The Avengers faces a tough battle if they want to top Katniss and company’s expected $400 million domestic earnings. By Fallon Prinzivalli Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate After its sixth weekend in theaters, The Hunger Games” is still lighting up the box office . Katniss and company’s cumulative gross is currently a whopping $601 million worldwide, after raking in $11.2 million in the U.S. and another $7.4 million overseas this weekend. Standing tall at #4, the dystopian franchise’s weekend dip was 23 percent, which is the lowest decline yet for the movie (its second weekend in theaters saw a 60 percent drop), according to Box Office Guru . And it wasn’t far behind third-place “The Lucky One,” which earned $11.3 following its second weekend. It looks like the assembly of Earth’s mightiest heroes won’t even be able to stop Katniss’ estimated goal. With “The Hunger Games” sitting comfortably with a domestic total of $372.4 million, it’s going to take more than Thor and his mighty hammer to bring “Marvel’s The Avengers” to the top. If “The Hunger Games” can rake in $400 million domestically ( like box-office experts predicted ), it would outperform the first films in both “Twilight” and “Harry Potter.” As audiences gear up for the highly anticipated Marvel film, only time will tell what this weekend will bring the first film in Katniss’ franchise. And as far as the success of a sequel since Gary Ross is no longer on board to direct, it isn’t something Josh Hutcherson , who plays Peeta, is particularly worried about. “Gary, I think, brought so much to the movie, and he created that whole world that was so close to the book and so perfect in so many ways that it’s going to be hard for Francis [Lawrence] to come in, for sure,” Hutcherson told MTV News at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. “But Francis is extremely talented and everyone I’ve talked to says he’s the best guy in the world. So I think he’s going to bring a lot [to the sequel].” What film to you think will be the bigger box-office smash: “The Hunger Games” or “The Avengers”? Sound off in the comments! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: CinemaCon 2012
As the E.L. James novel bumps the dystopian drama from the top of the bestseller list, we ask a few of Panem’s faithful if fans should give it a read. By Amy Wilkinson Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in “Hunger Games” Photo: Lions Gate Katniss Everdeen and her trusty bow and arrow can no longer fend off Christian Grey and his punishing whips — “Fifty Shades of Grey” has bumped “The Hunger Games” from its #1 perch on USA Today ‘s bestseller list . And it’s a contentious battle, to be sure. Seven of the top 10 are dominated by the various series installments by “Grey” author E.L. James and “Hunger Games” author Suzanne Collins. It probably goes without saying that the content of these two sagas couldn’t be more different: “The Hunger Games” is a teen novel chronicling a young heroine’s fight for survival in a televised death match against 23 other kids, while “Fifty Shades of Grey” is an erotically charged page-turner detailing the sexcapades of a billionaire and his young paramour. Yet, both have managed to capture the attention of publishers, producers and pop-culture pundits. While “The Hunger Games” was busy dominating the box office to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, Universal Pictures and Focus Features (perhaps inspired by Lionsgate’s success with the book-to-film adaptation) snatched up the film rights to James’ buzzy novel for an undisclosed sum. A few weeks later, the English author was named to Time ‘s 100 Most Influential People in the World list. Full disclosure: I’ve been hesitant to pick up “Fifty Shades of Grey” owning to its “Twilight” fanfic roots and “mommy porn” reputation, but as someone who writes about both books and films, I’ll eventually need to become familiar with the life and times of Christian Grey — for purely professional reasons, of course. But is there anything in it for “Hunger Games” fans looking for another high-profile novel to devour? I asked a few of Panem’s faithful. “I haven’t actually read ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ but I confess that way back in the day, when it was called ‘Master of the Universe’ and was posted for free online as ‘Twilight’ fan fiction, I did read it,” said Hunger Games Examiner ‘s Sara Gundell. “It is a dirty, dirty story — but hey, sometimes filthy fan fiction is fun to read. And while there is plenty of ‘Hunger Games’ fan fiction online (and plenty of it is also dirty), I’m not sure ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ will appeal to most fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ based on what attracted them to that series. There isn’t really any way to compare the two. They don’t have similar themes, and the characters don’t share any similar traits. They really are nothing alike. That doesn’t mean some ‘Hunger Games’ fans won’t enjoy it, but I can’t see it having any sort of universal, crossover appeal. They just don’t have anything in common, really.” For MTV News staffer Christina Garibaldi, the saucy series served as