Mattel has unveiled the first look at their Hunger Games -themed Katniss Everdeen Barbie doll ($29.95), available for pre-order today and on shelves in August, and the result is… kinda close to what I envisioned when I read Suzanne Collins’ novels. Not that District 12’s underfed hunter gal ever hewed that close to Barbie’s usual unattainably bosomy dimensions in most readers’ minds, but something in Katniss-Barbie’s face is appropriately feline, with just the merest hint of the full-lipped pout that Jennifer Lawrence brought to the screen. Still, I had to laugh at creator Bill Greening’s explanation (via EW) for how Katniss-Barbie, clad in her Games survival gear, was designed: “Hopefully Hunger Games fans can appreciate the attention to detail. The doll’s minimalistic style and details — such as her loosely braided hair and makeup-free look — also really embody the heroic character Katniss.” Adding eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner to Katniss’s pre-bloodbath look isn’t exactly what I’d call “make-up free,” but at least Greening kept from sexifying Katniss up when it came to her outfit. Pure Eddie Bauer chic, modeled on her getup from the movie. (I’m sure Katniss’s flamboyant Capitol dresses are also en route to shelves for maximum styling options.) What’s more satisfying at first glance is seeing that Katniss-Barbie looks more like the Katniss I’d imagined when reading the books. Lawrence does stellar work in the role and is arguably one the best actresses of her generation who might’ve been up for it, but I’d always had a more ethnic-looking Katniss in mind. And while Mattel’s design is just ethnically-ambiguous enough, I’d say it runs closer to Katniss’s description on paper than the one captured onscreen in the film adaptation. Thoughts? [ EW , Barbie Collector ]
CBS News’ Mike Wallace, whose name was synonymous with the tough interview and who spanned multiple generations of journalistic excellence, has died. He was 93 and passed away peacefully last night in New Canaan, Conn. “All of us at CBS News and particularly at 60 Minutes owe so much to Mike. Without him and his iconic style, there probably wouldn’t be 60 Minutes ,” said Jeff Fager, chairman of CBS News and executive producer of 60 Minutes . The AP’s David Bauder noted that the journalist’s reputation as a relentless inquisitor was so fearsome that he once described the words “Mike Wallace is here to see you” were the most dreaded words in the English language. “Wallace didn’t just interview people,” wrote Bauder. “Mike interrogated them. Mike cross-examined them. Sometimes he eviscerated them. His weapons were many: thorough research, a cocked eyebrow, a skeptical “Come on” and a question so direct sometimes it took your breath away.” “He loved it,” Fager added. “He loved that part of Mike Wallace.” “He loved being Mike Wallace. He loved the fact that if he showed up for an interview, it made people nervous. … He knew, and he knew that everybody else knew.” “He knew he was going to get to the truth. That’s what motivated him.” A special program dedicated to Wallace will be broadcast on 60 Minutes , the show that featured him for decades, will air next Sunday, April 15. Wallace helped anchor 60 Minutes , TV’s first news magazine, making it appointment viewing on Sunday nights and still compulsively watchable. His last interview aired in January 2008. Slowed by a triple bypass later that month and by the overall ravages of time, he retired from public life. Wallace’s career highlights are too numerous to list. During the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, he asked Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini what he thought about being called “a lunatic” by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Khomeini answered by predicting Sadat’s assassination. Late in his career, he interviewed Russian President Vladimir Putin, and challenged him: “This isn’t a real democracy, come on!” Putin’s aides tried to halt the interview; Putin said he was the president, he’ll decide what to do. Wallace’s late 60 Minutes colleague Harry Reasoner once said, “There is one thing that Mike can do better than anybody else: With an angelic smile, he can ask a question that would get anyone else smashed in the face.” Farewell to one of the all-time greats.
