Catching Fire Movie News

Michael Arndt in Talks to Work on Catching Fire Script

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 02:11:24 +0000

It seems the Catching Fire movie is getting a new writer. According to The Hollywood Reporter Michael Arndt, who won an Oscar for his screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine, and who also wrote Toy Story 3, is in talks with Lionsgate to work on the sequel to The Hunger Games.

The news follows hot on the heels of official word from Lionsgate that Francis Lawrence is on board to direct the movie.

The sequel is barreling toward a late-summer production start. While Lionsgate doesn’t yet have a deal with Arndt, if he signs on, he will have to work double-time to get the script ready due to a squeezed schedule caused by star Jennifer Lawrence’s commitment to Fox’s X-Men: First Classsequel. That tight schedule was one reason Ross declined to take on the project.

Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) wrote the initial drafts of the script, based on the best-selling Suzanne Collins novel.

Francis Lawrence confirmed as director of Catching Fire

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:06:48 +0000

Lionsgate has finally confirmed that Francis Lawrence will direct Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games movie.

Lawrence decided to send a message to fans on the official Hunger Games Facebook page saying:

I just want you all to know how unbelievably excited and honored I am to be a part of Catching Fire. At the end of the day, all of the work that I put in to my movies is for you — the fans. Make sure to post and let me know what you’re most excited to see in this adaptation as we aim to make something truly faithful and spectacular.

Lawrence says it’s an honor and a privilege to bring Catching Fire, the second chapter of Suzanne’s beloved trilogy, to the big screen. ”I fell in love with the characters, the themes and the world she created and this chapter opens all of these elements up in such a thrilling, emotional and surprising way.”

Lionsagate put out a statement saying:

“Lionsgate, the cast, and filmmakers are all thrilled to have Francis Lawrence come on board as director of Catching Fire. Suzanne’s brilliant book is the intense story of the birth of the rebellion and Katniss’ emotionally charged journey as she takes on the mantle of the Mockingjay, and we all think Francis is the perfect director to bring the story to life,” said Erik Feig, Lionsgate’s President Of Production.

“From the very beginning of this brilliant trilogy’s journey from page to screen, our first priority has been to stay true to the heart and soul of Suzanne Collins’ powerful stories. From my first conversation with Francis, I knew he would make a great partner for both me and Suzanne. His passion for Catching Fire and inspired ideas for a faithful adaptation make him the perfect director for this movie. I know this will be a wonderful collaboration and I cannot wait to get started,” echoed producer Nina Jacobson.

Will Catching Fire be Better Than The Hunger Games with Francis Lawrence?

admin — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 01:38:41 +0000

As you’d expect, there have been some mixed feelings about the news that Catching Fire will now come under the direction of Francis Lawrence. Some are upset about how quickly Lionsgate is pushing to have Catching Fire produced. However, EW says it’s best to be optimistic and h ave given some great reasons why Catching Fire may actually be better than The Hunger Games.

1. No More Shaky-Cam.

This summer will mark ten years since the one-two punch of The Bourne Identity and 24 instigated the shaky-camera revolution in modern action movie. All the familiar elements of this style were present in The Hunger Games: Needlessly awkward chin close-ups; quick cuts of people running; a complete butchering of the 180 degree rule. As my colleague Adam B. Vary pointed out, Catching Fire is a larger and more exotic story than its predecessor, with intriguing peeks at the other Districts and an Arena which is decidedly more fantastical than the forest in Hunger Games. I think this plays to Lawrence’s strengths — remember the vivid post-apocalyptic Manhattan of I Am Legend?

