When I first heard Taylor Swift ‘s Hunger Games soundtrack single, the twangy country ballad “Safe & Sound,” I wasn’t so keen on how Swifty channeled teen heroine Katniss Everdeen, T-Bone Burnett’s support or no. (I did, however, dig the gentle melodics of country folk duo The Civil Wars, who back Swift on the song and share songwriting credits with her and Burnett.) Now the music video for the single has debuted, a dreamy nature-themed joint that lovingly follows Swift as she traipses barefoot around the woods sharing meaningful glances with deer and twigs. While “Safe & Sound” has grown on me as a song, I still can’t totally sign off on Swift as a Katniss figure (the lyrics are inspired by Suzanne Collins’ book, and suggest the inner life of Katniss as she leaves her family behind in District 12 to fight in the Games). But Swift is lovely to look at, even if this video could easily be passed off as an Anthropologie ad or, you know, a tribute to Cold Mountain . The backdrop is a nice nod to Katniss’s imagined home in the region otherwise known as the Appalachians, where District 12 has been delineated in the nation of Panem in The Hunger Games trilogy. And, look! Swift finds a mockingjay pin in her disheveled country cabin! I’d have loved to have seen Swift pick up a bow and arrow and go hunt down that deer, or hide from intruders in the dirt, or wrassle with a gang of murderous youngsters, but I get it. She’s Taylor Swift. She is pristine in her white muslin dress, warbling beautiful melodies all alone in her thoughtful solitude. She is more Primrose than Katniss. Meanwhile, the shortest stick drawn goes to Joy Williams of The Civil Wars, who’s stuck playing third fiddle to Swift. For a full minute I thought she was playing Katniss’s near-catatonic mother. Anyways, check it out below and tell us what you think – an appropriate accompaniment to the March 23 pic? Get More: Taylor Swift , Safe & Sound , Music , More Music Videos [via MTV ] Previously: Watch Lana Del Rey’s Hunger Games Music Video Submit Your Hunger Games Haiku For a Chance to Win Tickets to the Premiere Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
In this week’s Hobnobbing, we catalog Judianna Makovsky’s iconic looks. By Amy Wilkinson Jennifer Lawrence in the girl on fire costume in “Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate The Web nearly caught fire Thursday (January 19) when Entertainment Weekly debuted the first image of ” Hunger Games ” characters Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) in their parade costumes, snapped mere moments before District 12’s heroine becomes (quite literally) the Girl on Fire (we see you with that lit fuse, Cinna!). Of course, fans of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel know that the textured black suits are meant to reflect the duo’s coal-mining community, brought to sartorial life by their savvy stylist (played by Lenny Kravitz). “This is one of those moments where Cinna’s character syncs up with the creativity of our costume designer Judianna Makovsky,” director Garry Ross told EW. As if sitting front row at a Capitol-sponsored fashion show, fans have slowly but surely been treated to the growing catalog of Makovsky’s “Hunger Games” looks — from Effie Trinket’s lavender, silk brocade gown recently revealed on Capitol Couture to Katniss’ and Peeta’s futuristic training uniforms . Even the most casual cinephile should recognize Makovsky’s work. The Oscar nominee (and frequent Ross collaborator) is a Hollywood veteran with nearly 30 years of experience crafting iconic period and present-day looks for some of the silver screen’s biggest projects. After toiling as a wardrobe assistant on films like “The Cotton Club” and “Dick Tracy,” Makovsky took the lead, whipping together wardrobes for Tom Hanks’ “Big” (which Ross wrote and co-produced) and “The Quick and the Dead.” She earned her first Oscar nomination for Ross’ 1999 retrosplosion “Pleasantville,” starring Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon as two teens who time-travel back to the 1950s, necessitating more sweater sets and curve-hugging skirts than an Ann Taylor outlet. The result was an eye-popping collection of richly saturated confections, worthy of recognition by the Academy and the Costume Designer’s Guild. An Oscar-nominated semester at Hogwarts followed (yes, Makovsky dressed Harry, Ron and Hermione in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”) before she reteamed with Ross for the 2004 equestrian classic “Seabiscuit” (starring then-up-and-comer Elizabeth Banks, a.k.a. Effie Trinket); the costumer earned her third Oscar nom for the film’s Depression-era garb. A mishmash of films followed, including “National Treasure,” “The Last Airbender” and “X-Men: The Last Stand” (perhaps the film in which she perfected her bodysuit construction), before she once again signed on with Ross for “The Hunger Games.” With several outfits yet to be seen from the March 23 release, including an unfettered view of Katniss’ glitzy interview gown, we can only expect the best from Makovsky. Could another Oscar nomination be in her dystopian future? What do you think about the “Hunger Games” costumes so far? 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 “The Hunger Games.” For young Hollywood news, fashion and “Twilight” updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com . Related Videos The ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Answer Your Burning Twitter Questions Related Photos ‘Hunger Games’ Character Posters