Two more cannon shots were heard around the country this week, as The Hunger Games defeated a pair of widely hyped newcomers to wear the box office crown for the third week in a row. Neither American Reunion nor Titanic 3D were any match for Katniss and company: the big screen version of Suzanne Collins’ novel earned $33.5 million on Friday and Saturday to become the sixth-fastest film to reach $300 in domestic receipts. At this pace, The Hunger Games is on target for a final U.S. gross of between $360 million and $370 million. Here’s a look at the top five finishers from Easter weekend: The Hunger Games : $33.5 million American Reunion : $21.5 million Titanic 3D : $17.4 million Wrath of the Titans : $15.0 million Mirror Mirror : $11.0 million
Post-Peeta, the actor has a horror/comedy film and ‘Red Dawn’ on the horizon. By Kara Warner Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate Those of you who’ve seen “The Hunger Games” will more than likely agree with our sentiment that there are a number of things to love about the weekend’s box-office dominator . The film’s success is first and foremost due to author Suzanne Collins’ brilliance, followed by director Gary Ross’ sleek and stylish take on the adaptation and, of course, the performances of the very talented cast. One of those standout performances is Josh Hutcherson’s portrayal of loyal and lovable boy with the bread Peeta Mellark. He’s so good in the film we just can’t wait to see what he does with the character’s arc in “Catching Fire.” Unfortunately, we have to wait about 20 months until that happens, so in the meantime, here’s a look at where and when you can see more of Hutcherson’s work on the big screen. First up is the R-rated teen horror/comedy film “Detention,” which hits select theaters April 13. In the uniquely twisted and slightly outrageous film, Hutcherson plays Clapton Davis, a student of Grizzly Lake High School just trying to make it through the school year when slasher-movie killer Cinderhella descends on the school and goes on a killing spree. “Detention” played at last year’s South by Southwest film festival and received many surprised-but-delighted reactions . It also stars Dane Cook, Shanley Caswell and Spencer Locke. After watching a different side of Hutcherson’s skills in “Detention,” look for the coming-of-age drama “Carmel,” in which Hutcherson plays an artistically gifted teenager who is abandoned by his drug-addicted mother and ends up in the small seaside town of Carmel, California, where he is introduced to the art-forgery community. Hayden Panettiere and Alfred Molina also star. According to the film’s Facebook page, the release date for the film will be sometime in June, to be timed with the DVD/Blu-ray releases of “Hunger Games” and “Journey 2.” In November, we’ll get to see more of Hutcherson’s action-movie skills in the remake of the 1984 film “Red Dawn,” the release of which has been long-delayed due to the studio’s financial troubles. The story revolves around a group of teenagers who resist the occupation/invasion of a foreign army in their town. Hutcherson stars alongside Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Adrianne Palicki and Isabel Lucas. After “Red Dawn” comes out, we very likely won’t see Hutcherson on the big screen again until next year, when “Catching Fire” is released November 22, 2013. 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: Josh Hutcherson Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Hits NYC The Hunger Games
It’s easy to pile on Hollywood for its craven cash grabs , sequelitis and other low-hanging fruit harvested and passed off in the name of popular entertainment. It’s also fair, after a glance at the top 20 or so openings of all time, to acknowledge that mass audiences have tended to let studios get away with such output over the last decade in particular. But if we’re to take anything from the huge opening-weekend success of The Hunger Games , it might be to look at its place on that list — squarely in third place, below even better-regarded cinematic efforts Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and The Dark Knight . With this development, could crowds and critics alike have proven what the sheer volume of lesser hits would seem to contradict — that quality matters? Of course the success of these three films owes plenty to their source material and/or established film franchises preceding them. But virtually every entry in the top 20 enjoys this built-in advantage, from comic-book adaptations ( Spider-Man , Iron Man 2 to decades-old institutions ( Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ) to literary sensations past ( Alice in Wonderland ) and present ( The Twilight Saga ). And few if any among this derivative lot have made as much of a critical impression as those films at the very top, which average nearly 92 percent favorable at the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Not to declare RT any kind of objective barometer of a film’s quality. Still, its documented regard for Deathly Hallows – Part 2 , The Dark Knight and Hunger Games harmonizes with public tastes here in a way that implies something a little more than coincidence. First of all, it is extremely hard to gross more than $150 million in three days, even with the benefit of 3-D premiums — which, of the three, only Deathly Hallows – Part 2 enjoyed (all three had IMAX releases of varying sizes). The only other film to do it, Spider-Man 3 , was met with decidedly more mixed reviews but still remains ranked “fresh” at RT. Despite all you’ve heard about their decline, in both the art-house realms and the rarefied upper box-office echelons, the evidence suggests that critics indeed do still matter. Even the most cynical observer (I’m looking at you, Armond White ) who regards the critical establishment as a legion of pliant, hype-sensitive “shills” would need to acknowledge the success of their mission — largely as a service informing readers about new releases worth considering (or not) — and be encouraged by signs of influence and relevance. It also suggests that creative ambitions require as much a role in the development process as one’s marketing innovations. Just ask Christopher Nolan, or Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins or director Gary Ross . A brand (and sure, 3-D/IMAX) can only take a film so far. Vision seems to carry it much of the rest of the way — something viewers haven’t seen before, even if they know they characters and stakes by heart. Clearly, The Hunger Games ‘ windfall may not help Hollywood reconcile — on paper, anyway — its long-standing love-hate relationship with original ideas and stories. But it doesn’t have to. The Juno s and the Hangover s and Bridesmaids and Safe House s and whatever other original scripts that develop into huge-grossing films aren’t even the same breed of blockbuster. Their conceptual integrity, to the extent they have it at all, yields its own word-of-mouth — its own long tail that may or may not necessitate sequels of its own. So even if the original idea is down, it’s hardly out — not with the potential to follow up a modestly priced, well-liked hit with a true blockbuster in the same vein. At which point we’re back to the development basics: Smarts, vision, ambition and respecting one’s audience. It pays off, Hollywood. The numbers don’t lie. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
‘Games’ had third-highest opening ever, beating out all ‘Twilight Saga’ movie openings and every non-sequel ever made. By Ryan J. Downey Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate Much like Katniss Everdeen herself, “The Hunger Games” ‘ aim was true. When it comes to box-office records, it’s hard to keep a good book down. “The Hunger Games” beat all of the “Twilight Saga” movies and every single non-sequel ever with the third-biggest opening weekend of all time. The big-screen adaptation of the first novel in the massively popular young adult trilogy collected $155 million domestically, a figure that was just $3.4 million less than “The Dark Knight” opening in 2008. (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” is still #1 with $169.1 million). Audiences gave the movie a CinemaScore of “A.” “The Hunger Games” collected an estimated $19.7 million in midnight screenings alone. Librarians, academics and bookworms of all stripes should note that all of the movies in the top five “all-time” list are based on some sort of printed source material. “Potter,” “Dark Knight,” “Hunger Games,” “Spider-Man 3” ($151 million) and “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” ($142 million) were, of course, all drawn from either novels or long-running comic book characters. “The Hunger Games” made another $59.3 million overseas, which is about on par with the debuts of the opening installments in both the “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” franchises. The next installment in author Suzanne Collins’ trilogy, “Catching Fire,” will see its film adaptation arrive in November of next year. But “Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence will be back in theaters well before that. The 21-year-old Oscar nominee’s new horror flick, “House at the End of the Street,” is due September 21. MTV News will exclusively unveil the full trailer for the movie online this Thursday morning. The latest from “Hush” director Mark Tonderai will see Lawrence in a role much different than skilled