a palate cleanser after the death and destruction of the dystopian drama. “As a reader of both ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ I have to admit I’m a huge fan of both,” she said. “Both stories have taken their audiences by storm, but keep in mind that ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ does skew a little older and to women, while ‘Hunger Games’ seems to please both male and female readers. Yet, if you are anything like me and enjoy mixing up your reading between love stories and action novels, then pick up both books! You will not be disappointed.” Then there’s The Hob ‘s Megan Scott, who says she sees at least one (tongue firmly in cheek) similarity: hunger. “I have been sucked into the ‘Fifty Shades’ vortex and am enjoying it immensely,” she said. “Anything that is getting a lot of hype and is considered controversial I’ll pick up. There really is nothing that really comes to mind that would intrigue an “HG” fan other than the common theme of hunger, but let’s face it, Christian Grey’s hunger is the different sort.” Consensus: While the two best-selling series share very little in common thematically, odds are in your favor that “Grey” may be as hard to put down as “The Hunger Games.” Have you read or do you plan to read “Fifty Shades of Grey”? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns! Earlier ‘Hunger Games’ columns + ‘Catching Fire’: Five Reasons To Be Stoked + ‘Catching Fire’ Director: Who Could Carry The Torch? + ‘Hunger Games’ Postmortem: Five Lessons For ‘Catching Fire’ Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com .
For ‘Twilight’ Tuesday, we chat with experts about why young readers relate to the YA heroines. By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate No matter how you feel about “The Twilight Saga” as a film franchise, Stephenie Meyer ‘s vampire romance inspired millions of young readers to pick up a book and read. Anything that gets young people to lose themselves in the written word — whether it’s “Twilight,” “The Hunger Games” or “Game of Thrones” — is a positive step. This week’s “Twilight” Tuesday is all about understanding what it is exactly about the characters in these books, particularly the very popular YA genre, that gets us obsessed and day-dreamy about them. Why do we love Bella and Katniss? What does that say about young readers today and the future of the genre? I took my questions to a few very informed experts. “The thing with the Bella phenomenon, she was kinda like an empty vessel, and I feel like part of the appeal there was just a really blank slate on which people could project their own identities,” said Lauren Oliver, best-selling author of “Delirium” and “Pandemonium.” “It was fantasy. It allowed you to float up through it. “In terms of heroines now, I think what’s really interesting about them is that, many of them, for example ‘The Hunger Games,’ certainly in my books, the characters don’t necessarily start out being so fierce and badass, which I think to some extent would be not even off-putting, but alienating,” she continued. “Because I’m not sure that people feel that way. I do think what’s significant is that these characters are portrayed as being very much at the start, normal girls, but very moral normal girls who because of a set of very extraordinary circumstances are able to step into strength that they didn’t know they possessed. I think that really resonates with people because everybody I assume would like to feel that, if given the chance, they could be someone special.” Dr. Jenn Berman, host and therapist on VH1’s “Couples Therapy” said the love for both types of heroines hearkens back to classic literary characters we’ve loved for centuries. “Both characters are appealing on a very archetypal level. One is very much a damsel in distress, this sort of empty, insecure vessel, which I think is very identifiable for young women,” she explained. “The other is sort of this superhero, strong, independent woman who doesn’t need anybody, which I think is also something that is very inspirational for women. In each one of us we have both of those entities, and as a result, people are drawn to these characters.” Kristin Rens, senior editor at HarperCollins, pointed out that while Bella and Katniss are pretty different, they also share a few qualities to which a lot of teens relate. “Bella and Katniss are obviously very different characters. But one thing they have in common is their drive — the fact that they both very much know what they want, and they won’t stop until they reach their goals,” Rens said. “When you’re a teen, there are so many parts of life that are out of your hands, so there’s something very aspirational and appealing about characters like Bella and Katniss who are able to take control of their own lives, even when the odds are stacked against them.” Dr. Berman added that we all have a little damsel in distress in us, as well as a superhero; the trick is balancing them. “In order to become fully formed people, we have to find a way to both make friends with our damsel in distress and find a way to rescue her on our own,” she said. “As long as you understand why and what you need to do with that archetype, it’s OK, but to romanticize the damsel-in-distress archetype, you set yourself up for unhealthy relationships. What you do [to prevent that] is you say, ‘Wow, there is a part of me that would really like to be rescued, but I’m not going to give into that part of me. I’m going to rescue myself instead.’ ” The same goes for the superhero Katniss archetype, however, in that romanticizing that type of woman can also set you up for an unhealthy perspective. “Healthy relationships aren’t interdependent,” Berman said. “If you are an island, then you’re not having an emotionally intimate relationship, so the truth of a healthy relationship lies somewhere in between both of these archetypes.” How do you relate to Bella? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet me @karawarner! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Hunger Games’ Related Photos The Hunger Games Twilight: Breaking Dawn
After spending an elusive third straight week at #1, ‘The Hunger Games’ now ranks among the biggest box-office successes in history. By Kevin P. Sullivan Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate For the third weekend in a row, “The Hunger Games” proved its power as a serious box-office champion. Two competitors stood a chance to take the top spot, but both “American Reunion” and “Titanic 3D” fell short, leaving “The Hunger Games” at the top with earnings of nearly $303 million since its debut. Now that “The Hunger Games” has racked up its third consecutive weekend at #1, it seems like an appropriate time to see where the film stands among the all-time box-office champs, what records have been broken and what records still stand. Consecutive Weekends With so many movies coming out each week, it’s often difficult for a film to retain the top spot in its second weekend, let alone its third. Repeat weekends have become a mark of true success at the box office and signs of a real hit. With this weekend, “The Hunger Games” became the first film in 2012 to spend three straight weeks at #1. The most recent movie to achieve that was “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” back in November of last year. Versus “Twilight” Speaking of the vampire romance series, “The Hunger Games” officially passed the highest-grossing film in “The Twilight Saga,” “Eclipse.” The third “Twilight” movie grossed just over $300 million, right behind where “The Hunger Games” stands after its third weekend. Many had compared the two series throughout the lead-up to “The Hunger Games,” but since its debut “The Hunger Games” has thrived off word-of-mouth and a larger male audience than “Twilight.” Champion of 2012 Right from the start of the summer movie season, the biggest tentpole films of the year already have a film to beat. “The Hunger Games” is far and away the highest money earner of the year so far. Its total gross currently stands roughly $104 million ahead of its closest competition, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.” The toughest competition has yet to come, however. With releases like “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and the first “Hobbit” still on the lineup for 2012, it will be difficult for “The Hunger Games” to hold onto that spot. Opening Week So much of the “Hunger Games” buzz came from its enormous opening weekend, the third best of all time behind “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” and “The Dark Knight.” With a $152 million bow, it also ranks as the best March and spring opening ever. All Time Granted the movie is only three weeks old, “The Hunger Games” still has a long way to go before ranking among the highest earners of all time. It currently stands at #37 behind “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Do you think “The Hunger Games” will be the highest-grossing film of 2012, or will “The Dark Knight Rises” take the glory? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos Hunger Games MTV Rough Cut: Gary Ross MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence And Josh Hutcherson Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Hits NYC Inside ‘The Hunger Games’ Capitol
Film manages to fend off challenges from ‘American Reunion’ and ‘Titanic 3D.’ By Ryan J. Downey Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson and Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate “The Hunger Games” won the box office for a third consecutive weekend, fending off challenges from tried-and-true romance and raunchy humor alike. Neither “American Reunion,” the latest installment of the “American Pie” franchise, nor the 3-D re-release of “Titanic” were able to knock Jennifer Lawrence and company from atop the box-office perch as “Games” collected another $33.5 million and passed the $300 million mark. “American Reunion” debuted at #2 with $21.5 million while “Titanic 3D” earned $17.3 million. “Wrath of the Titans” was #4 during its second weekend in theaters with $15 million for a $58.8 million total. “Mirror Mirror” rounded out the top five with $11 million for a $36.4 million total. “The Hunger Games” ranked right behind “Avatar” in the all-time list of non-sequels to cross the $300 million mark in the shortest amount of time. Its estimated $302.8 