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth exclusively talk survival skills, accents and most challenging scenes. By Kara Warner, with additional reporting by MTV UK Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate As promised, we are back with more from our exclusive interviews with “Hunger Games” stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth — and all the questions were asked by you, the fans. Last week, Lawrence, Hutcherson and Hemsworth revealed a few of the pranks pulled on set, as well as a preview of what the arena will look like onscreen. This second installment features talk about which actor is most like his or her character, details about the reaping and talk of real-life survival skills. (Minor spoilers ahead for those who haven’t read Suzanne Collins’ brilliant books!) Be sure to check back here next week for part three of our interviews. @RealOrNotReal: Who among the cast is most like their “Hunger Games” character? Jennifer Lawrence : Josh. Josh is Peeta. He’s charming, he’s nice, he’s very real and down to earth, he’s not fake in any way. He just can charm anyone and anything. Josh Hutcherson : Oh, God, this is going to sound so stupid: Me, because I have literally never read a character, book or script or anything that has a character in it I connected with more than Peeta. I feel like so much of who I am is Peeta. It drove me crazy during the audition process, because I was like, “This is so me, it hurts. If I don’t get this, I’m not even good at being me, so now what am I? I have no idea what to do next.” @HGTribute_Manda: What was the most difficult scene to shoot? Liam Hemsworth : The reaping stuff that we shot was pretty hard. I remember turning up to set the first day and looking out at the few hundred extras there — it looked like a prison camp. It looked so rough and really did look how I think it would be, and it was hot. It was some of the hottest weather I’ve ever shot in. We had extras collapsing because it was so hot out there. That was probably the hardest stuff to shoot for sure. Lawrence : I don’t know if I have a most difficult scene. Really, the physical scenes, the running. Katniss doesn’t really stop running throughout the whole movie, so if I’m running up a mountain in a scene, that’s what we shot all day, so by the time we started acting and talking, it was like a vacation. @p1nklov3er: Is it hard to hide your accent? Hemsworth : It gets easier and easier. I work with accent coaches a lot and try to do my best to get the Australian out of there. Australians grow up with a lot of American TV; we watch the same movies you watch, so it’s not as alien for an Australian to do an American accent as it is for an American to do an Australian accent, because you guys don’t grow up hearing our accents. It’s in the back of your mind, but it’s practice, practice, practice. @eringabin: In a postapocalyptic world, what would your most valuable survival skill be? Hutcherson : I think I’d be pretty good at building a fort. I have a lot of experience with that when I was a kid. I built a lot of forts back in the day, so I think my expertise would be in the architecture and design of our shelter. @OttoRivera: Have you met Suzanne Collins? Hemsworth : I haven’t met her, but I’ve spoken to her on the phone a few times, and she’s really, really lovely. She’s obviously tremendously smart, and I love her books, so she’s been a big part of collaborating on the script. … I think everyone involved in the production wanted it to be true to the story, so she’s been involved a lot. @eringabin: Did you get any injuries during filming? Hutcherson : Not anything too crazy in the injury department. There were the classic bumps and bruises from running through the woods and forest, the big fight scene at the end with myself and Katniss and Cato on top of the Cornucopia, which itself lends itself to having more injuries than other times, but it was pretty good all in all, nothing too serious. All month long, the stars of “The Hunger Games” will be answering your Twitter questions, exclusively for MTV News. Check back every Thursday in January for more answers from Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth! 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 The ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Answer Your Burning Twitter Questions