2. Don’t feel try to fit in everything.

The first movie managed to make some smart plot and character trims, but the whole thing still felt quite a bit rushed, with some scenes playing out as little more than supporting-character role calls. (That’s particularly true in regards to the Careers, who were barely a presence except for their occasional background snarls. People, they were supposed to be antagonists.) That problem could only be exacerbated in Catching Fire, which introduces a host of new characters. Even moreso than Hunger Games, the second movie is going to require some serious editing and refocusing. Which is why I’d recommend…

3. Chop down the Victory Tour.

Catching Fire begins (Spoiler for you non-readers, although come on, reading is good for you) with a lengthy trip around the various Districts of Panem, and although it’s interesting from a world-building perspective, it’s mostly tension-free. The first Hunger Games movie spent a lot of time on the lead-up to the games, but as much as I love Stanley Tucci, Catching Fire could benefit from getting to the action faster. My pitch: Make the Victory Tour a montage, and get to the Quarter Quell. That also means more time to spend with Finnick and Johanna, two intriguing new characters who don’t even appear until halfway through the book.

4. Let Katniss narrate, already!

There are people who say that adding narration to movies is fundamentally bad. Here is my response to those people: Sunset Boulevard, Adaptation, Fight Club, Goodfellas, The Royal Tenenbaums, Apocalypse Now, A Clockwork Orange, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and Terrence Motherf—ing Malick. The books are narrated from Katniss’ perspective, and her narration doesn’t just serve a functional plot purpose: It lets us see how other characters’ perception of her often differs dramatically from her perception of herself. That aspect of the book — the difference between Katniss-as-a-media-image and Katniss-as-a-human-being — is hugely important, and was almost completely left out of the first movie. Taking away Katniss’ interior monologue has the effect of transforming her from a fascinatingly flawed three-dimensional character into a two-dimensional superhero. Let the girl on fire speak for herself!

Read the rest of the article here!

Francis Lawrence to Direct Catching Fire

admin — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:07:46 +0000

It seems to be official.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Francis Lawrence will direct The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire.

Here’s what they have to say:

Sources say that Lawrence will receive an official offer this afternoon. If he accepts and a deal can be worked out, he will replace Gary Ross, who directed the first installment of the hugely successful franchise.

The hunt has been a fast and furious one, with the field narrowing down to Lawrence, the director of I Am Legend andWater for Elephants, andBennett Miller, the director of the acclaimed Brad Pittbaseball movie Moneyball. Both directors met with the studio today, according to sources, and Lionsgate executives have made their pick.

Lawrence was deemed the front-runner by observers simply because of his open schedule. Miller is working his way to a December start for Foxcatcher, a true-life project centering on John Du Pont that has been his focus for several years. Miller has even lined up Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffallo for the drama, and delaying it would have been a Herculean task.

Lawrence’s hiring raises the question of the state of the Catching Fire screenplay. Ross, who is a writer as much as he is a director, worked on the Hunger Games script and was planning on spending two months honing Fire, working from a script penned bySimon Beaufoy. The producers and new director now will need to keep working with Beaufoy or hire new scribes to hammer out the script before shooting begins.

Will Catching Fire turn out OK without Gary Ross?

admin — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:12:46 +0000

While Gary Ross’ decision to walk away from Catching Fire has may fans wringing their hands, there is also a lot of people wondering if in fact it’s not the worst thing in the world for The Hunger Games sequel.

The LA Times is asking the question: Will Catching Fire turn out OK without Gary Ross?

Naturally, they say the answer depends on who Lionsgate hires to take his place, but they argue that there are precedents for director swaps on big-name movies that could prove encouraging OR disheartening, depending on your point of view.

Many fans clearly want Ross back. A poll on 24 Frames asking who should direct the new film saw “Bring Ross back, no matter what it takes” collect more votes than all the other responses combined. But these fans would be wise to look at cases where a director left a project midstream.

In a number of instances, a situation where a movie seemed in disarray without its original director worked out for the best.

It looked like “Gone With the Wind” was doomed when original director George Cukor was fired by producer David O. Selznick three weeks into production. Olivia de Havilland and other actors begged Selznick to reinstate him. Instead, the producer brought in Victor Fleming, who at the time was making “The Wizard of Oz.” Things turned out pretty nicely for both films.

“A lot of times what seems like a curse in these director situations can be a blessing,” Ron Base, an author of numerous books about Hollywood history, told 24 Frames. “The new director comes in with something to prove.”