million in North American receipts is more than the final totals of most of the “Harry Potter” movies and all of the entries in the “Twilight” series. Box-office prognosticators have estimated that “Games,” based on the popular young adult novel, will eventually earn at least $350 million. The fourth theatrically released “American Pie” movie, which followed 2003’s “American Wedding” and a string of direct-to-DVD “American Pie Presents” spinoffs, did poorly relative to other entries. The $21.5 million earned by “American Reunion” was much lower than the opening weekends for “American Pie 2” ($45.1 million) and “Wedding” ($33.4 million). Only the original “Pie” earned a “fresh” rating on film-review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes; “Reunion” is the worst reviewed of the series. “There are almost no laughs, save what [Seann William] Scott valiantly squeezes out of Stifler’s antics,” wrote the Wrap’s Alonso Duralde. “The entire film is a mistake,” wrote the San Francisco Chronicle ‘s Amy Biancolli. “American Reunion” did manage to land the highest Easter weekend opening for an R-rated film in several years and also collected an impressive amount overseas, where it opened in 28 countries. The film’s $19.3 million abroad was more than “American Wedding” made nine years ago. “Titanic” is the second-highest-grossing film of all time, behind “Avatar.” Both, of course, were directed by James Cameron, who personally oversaw the 3-D conversion of the new theatrical re-release. The opening weekend for “Titanic 3D” was lower than that of other recent 3-D re-releases, including “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” as well as Disney’s “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast.” The 10-day haul for “Wrath of the Titans” is less than the opening weekend of the film’s predecessor, “Clash of the Titans,” which was a remake of the early ’80s fantasy film. Speaking of the ’80s (this time, the late ’80s), “21 Jump Street” crossed the $100 million mark on Friday. The comedic take on the TV cop show has made an estimated $109.6 million. “Mirror Mirror,” which dropped 39 percent over the weekend, is the first of two Snow White films on the way this year. “Snow White and the Huntsman,” which is due this summer, has enjoyed more positive buzz. This weekend’s new releases include well-reviewed horror flick “The Cabin in the Woods,” a long-gestating project written by “Avengers” director Joss Whedon and his old pal from the “Buffy” days Drew Goddard (who also directed); futuristic prison thriller “Lockout”; “Blue Like Jazz,” based on the popular semi-autobiographical book by hipster Christian theologian Donald Miller; and a brand-new version of “The Three Stooges.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games,” “Titanic 3D” and “American Reunion.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘American Reunion’ Related Photos The Hunger Games
We speak to box-office experts about whether the ‘Games’ will continue to rule over the weekend. By Kevin P. Sullivan Jason Biggs in “American Reunion” Photo: Universal Pictures Almost three weeks into “The Hunger Games” ‘s run at the box office, two worthy competitors have stepped up to challenge the aging champion. “Titanic 3D” and “American Reunion” pose the first real threat to “The Hunger Games” and its reign as the top money maker of the weekend. “The Hunger Games” has, however, performed strongly all week and could very well earn a third straight victory. We spoke with box-office experts to see where they think “The Hunger Games” will land come Monday and whether “Titanic 3D” or “American Reunion” could rule the weekend instead. James Cameron ‘s 3D conversion of “Titanic” got an early start on the competition with a Wednesday opening to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the tragedy. Right out of the gate, “The Hunger Games” was keeping pace, winning the day by a little over $200,000. Then Katniss went on to double Jack and Rose’s earnings on Thursday. ” ‘Hunger Games’ hasn’t hit lean times at the box office by any stretch this week, easily taking the top spot through the week and averaging around $5 million,” said Jeff Bock, a box-office analyst from Exhibitor Relations . According to Phil Contrino from BoxOffice.com , the weekday competition between the two movies and the wins by “The Hunger Games” have spelled an early victory for Katniss and the other tributes, but he notes that the other competition shouldn’t be counted out. “I expect ‘Titanic 3D’ to surge during the weekend, but it looks like ‘Hunger Games’ will beat it now,” Contrino said. “The dark horse here is ‘American Reunion’ — it shouldn’t be overlooked.” The “American Pie” series has always opened relatively strong. The first two films debuted with $45 million and $33 million, respectively, and to date, the series has totaled $352 million in the United States. With the competition at the box office caught in such a tight race, Bock concluded that now, as always, it’s just up to the audience. ” ‘Hunger Games’ will likely three-peat, but ‘American Reunion’ may have the nostalgia factor going for it and also come close to $30 mil this weekend,” he said. “I guess it depends if audiences are in the mood for apple pie or not.” Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games,” “Titanic 3D” and “American Reunion.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘American Reunion’ Related Photos The Hunger Games
