'Hunger Games' Continues Production Despite Loss of Philip Seymour Hoffman: Director Says No CGI
After Philip Seymour Hoffman's death earlier this year from a drug overdose, many wondered how producers would deal with filming the actor's remaining scenes for the upcoming "Hunger Games" film, "Mockingjay Part 2."
Hoffman was in the process of finishing up his filming for "Mockingjay Part 2" before his death in February. Although Hoffman had recorded the majority of his scenes as head gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, there is still material crucial to the story that needs to be filmed. Rumors circulated about the possibility of digitally recreating the actor, but the director has now confirmed that won't be the case.
"We finished the majority of his work," said director Francis Lawrence in a "Hunger Games" Exclusive interview. "I think he might have had eight to 10 days left on our schedule. In most of those scenes, Phil didn't have any dialogue. We are going to put him into those scenes, but we're only using real footage. We're not creating anything digital or a robotic version of him."
In the case of "Mockingjay: Part 1," producer Nina Jacobson said, "We had to rewrite the dialogue scenes that he had left and there's no question that shooting those scenes is painful without him. We might give a line of Plutarch's to Haymitch or Effie, but only in circumstances that we are able to do that without undermining the intent of the scene."
Recently, Lionsgate released a photo showing Hoffman as Plutarch, along with newly cast Julianne Moore as President Coin. Coin plays a major role in the third movie, which will feature heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) taking on the role as the leading figure in the rebellion against the tyrannical Capitol.
"She's barely able to hold it together," said Francis Lawrence regarding Katniss. "That's compounded by the fact that she is now really distrustful of everybody around her... She's very, very fragile and very, very angry."
"Mockingjay: Part 1" will be released in theaters on Nov. 21.