…

Fans may be wringing their hands about the Ross departure. But very few directors these days can, on their own, drive a beloved property into the ground — or, for that matter, come up with a surprise masterpiece.

Further Insight into Gary Ross and His Decision to Leave Catching Fire

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:24:45 +0000

The LA Times takes a look at Gary Ross and what about him is responsible for leaving Catching Fire.

But like many talented artists, Ross has a few issues. Idiosyncrasies, let’s call them. He’s particular. And he can be restless. He comes on to projects, then he drops off projects. He gets excited, and the producers who work with him get excited, and then he gets excited about something else.

Yes, that means he has a deep and insatiable curiosity. And few assail his abilities — Ross is, in the opinion of most, one of the more skilled directors working within the commercial movie system. But his curiosity and his restlessness come with a flip side, the side that means you don’t direct a lot of movies.

This is not a secret in Hollywood. Before “Hunger Games,” if you talked to any one of the agents who are tasked with knowing what’s going on at the studios at any given moment, chances are that sooner or later Ross’ name would come up for a project. Sometimes this was followed by a barely perceptible eye roll. The kind that turns “Gary Ross wants to do it” into “We both know Gary Ross is not really going to do it.” Over several months in 2009, entertainment outlets reported on three different high-profile projects he had become involved with in various capacities — a biopic about Lance Armstrong, an adaptation of the classic Matt Helm spy novels and a spinoff “Spider-Man” titled “Venom.”

As with any development news, some of these projects were firmer than others. But it’s notable that none of these movies ever saw the light of day.

In fact, before this year, no Ross project has seen the light of day since 2003, a long time when you consider that said ’03 movie was not some flop that landed him in director jail but “Seabiscuit,” the highest-grossing drama of the year, which should all but give you license to do what you want, with whose-ever money you want, in the years that follow. Yet over those years, Ross directed nothing. (It should be noted that he did write a number of scripts during this time, including those for 2008′s “The Tale of Desperaux” and the upcoming “Creature from the Black Lagoon.”)

In Ross’ case it was, in part, that he wanted to be involved in nearly every aspect of the film, even aspects another director might have delegated.

Ross would have had time to get the movie ready in four months. But he wouldn’t have had time to do his own script rewrite. And Ross wanted to do his own script rewrite.

Actually, he probably would have even had time for that script rewrite if he farmed out some of the more technical pre-production aspects to a trusted deputy or a veteran technical filmmaker. But he apparently didn’t want to farm out some of the more technical pre-production aspects to a trusted deputy or a veteran technical filmmaker.

And so, as he’s done a fair number of times over his career, he said no to the director’s chair.

After a blockbuster like “The Hunger Games,” Gary Ross will undoubtedly be able to write his own ticket. But after some of the traits he has displayed over the years, it’s not clear how quickly he’ll be picking up the pen.

Is Lionsgate Eyeing Cronenberg, Innaritu & Cuaron for Catching Fire?

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:13:42 +0000

The L.A Times has posted an article, from a source unable to speak on record, about who Lionsgate has in mind for a director. According to the source the master list is about seven to eight directors long.

The master list is seven or eight names long, all men, and all have some significant credits to their name. Lionsgate is basically hoping to re-create the “Harry Potter” moment when Warner Bros. brought Alfonso Cuaron to direct the third film in the series. (Chris Columbus left after helming the first two.) Cuaron was a creative choice who excited critics, journalists and author J.K. Rowling, who all were interested in what the director of “Y Tu Mama Tambien” would do with the series.

In fact, Cuaron is in the mix for “Catching Fire,” along with David Cronenberg and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, among others. All have been working in the industry for decades and trend more toward darker, indie fare than commercial hits.

Any of the three men would be a reassuring choice for fans and Collins. And all three auteurs could have compelling takes on the material. Other names are sure to rise to the surface, but Cronenberg, Inarritu and Cuaron should give fans some reassurance that Lionsgate is doing its best to try to preserve their beloved franchise.