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ scribe takes over ‘Catching Fire.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in “Hunger Games” Photo: Lions Gate Back in November, Deadline reported that Lionsgate already had a short list of writers they wanted to pen the sequel to “The Hunger Games.” According to the report, Simon Beaufoy, the writer behind the Academy Award-winning “Slumdog Millionaire” script, topped the list. Now the Los Angeles Times is reporting that not only has Beaufoy signed on to write “Catching Fire,” but that director Gary Ross will return as well. There had been no direct confirmation that Ross would return, and until “The Hunger Games” comes out, there probably won’t be, but as things stand, Ross will likely direct. Ross and author Suzanne Collins originally planned to reteam for the “Catching Fire” script, after having collaborated on the “Hunger Games” screenplay. Postproduction work on the first film and the looming proposed release date for the second didn’t allow Ross to begin work on the sequel. Beaufoy, whose other writing credits include “127 Hours” and “The Full Monty,” will adapt Collins’ book, with Ross overseeing. There are four films planned for the three-book series. The final book, “Mockingjay,” will likely be split into two flicks if the producers stick to their original plan. The first film of the series — starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth — is scheduled for release March 23. For now, “Catching Fire” is scheduled to hit theaters November 22, 2013. The stars of “The Hunger Games” are all expected to return, per sequel clauses in their contracts. 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 The ‘Hunger Games’ Cast Answer Your Burning Twitter Questions ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review Reactions To The First ‘Hunger Games’ Trailer Related Photos The Hunger Games
“The music is insane … It’s coming together great,” actor tells MTV News at People’s Choice Awards. By Kara Warner Josh Hutcherson Photo: MTV News It’s hard to contain our excitement for “The Hunger Games,” and although we still have more than two months to wait until its release in theaters, our anxiousness is alleviated whenever we have the opportunity to speak with one of the film’s stars. At Wednesday night’s (January 11) People’s Choice Awards, MTV News was lucky enough to catch up with presenter Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peeta Mellark. He revealed that he has actually seen some of the finished film via his Automated Dialogue Recording sessions (wherein actors re-record certain sections of dialogue in order to improve the quality of the audio). “I did ADR yesterday, actually. I saw a good little bit of the film yesterday; it looks good,” he assured. “I’m really excited. The music is insane. The sound design, the editing, everything is amazing. It’s coming together great.” Hutcherson said the first scene of competition in the actual Hunger Games — which, for those unfamiliar with the bestselling book upon which the movie is based, is a fight to the death among children — is going to blow people’s minds in the best way possible. “The scene with the cornucopia, where we all first rush in to get the weapons and whatnot, the way [director Gary Ross] has that scored and cut looks so amazing,” he shared. “I can’t wait for people to see it.” Hutcherson added that, despite the film’s PG-13 rating, Ross hasn’t watered down the brutality and bloodshed from Suzanne Collins’ book. Regarding how the flick gets around showing all the gore, Hutcherson teased, “Gary Ross does it. I can’t give it away, but he does it. It’s a little trick. It looks great, and it still has the brutality that the book had, while being PG-13.” 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 . Stick with MTV News all night for the People’s Choice Awards 2012 winners, and don’t miss all the fashion from the People’s Choice Awards red carpet !
“The music is insane … It’s coming together great,” actor tells MTV News at People’s Choice Awards. By Kara Warner Josh Hutcherson Photo: MTV News It’s hard to contain our excitement for “The Hunger Games,” and although we still have more than two months to wait until its release in theaters, our anxiousness is alleviated whenever we have the opportunity to speak with one of the film’s stars. At Wednesday night’s (January 11) People’s Choice Awards, MTV News was lucky enough to catch up with presenter Josh Hutcherson, who plays Peeta Mellark. He revealed that he has actually seen some of the finished film via his Automated Dialogue Recording sessions (wherein actors re-record certain sections of dialogue in order to improve the quality of the audio). “I did ADR yesterday, actually. I saw a good little bit of the film yesterday; it looks good,” he assured. “I’m really excited. The music is insane. The sound design, the editing, everything is amazing. It’s coming together great.” Hutcherson said the first scene of competition in the actual Hunger Games — which, for those unfamiliar with the bestselling book upon which the movie is based, is a fight to the death among children — is going to blow people’s minds in the best way possible. “The scene with the cornucopia, where we all first rush in to get the weapons and whatnot, the way [director Gary Ross] has that scored and cut looks so amazing,” he shared. “I can’t wait for people to see it.” Hutcherson added that, despite the film’s PG-13 rating, Ross hasn’t watered down the brutality and bloodshed from Suzanne Collins’ book. Regarding how the flick gets around showing all the gore, Hutcherson teased, “Gary Ross does it. I can’t give it away, but he does it. It’s a little trick. It looks great, and it still has the brutality that the book had, while being PG-13.” 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 . Stick with MTV News all night for the People’s Choice Awards 2012 winners, and don’t miss all the fashion from the People’s Choice Awards red carpet !