Katniss and company dominated theaters for the second weekend in a row, but box-office experts wonder if they can tackle the mighty ‘Titanic.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate For the second week in a row, “The Hunger Games” laid claim to the box office. This past weekend offered a unique challenge for the reigning champ, however. Two relatively big studio films, “Wrath of the Titans” and “Mirror Mirror,” challenged Katniss Everdeen and the rest of the tributes, but the two competitors could not overcome. “The Hunger Games” collected an estimated $61 million over the weekend, a 60 percent drop from its $152.5 million debut. Despite its enormous opening weekend, “The Hunger Games” managed to maintain the buzz around it heading into the second weekend. Jeff Bock, a box-office analyst with Exhibitor Relations, Inc., said that for how big “The Hunger Games” opened, a steeper drop could have been expected. “Ticket sales dipped 60 percent, but when compared to ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,’ which dropped 72 percent, that is a great hold,” Bock said. “Especially when you consider how great both films were received. ‘Deathly Hallows, Part 2’ got some of the best reviews of the franchise, and it still had a huge decline in the second weekend.” Part of that lasting success, says Phil Contrino from BoxOffice.com, belongs to the adults, who are interested in seeing the movie but aren’t part of the rabid fanbase. “It’s appealing to adults, and adults don’t feel the need to rush out opening weekend. They’ll take their time discovering it.” Almost as important as what “The Hunger Games” has — like its broad appeal — is what it doesn’t have. “The film has everything: love, mystery, and adventure. One thing it doesn’t have: 3-D,” Bock said. “Proving once again, it is not a necessary distraction for tentpole films.” But can “The Hunger Games” win the weekend competition for a third time in a row? Both Contrino and Box Office Guru’s Gitesh Pandya agree that the fight will be a difficult one. “It’s going to be tough. ‘Titanic’ 3-D and ‘American Reunion’ both look very strong,” Contrino said. Pandya sees James Cameron’s 3-D revamp of “Titanic” as the one that could take down “The Hunger Games.” “This coming weekend, ‘Hunger Games’ will be challenged by the 3-D release of ‘Titanic,’ which can compete with ‘Hunger Games’ for the #1 spot if it can break $30M over the Friday-to-Sunday Easter frame.” How long do you think “The Hunger Games” will stay hot? Leave your comment below! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos The Hunger Games
Film had the seventh-highest second weekend ever, beating out ‘Wrath of the Titans’ and ‘Mirror Mirror.’ By Ryan J. Downey Jennifer Lawrence in “Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate
In this week’s Hobnobbing, we take a look at how Gary Ross’ sequel can build upon the success of the first. By Amy Wilkinson Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate To no one’s surprise, the highly anticipated “Hunger Games” opened last week to boffo box-office numbers , all but guaranteeing the second installment in Suzanne Collins’ series, “Catching Fire,” will set theaters ablaze come November 22, 2013. Director Gary Ross, who will also helm the follow-up, has already begun formulating his vision for the 75th annual Hunger Games, telling MTV News, “I have some ideas about how to do ‘Catching Fire’ slightly differently, but I don’t want to share them yet. Not because I’m being evasive, but just because they’re not fully baked. But yes, I think it will look and feel slightly different from the first.” With its jungle-like setting, the next arena will be a much different beast than the forested first, so it’s no wonder Ross is re-jiggering his approach. We can only speculate that some of his sequel planning will include reviewing “The Hunger Games” in great detail — what worked and what didn’t. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of five “Hunger Games” lessons that can and should inform “Catching Fire.” DO keep the arena underwraps This one isn’t so much for Ross as it is for the Gamemakers at Lionsgate, but we have to recognize the studio’s smart decision to use only pre-Games footage in their aggressive marketing campaign for the film. In fact, I’d go so far as to say my favorite parts of the movie were from the arena, largely because they were fresh and unexpected. With the Quarter Quell’s intriguing new venue, Lionsgate would be wise to build anticipation by keeping the tropical death trap shrouded in mystery. DON’T skimp on the CGI If there was a consistent complaint I heard from “Hunger Games” fans following the film’s release, it was that the Girl on Fire scene — in which Katniss and Peeta introduce themselves to the Capitol, riding atop a chariot and flaunting flame-licked jumpsuits representative of their coal-mining home — was … underwhelming. The flame effect just didn’t look real enough. With