archer Katniss Everdeen, as she’ll play a high school student who gets tangled up with a guy who has very dark secrets. “House” had an estimated production budget of $7 million for Relativity Media, which is standard issue for the genre. That’s quite a bit less than the $78 million Lionsgate spent on “The Hunger Games,” but the indie studio surely isn’t sweating that number: It’s already the biggest movie on record for the home of the “Saw” franchise. “The Hunger Games” had an 85 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes at press time, which is exactly the same as last weekend’s #1 film, “21 Jump Street.” The comedically driven movie version of the earnest late ’80s TV drama about cops who went undercover in high schools was #2 this week with $21.3 million, for a total of $71 million. “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax,” which enjoyed the eighth-highest debut for an animated movie earlier this month, was #3 with $13.1 million and a $177.3 million total. “John Carter” was #4 with $5 million for a $62.3 million total, and “Act of Valor” rounded out the top five with $2 million for a $66 million total. Although those totals are similar, “John Carter” carried a reported production budget of $250 million while “Valor” was made for $12 million. Check out everything we’ve got on “The Hunger Games.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Hunger Games’ MTV Rough Cut: ’21 Jump Street’ Related Photos The Hunger Games
Director Gary Ross has some ‘not fully baked’ ideas about how to change things up for sequel. By Jocelyn Vena Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate “The Hunger Games” owned the box office over the weekend, proving that fans of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling series were excited to see how director Gary Ross and his A-list cast would turn her work into an eye-catching big-screen sensation. With so much enthusiasm for part one of the trilogy, MTV News got some scoop about the next film in the franchise, “Catching Fire,” which picks up where “THG” left off. “The training was never, like, tough. It was intense, but it was fun. So I’m looking forward to the next bout of training,” Jennifer Lawrence told MTV News about part two, adding that she will even have a very different look for it. She joked, “For the second one, I will have a beard.” (Warning: Minor spoilers ahead!) With the latest round of the Hunger Games over and Katniss and her pal Peeta standing victorious, there’s rebellion under way against the Capitol. But that’s not the only upheaval. There’s a special edition of the Hunger Games announced that will raise the stakes once again for the two friends and everyone they know. Ross has some idea of what the next Games will look like. “The arena in the second book is tropical and the arena in [the first] book is forests, so that in and of itself will make for a different wardrobe on the part of the crew,” he explained. “In terms of the cinematic differences in the way I might shoot the movie, I shot this in a very specific way that’s very different than most franchises are shot, obviously, and that had a lot to do with the urgency of what’s going on and Katniss’ point of view,” he continued. “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.” What will certainly get amped up is Katniss’ relationship with her escort, the elaborately costumed Effie Trinket. “You know, everything that I loved about Effie in the first place, which is that her stakes are completely tied up with Katniss’ stakes, everything she does reflects on me, and unfortunately everything she does reflects very badly on me,” Elizabeth Banks said of her relationship with her rebellious tribute. “So the relationship between Katniss and Effie just gets more frazzled, and I’m really excited to see how that plays out.” 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: ‘The Hunger Games’ MTV Rough Cut: Jennifer Lawrence MTV Rough Cut: Josh Hutcherson MTV Rough Cut: Gary Ross
In this week’s ‘Hunger’-focused episode of ‘Talk Nerdy,’ we compare the soon-to-be-released film to Suzanne Collins’ novel. By Josh Wigler Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate “The Hunger Games” are upon us at last. In the land of Panem, this would not be news worth celebrating. In our day and age of modern movie-going, however, the arrival of Gary Ross’ cinematic take on Suzanne Collins’ dystopian novel is anything but bad. Indeed, “The Hunger Games” is more than “not bad” — it’s great. It might even be exceptional. In fact, I’m ready to call it: Respectfully, I strongly feel the “Hunger Games” movie is better than the “Hunger Games” book. Before you kill me, hear me out, and I’ll try to walk you through my reasons.
With Lionsgate’s big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ teen-centric sci-fi survival-adventure The Hunger Games hitting screens this week, it’s kind of impossible not to draw comparisons to that other YA juggernaut series, which concludes its billion-dollar run on pop culture this fall. So how does The Hunger Games measure up to Twilight ? Some spoilers follow. THE BOOKS Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight , first published in 2005, spawned a total of four books (and one spin-off novella) that were adapted into five movies ( Breaking Dawn Part 2 hits screens this November), with over 116 million copies in print. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games , first published in 2008, spawned a total of three books set to be adapted into four movies, with over 26 million copies in print. Advantage: Twilight THE HEROINE Twilight : Bella Swan is a 17-year-old girl who moves to gloomy Forks, Washington and falls in love with a vampire. Unassuming and average, she finds her inner strength after four novels’ worth of being imperiled by embracing her destiny and starting a family. Hunger Games : Katniss Everdeen is a 16-year-old girl who lives in gloomy District 12 in the fascist future world of Panem and must fight for her life in a televised battle royale. A skilled huntress, she finds her inner heroine after three novels’ worth of being a pawn in the Capitol’s games by embracing her destiny and becoming a symbol of the resistance. Advantage: Hunger Games SUPER POWERS (AND SUPER WEAKNESSES) Twilight : Left at the mercies of other people’s protection, Bella’s the lame duck for most of the saga, until she discovers that her secret power is, literally, the ability to protect her loved ones. Seriously. Meanwhile, her love for Edward keeps threatening to ruin everything – prom, her sex life, the future of all vampirekind. Hunger Games : Empowered at an early age thanks to her father’s untimely death, Katniss is the provider in her family for most of her life, until she enters the Games and discovers that compassion for others, and the newfound ability to trust in Peeta, is the key to survival. Her only weakness, it could be said, is that her personal drive to survive is so strong she has trouble seeing the big picture, and her place in it. Advantage: Hunger Games THE LOVE TRIANGLE Twilight : Bella must choose between two suitors – Edward Cullen, the sparkly vampire, and Jacob Black, her werewolf BFF. Heated tent scenes, make-out sessions, and torrid glances ensue. Hunger Games : Katniss must choose between two suitors – Peeta, the golden baker’s son (and her fellow Tribute in the Hunger Games), and Gale, her earthy BFF. Play-acted cave scenes, tender kisses, and internal struggles ensue – that is, when Katniss isn’t busy, you know, fighting for her life. Advantage: Twilight THE THEMES Twilight : Love, lust, abstinence, teen pregnancy, motherhood, sexuality vs. sin. Hunger Games : Fighting injustice, taking a stand, trusting others, personal responsibility. Advantage: Hunger Games. THE ONSCREEN PG-13 ACTION Twilight : Speed-ramped vampire running, bad wirework, CG werewolf-vampire melees, non-gory limb-shattering/ripping/beheadings, and one vivid, suggestive C-section by vampire scene. Hunger Games : Training exercises, arrow-shooting, hand-to-hand combat, bladed weapons, Tracker Jacker (i.e. hallucination-inducing poison bee) attacks, and one vivid, suggestive shaky-cam Cornucopia melee. Advantage: Hunger Games FILM PEDIGREE Twilight : Installments directed by Catherine Hardwicke ( Twilight ), Chris Weitz ( New Moon ), David Slade ( Eclipse ), and Oscar-winner Bill Condon ( Breaking Dawn Parts 1 & 2 ). Top Rotten Tomatoes score: Eclipse , at 49%. Hunger Games : The Hunger Games directed by Oscar-nominee Gary Ross, who is set to direct the next sequel, Catching Fire . Current Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% (with 17 reviews in). Advantage: Hunger Games — Seems like The Hunger Games has the edge over Twilight by most of the above criteria, stemming from its more complex and stirring lead character, story, and themes. That said, Twilight fandom outpaces Hunger Games fandom by the millions, circulation-wise. Will solid critical reviews and stellar pre-release ticket sales help bump The Hunger Games to Twilight -level box office returns — and convince non-fans to give it a shot? Sound off below, Movieliners!
