In recent months there has been a lot of rumouring, posting, posturing tweeting and speculation on the upcoming movie release The Hunger Games. Partly because it’s jam packed full of every piece of young budding talent in Hollywood at the moment and partly because it’s adapted from Suzanne Collins’ extremely popular trilogy known collectively as The Hunger Games.
The books are set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future (what a trend!) were power is held by the government in the city of Capitol. Capitol presides over an area, formerly North America, known as Panem which has been split into 12 districts. The hunger games exist as an annual televised event were said government selects one boy and one girl from each district to take part in a fight to the death to exhibit its total control and power over even children. These children who are made to fight are labelled as tributes and entered into the killing arena under the guise of honour and pride.
So far Jennifer Lawrence, of Winters Bone fame, has been cast as the central protagonist of the first book Katniss Everdeen and her hunger games partner Peeta Mellark will be played by Liam Hutcherson, known for The Kids Are All Right. Liam Hemsworth, seen in The Last Song and a little known great psychological thriller The Triangle will be taking on the role of Gale Hawthorne, Katniss’ best friend and hunting partner prior to her entrance into the games.
Other actors/actresses confirmed for tribute roles are Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin who will play Marvel and Glimmer, the tributes from District 1. As well District 11 tributes Thresh and Rue have been confirmed as being played by Dayo Okeniyi and Amandla Stenberg. With the districts ranging from 1, richest, to 12, poorest, expect to see some serious fighting style differences in those that have had to fight for survival already outside the arena.
News today has seen Elizabeth Banks revealed to be in negotiations to play Effie Trinket, the Capitol escort to District 12, who is responsible for Katniss and Peeta until their entrance into the arena proper. Although the negotiations appear tentative Banks could do a lot worse than upgrade her career into a large franchise with limitless possibilities, given the scope of the source material.
The Hunger Games is set to start filming in the next few months with a speculated release date of March 2012, with the cast ever growing with talent it looks like one to watch out for.
