The Playlist

Watch: 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Preview Teases The Real Deal Trailer Arriving April 14th During The MTV Movie Awards

By Edward Davis
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April 3, 2013 2:21 PM
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3 Comments

News

When we last saw Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), they had survived the perilous "The Hunger Games" and now they're on a victory lap tour or some such thing. Surely things aren't gonna stay that celebratory and happy in the "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" sequel for long. In fact, in the adaptation of Suzanne Collins' YA novels, Katniss and Peta are dethroned from their respective victory riches and put back into the arena for the most climatic and menacing of the Hunger Games, known as the "Quarter Quell" (whatever) that means. Directed by Francis Lawrence (using IMAX cameras in some segments), a new teasing teaser trailer (which, let's face it, shows next to nothing) has arrived.

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New Behind-The-Scenes Image & Poster For 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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January 14, 2013 1:51 PM
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0 Comments

News

The hunt will begin soon. Everyone's favorite humans-killing-each-other-for-sport franchise returns to the big screen (much) later this year, but that hasn't stopped the folks at Lionsgate from reminding you that it's coming. The marketing machine for "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" continues today with a couple more bits and pieces.

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Francis Lawrence Out, Angelina Jolie In To Direct WWII Film 'Unbroken'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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December 18, 2012 10:52 PM
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1 Comment

News

This fall, Francis Lawrence suddenly got very busy. Not only is the director helming "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," he locked himself in for the final two movies of the franchise, parts one and two of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay." This effectively means he's busy with the series right through to the end of 2015, which means that the handful of projects he'd been linked to, some of those are going to fall by the wayside. And indeed, one of them has, but it's been picked up by a very big name.

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'Catching Fire' Director Francis Lawrence Will Also Helm Both 'Mockingjay' Films

By Kevin Jagernauth
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November 1, 2012 1:17 PM
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1 Comment

News

When Gary Ross surprised many by exiting "The Hunger Games" franchise, Lionsgate was caught a bit adrift and began an intensive search to find a replacement. Francis Lawrence eventually nabbed the gig after a couple of harried weeks of rumor and speculation, and it seems everyone involved is very happy he's on board. Not only is he helming the currently shooting "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," it looks like he's going to see this series through right to the end.

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'Toy Story 3' Writer Michael Arndt In Talks To Re-Write 'Catching Fire'

By Drew Taylor
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May 5, 2012 12:41 PM
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5 Comments

News

Lionsgate’s “Hunger Games” sequel “Catching Fire” is now packing some new heat. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for his screenplay for “Little Miss Sunshine” and more recently wrote “Toy Story 3,” is being brought onboard to polish the initial drafts that were written by “Slumdog Millionaire” and “127 Hours” writer Simon Beaufoy. “Catching Fire” is, of course, based on the second book in Suzanne Collins’ best-selling young adult series and the follow up to Gary Ross' runaway smash from earlier this year.

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It's Official: Francis Lawrence Will Direct 'The Hunger Games' Sequel 'Catching Fire'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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May 3, 2012 1:37 PM
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1 Comment

News

Well, it's officially official. Two weeks after he got the offer, and everyone assumed he was going to do it anyway, Lionsgate has formally announced that Francis Lawrence will be directing "The Hunger Games" sequel, "Catching Fire."

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It Looks Like Francis Lawrence Is Going To Direct 'Catching Fire'; Tomas Alfredson, Joe Cornish, Duncan Jones & Cary Fukunaga Were Also Shortlisted

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 19, 2012 9:31 PM
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15 Comments

News

...and then there was one. The hunt for the director to take the helm of "Catching Fire" looks to be nearing an end. Just a couple days after we reported that Francis Lawrence and Bennett Miller were in the hunt for the job, it now looks like Lionsgate has decided on their man.

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Exclusive: Bennett Miller & Francis Lawrence In The Mix To Direct 'Catching Fire'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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April 17, 2012 7:07 PM
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14 Comments

News

Well, the hunt is now on for a director to take the helm of "The Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire," and before the end of last week a crop of names on Lionsgate's wishlist appeared that included David Cronenberg, Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Well, you can now add two more directors who are also in the mix for the job and some conversations with them have already begun.

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'Out Of Sight' and 'Minority Report' Scribe Scott Frank To Write 'Houdini' For Francis Lawrence

By Oliver Lyttelton
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May 25, 2011 1:40 AM
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3 Comments

Considering that, in real life, the profession seems to fall somewhere between "repellent" and "unbelievably douchey" (see: David Blaine, Criss Angel), it's somewhat surprising how many magic-based movies we have going around these days. The 2006 double bill of "The Prestige" and "The Illusionist" was the peak of the genre, but recent years have also brought the animated "Illusionist," Guy Pearce in the little-seen "Death Defying Acts" and, later in the summer, David Tennant as a vampire-fighting trickster in "Fright Night," while an adaptation of the seminal novel "Carter Beats The Devil" recently got a new lease on life. Even Pixar got in on the act, with the short "Presto."

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Richard LaGravenese To Adapt WWII Survival Tale 'Unbroken' For Francis Lawrence

By Kevin Jagernauth
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March 30, 2011 3:17 AM
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2 Comments

While director Francis Lawrence made his name in Hollywood directing big budget flag wavers like "Constantine" and "I Am Legend," the helmer is looking to broaden his horizons and get out of the VFX and explosions game. He's got the Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz led period romance "Water For Elephants" around the corner and earlier this year, he lined up the WWII tale based on Laura Hillenbrand‘s bestseller “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” over at Universal. At the time it was said that "Crazy Heart" writer/director Scott Cooper might pen the adaptation, but instead an Oscar nominated writer/director has gotten the job.

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