With Lionsgate’s big screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ teen-centric sci-fi survival-adventure The Hunger Games hitting screens this week, it’s kind of impossible not to draw comparisons to that other YA juggernaut series, which concludes its billion-dollar run on pop culture this fall. So how does The Hunger Games measure up to Twilight ? Some spoilers follow. THE BOOKS Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight , first published in 2005, spawned a total of four books (and one spin-off novella) that were adapted into five movies ( Breaking Dawn Part 2 hits screens this November), with over 116 million copies in print. Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games , first published in 2008, spawned a total of three books set to be adapted into four movies, with over 26 million copies in print. Advantage: Twilight THE HEROINE Twilight : Bella Swan is a 17-year-old girl who moves to gloomy Forks, Washington and falls in love with a vampire. Unassuming and average, she finds her inner strength after four novels’ worth of being imperiled by embracing her destiny and starting a family. Hunger Games : Katniss Everdeen is a 16-year-old girl who lives in gloomy District 12 in the fascist future world of Panem and must fight for her life in a televised battle royale. A skilled huntress, she finds her inner heroine after three novels’ worth of being a pawn in the Capitol’s games by embracing her destiny and becoming a symbol of the resistance. Advantage: Hunger Games SUPER POWERS (AND SUPER WEAKNESSES) Twilight : Left at the mercies of other people’s protection, Bella’s the lame duck for most of the saga, until she discovers that her secret power is, literally, the ability to protect her loved ones. Seriously. Meanwhile, her love for Edward keeps threatening to ruin everything – prom, her sex life, the future of all vampirekind. Hunger Games : Empowered at an early age thanks to her father’s untimely death, Katniss is the provider in her family for most of her life, until she enters the Games and discovers that compassion for others, and the newfound ability to trust in Peeta, is the key to survival. Her only weakness, it could be said, is that her personal drive to survive is so strong she has trouble seeing the big picture, and her place in it. Advantage: Hunger Games THE LOVE TRIANGLE Twilight : Bella must choose between two suitors – Edward Cullen, the sparkly vampire, and Jacob Black, her werewolf BFF. Heated tent scenes, make-out sessions, and torrid glances ensue. Hunger Games : Katniss must choose between two suitors – Peeta, the golden baker’s son (and her fellow Tribute in the Hunger Games), and Gale, her earthy BFF. Play-acted cave scenes, tender kisses, and internal struggles ensue – that is, when Katniss isn’t busy, you know, fighting for her life. Advantage: Twilight THE THEMES Twilight : Love, lust, abstinence, teen pregnancy, motherhood, sexuality vs. sin. Hunger Games : Fighting injustice, taking a stand, trusting others, personal responsibility. Advantage: Hunger Games. THE ONSCREEN PG-13 ACTION Twilight : Speed-ramped vampire running, bad wirework, CG werewolf-vampire melees, non-gory limb-shattering/ripping/beheadings, and one vivid, suggestive C-section by vampire scene. Hunger Games : Training exercises, arrow-shooting, hand-to-hand combat, bladed weapons, Tracker Jacker (i.e. hallucination-inducing poison bee) attacks, and one vivid, suggestive shaky-cam Cornucopia melee. Advantage: Hunger Games FILM PEDIGREE Twilight : Installments directed by Catherine Hardwicke ( Twilight ), Chris Weitz ( New Moon ), David Slade ( Eclipse ), and Oscar-winner Bill Condon ( Breaking Dawn Parts 1 & 2 ). Top Rotten Tomatoes score: Eclipse , at 49%. Hunger Games : The Hunger Games directed by Oscar-nominee Gary Ross, who is set to direct the next sequel, Catching Fire . Current Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% (with 17 reviews in). Advantage: Hunger Games — Seems like The Hunger Games has the edge over Twilight by most of the above criteria, stemming from its more complex and stirring lead character, story, and themes. That said, Twilight fandom outpaces Hunger Games fandom by the millions, circulation-wise. Will solid critical reviews and stellar pre-release ticket sales help bump The Hunger Games to Twilight -level box office returns — and convince non-fans to give it a shot? Sound off below, Movieliners!
