Cinna, Rue, and Cato. Take a look: