The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 News, Cast, Trailer and Release Date: Four Things We Know About the New Movie
"The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1" is one of the most anticipated movies of the year.
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks, the film--coming to theaters Nov. 21--continues Katniss' journey as she reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the autocratic capital.
Lionsgate released a trailer last month to get audiences excited, and based on that trailer, here are a number of things that could be said about the film:
Mockingjay is Likely to Become the Highest Grossing Film of the Year
After a disastrous summer and a lack of blockbuster reaching the $300 million mark, it looks like this next installment will surpass every single big film this year.
The first Hunger Games each made over $400 million when they opened and were also extremely successful in foreign countries. The series continues to be popular among fans, and if the third installment is as well received critically as the first two, then it is likely it will open on par or better than both installments.
It is also important to note that Jennifer Lawrence has become a box office draw over the past two years. Outside of "The Hunger Games" and "X-Men: Franchises" her two dramatic features "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle" have made over $100 million.
Julianne Moore Will Play President Alma Coin
Moore is one of the most well-regarded actresses of her generation, and this upcoming film will mark her second time in a franchise film.
Back in 1997, the actress starred in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park." Moore is best known for her dramatic turns in Indie films such as "The Hours," "Far From Heaven," "Boogie Nights," "Magnolia" and "The End of the Affair." She has also been nominated for four Academy Awards and recently won her first Golden Globe for her role as Sarah Palin in "Game Change."
The Two Mockingjay Films Will be Philip Seymour Hoffman's last films
Hoffman left a legacy of acclaimed films and he was best known for his work on smaller dramatic pictures such as "Capote," "A Most Wanted Man," "The Master" and "Doubt." As a result, it is interesting that his last films will be in a major franchise. Before "The Hunger Games," the actor had never appeared in a franchise.
Hoffman died before finishing all his scenes in the movie but editors and director Francis Lawrence assured fans that most of his scenes were complete and therefore the movie would not be hurt by his untimely death.
Mockingjay is Split into Two Films
After Warner Bros decided to split the final Harry Potter book into two parts because of its length, every major franchise based on a book has chosen to follow the formula. "Mockingjay" will be the third franchise to do so following "Harry Potter" and "Twilight."
What is interesting about the trend is that the first movie of the two has always turned out to be the weakest and also the worst reviewed of the franchise. In the case of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," the movie received a lot of lukewarm reviews. Meanwhile, "Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1" received horrible reviews with most critics trashing its lack of substance.
Based on the length of "Mockingjay," the decision to make it into two movies seems wise. However, it will be interesting to see how critics receive it and if it will have enough substance to hold up on its own.