Lionsgate have big plans for The Hunger Games, according to Deadline and are even comparing the franchise to that of the Twilight franchise for Summit Entertainment and if rumors are true Lionsgate may follow suit with splitting the final movie into two parts. Hit the jump for the details.
Deadline state:
Lionsgate executives told Wall Street analysts this morning to expect big things from The Hunger Games, a series of four action films that the studio will release from the trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. COO Joe Drake said it was “the highest selling film we’ve ever had” at the Cannes Film Festival and that overseas exhibitors consider it “the movie that can change their company.” Although Lionsgate wouldn’t disclose its budget for the films, Drake says Hunger Games could become an “outsized success” for Lionsgate. The studio says it bought the rights before the books became runaway best-sellers, and it has “retained the majority of the upside” in its talent and distribution deals.
The studios could decide to split the second book, Catching Fire into two movies, however it’s most likely that the final book, Mockingjay, will get the expansion treatment although its widely lauded as the weakest component in the trilogy, I myself am halfway through the second book, Catching Fire and as good as it is its not as strong as the first.
The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future America which is divided into 12 districts that serve a wealthy Capitol territory. Once a year, each district submits a girl and boy as tributes to participate in life-or-death games. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen alongside Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, Donald Sutherland as President Snow & Woody Harelson as Haymitch. The movie hits theaters March 23rd 2012.