The Pros and Cons of Gary Ross Leaving The Hunger Games

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:08:01 +0000

In the wake of the news that Gary Ross has exited The Hunger Games franchise, Vulture has made a list of Pros and Cons for the director switch for Catching Fire.

Pros:

Does this mean less shakycam?

Ross certainly brought a novel visual approach to this nascent franchise, eschewing carefully composed shots for a jittery, handheld feel. That said, would anyone be mad if the new Catching Fire director found a tripod? Our commenters were in full revolt against Ross’s shakycam, complaining, “I haven’t left a movie feeling this sick since The Blair Witch Project,” and ”That camera literally made me ill … If the second movie is like that, we won’t be going.” Which brings us to our next point …

The next director may be better at shooting action.

Ross has a background in scripting populist films like Dave and Pleasantville, and the best moments in The Hunger Games are the ones that come before the titular games begin, when Ross can simply put Jennifer Lawrence in a room opposite someone else and have her effectively sell the movie’s emotional stakes with that resolute stare. Unfortunately, when Katniss is finally forced to play the Games, Ross has no particular flair for shooting them. His protagonist’s usual strategy is to climb the nearest tree to avoid her competitors, but since Ross stubbornly refuses to give us wide shots, he’s got no way to convey even a simple establishing detail like how high up she’s climbed. The other action beats fare no better: The camera is so agitated that we can barely even tell what’s going on, let alone where each character is in relation to one another. If Lionsgate could somehow land a new director who’s talented at conveying space in an action sequence — Robert Zemeckis would be our dream choice, and he’s available — we might actually look forward to the Games, instead of dreading them like Katniss does.

Less fidelity to the source material may be a good thing.

Ross worked very closely with Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins on his adaptation, and she’s credited as a co-writer. Though it was good of him to include her, and the film pleased many Hunger Games diehards by being so faithful to the book, we’ve read the screenplay that Billy Ray wrote before Ross came onboard … and it’s notably better. Ray took a few liberties with the source material — his version has a brief prologue set a year before the main story, which lets him begin with action and introduce Katniss in a far more striking way — but he actually manages to nail some plot points that Ross muddled (like the ambiguity of the Katniss-Peeta showmance) by adapting the book in a less literal-minded fashion. Lionsgate was smart to hire Simon Beaufoy to script Catching Firewhile Ross was still busy working on the first movie, and let’s hope that the new director benefits from a similarly fresh perspective.

Cons:

They just pissed off the actors.

Ross was beloved by series stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, and Elizabeth Banks, and by replacing him just a few weeks after The Hunger Games opened, they’ve destabilized a cast that was previously eager to reteam with Ross. While his visual sense was divisive, Ross did a great job with casting the franchise, and he directed Lawrence to give an already iconic performance. Will the actors be as capable in the hands of a hastily hired replacement, and might they resent the studio for it? (Certainly, we don’t need this crew to start acting as surly on their publicity tours as the cast of the Twilight franchise, which never had a single steward to keep them humble.)

There’s very little time to find a new director.

One of the reasons Ross gave for bailing on Catching Fire is that he simply wouldn’t have enough time to prep the movie, since it needs to shoot this fall so that Jennifer Lawrence can begin filming the sequel to X-Men: First Class in January. If Ross was worried about the brief preproduction window for a movie this massive, how much time will his replacement have? The studio will start interviewing directors immediately and should have an announcement soon, but valuable time will have been spent on the search, and it’ll take even longer to get a replacement up to speed. Ross would have likely retained his department heads from the last movie, but will the new director demand a different cinematographer or production designer? If so, it’ll take a while to get all those important ducks in a row, and there’s no time to waste.

Summit needs to worry about its bad reputation.

In an era when directors like Christopher Nolan and Michael Bay regularly commit to directing the sequels of their megamovies, it’s cause for alarm that Summit can’t seem to hold onto a helmer. The studio cut Catherine Hardwicke after she originated the Twilight franchise, and now Gary Ross (who was hired by Lionsgate before that studio merged with Summit) is kaput, too. In the short term, replacing Ross may work out — this is a franchise that could definitely use a visual makeover — but in the long term, talented directors will be justly wary about approaching Summit/Lionsgate with a valuable property, lest they find themselves dumped. Let’s hope that when trying to hire the director of Catching Fire, the studio hasn’t alienated some of the most talented candidates for the job.