a slew of new sci-fi aspects introduced in “Catching Fire,” including mutated monkeys, we hope Ross can invest a bit more in the film’s digital technology. DO capitalize on Stanley Tucci Say what you will about Jennifer Lawrence’s gripping, gritty performance as Katniss Everdeen, but if anyone could be categorized as the film’s scene-stealer, it was most certainly Stanley Tucci, whose blue-haired, big-teethed Caesar Flickerman was nothing short of mesmerizing (and a handy exposition device to boot!). Heck, I’d pay to watch a Caesar Flickerman spin-off once all three (four?) “Hunger Games” films debut. “Caesar Flickerman: Not So Blue.” Think about it, Lionsgate. DON’T downplay the dangers of the arena Between her 23 fellow tributes, tracker jackers and muttations, Katniss had plenty to contend with in the arena. But, as my roommate so astutely pointed out to me long after I watched the film and didn’t notice, we never really see Katniss hungry or thirsty. Limiting the violence for a PG-13 rating is an understandable edit, but why dull down the deadliness of the Games otherwise? In “Catching Fire,” we need to see Katniss and her fellow tributes truly struggle, not simply limp along. DO make artful additions (especially if they’re directed by Steven Soderbergh) By shifting the viewpoint of the film from Katniss’ first-person perspective, Ross was able to open up the world of Panem in a way we hadn’t experienced before. The addition of the control room, Seneca Crane’s implied death by berries and, most notably, the District 11 riot only added to the film. What do you think “Catching Fire” can learn from “The Hunger Games”? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns! Check out everything we’ve got on “Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Photos The Hunger Games Inside ‘The Hunger Games’ Capitol
Batman and Katniss duke it out to be champion of the 2012 box office, in The Weekly Rising. By Kevin P. Sullivan Tom Hardy in “Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Warner Bros. What is going on with “The Dark Knight Rises” and its lack of a marketing campaign? We’re four months out from what is supposed to be the biggest movie of the year, but all we have to show for it are two trailers and new theater standees . This past weekend’s box-office domination of Jennifer Lawrence and “The Hunger Games” stands as a testament to the power of a strong marketing campaign when you have a rabid fanbase helping to carry the load. Warner Bros. has so far taken an entirely different route when it comes to promoting the final film of Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. It’s no secret that “The Dark Knight Rises” is coming out and that everyone wants to see it. The mania around “The Dark Knight” established a subculture of raspy-voiced Batman parodies and every male teen attempting Heath Ledger’s Joker makeup and ensured a huge box-office take for the eventual third film. But with so much of the movie industry now focused on “The Hunger Games” and its “bigger than we could have imagined” success, can “The Dark Knight Rises” afford to coast into theaters in July without a similarly mega-huge marketing campaign? And how high can a big-budget movie like “The Dark Knight Rises” fly without the increasingly common deluge of marketing? Box-office experts weighing in on the success of “The Hunger Games” give credit to the balance of a hard marketing push and dedicated fanbase. Lionsgate got the word out early and often that “The Hunger Games” was a phenomenon that wouldn’t and couldn’t be missed. For the most part, the campaign fit the property. The three best-selling books had a huge following, but Katniss Everdeen wasn’t exactly a household name heading into last weekend. If a 30-year-old guy didn’t know the Suzanne Collins novels, the commercials could have been enough to entice him. The approach to marketing “The Dark Knight Rises” should be different. No one needs to be told who Batman is. Everyone and their English butler went to go see “The Dark Knight” in 2008 and would probably be interested in seeing a third film. But what’s new? Fans can look forward to Bane, Catwoman and the Batwing, but there isn’t a news hook like Ledger’s death that makes it something more than the next big movie to see. When the returns from “The Hunger Games” rose and rose and crept ever closer to the record previously held by “The Dark Knight,” there may have been a slight panic from Batman fans. What if 2012 has already seen its biggest weekend at the box office and Katniss Everdeen has already been crowned the champion? It would be ignorant to suggest that “The Dark Knight Rises” can’t succeed without an all-encompassing viral marketing campaign and commercials airing every other minute, but what “The Hunger Games” may have proven is that without those elements, Batman might have to settle for second place. Are you disappointed with the level of marketing/images/previews/trailers from “The Dark Knight Rises”? Hit me up on Twitter @KPSull and we’ll discuss later in the week over on the Movies Blog ! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer Decoded! Related Photos On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
