Comments on: Francis Lawrence offered director’s chair for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

By: Paul C.

Paul C. — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:08:57 +0000

No, I don't think it's so much trying to reel in audiences as to keep the people who follow movies interested in the HUNGER GAMES franchise. With so much entertainment news out there, it takes an ever-increasing amount of PR energy to keep a property at the forefront of people's minds. Therefore, Lionsgate and their marketing team are going to milk every last little bit of information they can to keep interest up among those who haven't already marked their calendars with CATCHING FIRE's release date. Just watch- there's going to be plenty more news throughout the summer, especially when the roles of Finnick and Johanna (two of the key "new" characters in the second book) are being cast.

By: James Frazier

James Frazier — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:51:35 +0000

Do you think these PR moves actually make any noticeable affect on the grosses? Are jaded cinephiles who would normally skip something like CATCHING FIRE prone to attending just to bitch about how Alfonso Cuarón would have nailed it? I pretty much know that’s going to be what I’ll be thinking while watching THE WOLVERINE.

By: Paul C.

Paul C. — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:27:16 +0000

I might have known they'd end up offering this to Lawrence. These "director searches" are almost always a bunch of PR hogwash cooked up to keep interest going. Remember when Gus Van Sant was "approached" to direct TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN? It's usually the same drill- studio throws out half a dozen names, including three or four really tantalizing ones, then ends up giving the job to the one it can boss around and who won't try to impose his own style on the franchise.