Lionsgate Announces “Hunger Games: Mockinjay” will be split into two movies and Philip Seymour Hoffman will join the cast of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Lionsgate has opened up a tap of information on their plans for The Hunger Games sequels. The studio has confirmed that Oscar winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman will be joining the cast of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Shortly after, Lionsgate noted that Mockingjay, the final novel in the Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, will be split into two separate films titled The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2.
Hoffman will play Plutarch Heavensbee, the politically shrewed Head Gamemaker responsible for overseeing the 75th Annual Hunger Games. The star is the first new actor to be officially confirmed as an addition to the insanely popular franchise. Philip Seymour Hoffman will star alongside returning cast members Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks, and Donald Sutherland. Although, actress Jena Malone is rumored to have signed up to play tribute Johanna Mason, her status in the film has yet to be confirmed.
The studio has also released its first official synopsis for Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which can be read below:
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire begins as Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) — a competition that could change Panem forever.
Director Francis Lawrence plans to begin shooting the film later this year.
Meanwhile, Lionsgate is attempting to prolong their Hunger Games success by rolling out the final installment of the franchise in two parts. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2. will give the studio an opportunity to extend the Hunger Games bonanza all the way through 2015.
With Catching Fire hitting theaters November 22, 2013, Mockingjay Part 1 opening on November 21, 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 debuting November 20, 2015, fans can be assured that their Thanksgiving holiday will be full of Hunger Games hysteria for the next three years.
Lionsgate’s decision to split Mockingjay is consistent with Hollywood’s latest trend of rolling out several sequels to the adaptations of best selling novel series. After the success of the first Hunger Games movie and that of the Harry Potter and Twilight series, Lionsgate couldn’t have made a better choice.