What do you think of their Pro/Con list? Do you have some Pros and Cons of your own?

OFFICIAL: Gary Ross Will Not Direct Catching Fire

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:00:52 +0000

It’s official.

Gary Ross has released a statement saying that he will be leaving The Hunger Games franchise and will not be directing the sequel Catching Fire. In addition, Lionsgate has formally released a statement as well.

Here is the statement from Gary:

Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct Catching Fire. As a writer and a director, I simply don’t have the time I need to write and prep the movie I would have wanted to make because of the fixed and tight production schedule.

I loved making The Hunger Games – it was the happiest experience of my professional life. Lionsgate was supportive of me in a manner that few directors ever experience in a franchise: they empowered me to make the film I wanted to make and backed the movie in a way that requires no explanation beyond the remarkable results. And contrary to what has been reported, negotiations with Lionsgate have not been problematic. They have also been very understanding of me through this difficult decision.

I also cannot say enough about the people I worked with: Producer Nina Jacobson, a great collaborator and a true friend; the brilliant Suzanne Collins, who entrusted us with her most amazing and important story; the gifted and remarkable Jennifer Lawrence whose performance exceeded my wildest expectations, and the rest of the incredible cast, whom I am proud to call my friends.

To the fans I want to say thank you for your support your faith, your enthusiasm and your trust. Hard as this may be to understand I am trying to keep that trust with you. Thank you all. It’s been a wonderful experience.

Here is the statement from Lionsgate:

We’re very sorry that Gary Ross has chosen not to direct Catching Fire. We were really looking forward to making the movie with him. He did an incredible job on the first film and we are grateful for his work. This will not be the end of our relationship, as we consider Ross to be part of the Lionsgate family and look forward to working with him in the future.

Tell us, what are your thoughts? Who should take over? Will Catching Fire be okay without Gary?

source: Deadline

Gary Ross may still be on board for Catching Fire

admin — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:00:39 +0000

It was the last thing that fans wanted to hear – that Gary Ross wasn’t going to direct the sequel to The Hunger Games, Catching Fire.

However Deadline is now reporting that the rumor, that spread like wildfire across showbiz (and fansites) websites, is simply not true. They say there’s also just as many sources close to Gary Ross that can confirm the director has NOT formally withdrawn from making the Catching Fire movie.

Ross is apparently way on a family vacation and hasn’t been reached to confirm or deny the rumors, but Deadline says the reports that his definitely withdrawn are “simply not accurate”.

There have also been reports about a tense standoff between Lionsgate and Fox over the sequel services of Jennifer Lawrence, who will reprise her role as Mystique in the sequel to X-Men: First Class. That has also been somewhat overblown; Fox had an option deal on Lawrence way before she signed on to play Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. That put Fox in first position. Since Lionsgate has a Catching Fire script done, Fox allowed them to go first.

As for the notion that Ross would simply toss away the opportunity to return and direct Catching Firebecause of a salary squabble, the logic seems flawed. The Seabiscuit director knows the benefit of riding in a winner and not switching horses midstream. Ross lobbied hard to get The Hunger Games and turned it into the biggest hit of his directing career. Before that, he developed several serious historical dramatic projects under his deal at Universal that didn’t get off the ground. Staying for a sure-fire hit and a sequel that audiences actually want to see makes a lot of sense for Ross, particularly given how active the filmmaker has been in the construction of Catching Fire.

Ross and author Suzanne Collins have been working on this since last November. They drafted Slumdog Millionaire screenwriter Simon Beaufoy back then, when the Hunger Games post production schedule became too arduous for Ross to see through a plan to write the outline and then pen the sequel script with Collins. We’ve heard that Ross developed a tight bond with everyone involved in the film, including cast. Unless the deal making completely implodes, we expect to see Ross behind the camera when the sequel gets underway.