‘Hunger Games’ star was up for Best Actress at the 2011 Academy Awards. By Jocelyn Vena Jennifer Lawrence Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence has been selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to announce this year’s Oscar nominees. The “Hunger Games” actress will be joined by Academy President Tom Sherak at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills on January 24 to reveal just who will be up for one of those coveted gold statues, the Academy announced on Monday (January 9). The show, airing on ABC, is set to take place on February 26 with host Billy Crystal . Lawrence was up for Best Actress at the 2011 show for her star-making turn in “Winter’s Bone.” While she lost to “Black Swan” star Natalie Portman , she made headlines thanks to her body-hugging red dress. She’s next set to star in “The Hunger Games,” set for release on March 23. The same day her Oscars gig was announced, Lionsgate announced plans for pre-sale tickets for the highly anticipated flick , which also stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth . For those hungry to get their hands on tickets early, advanced sales kick off on February 22. When Lawrence was first cast in the film, which is based on the beloved novels by Suzanne Collins, fans had some reservations about whether she could fully embody the books’ heroine, Katniss Everdeen. “I wasn’t aware that everybody was so upset until I after I got my hair dyed, and people were like, ‘Oh my gosh, blond hair can turn brown. Wow. It’s a miracle,’ ” Lawrence told MTV News in May of last year. 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: Jennifer Lawrence Related Photos Meet Katniss From ‘Hunger Games’: Jennifer Lawrence
MTV Movies team has high hopes for ‘The Avengers,’ ‘Looper’ and more. By MTV News staff Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Lionsgate As we while away the last few days and hours of 2011, looking back upon all the great , unforgettable fare that descended upon our cineplexes this year, we can’t help but get excited for what the new year will bring us. We might not get another “Harry Potter,” but there’s a lot coming down the pike to fill the void: a new “Alien”-esque film in “Prometheus,” the gritty and ruthless “Hunger Games,” the superhero spectacle “The Avengers,” and a brand new Batman, via “The Dark Knight Rises.” Here’s a brief rundown of what we hope delivers on the hype and makes our “Best of 2012” lists this time next year. A Successful “Avengers” Assembly I have a lot of high hopes for movies in 2012. I need “Prometheus” to be as awesome as it appears to be, and Christopher Nolan has to send Batman off in style, but perhaps my biggest concern comes in the form of “The Avengers.” Bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together under one cinematic roof is a lofty idea, and one that could easily explode in Marvel’s face. A successful “Avengers” would mean ambitious, world-building films that extend across multiple franchises can exist. An “Avengers” that fails both critically and commercially is nothing short of a gut shot for comics on the big screen. Too much effort and passion, both from filmmakers and fans, has been put into “The Avengers” over the past few years. Marvel absolutely has to get it right … and I’ve got all my fingers, toes and what-have-you’s crossed that they will. – Josh Wigler Taylor Kitsch Solidifies His Movie-Star Status Fans of the dearly departed drama “Friday Night Lights” know Taylor Kitsch as big Tim Riggins, the football-playing, bad-boy-with-a-big-heart from Dillon, Texas. But if you’ve never spent four quarters with the state champion Panthers, you may not be well-acquainted with Kitsch’s sizeable acting chops (and even bigger biceps). After all, his big-screen turns (“X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Bang Bang Club”) haven’t left such an indelible mark as his TV alter ego. But that could (and should) all change in 2012, as the 30-year-old headlines two big-budget popcorn flicks: Disney’s “John Carter” and the boardgame-cum-potential-blockbuster “Battleship.” Here’s hoping clear eyes and full hearts really can’t lose. – Amy Wilkinson “The Hunger Games” Takes Out “Twilight” The end of the “Twilight” film franchise is bittersweet. We’ll miss our favorite vampires and werewolves, but 2012 marks the arrival of a new franchise that deserves just as much attention and adoration as Stephenie Meyer’s fangtastic fantasyland. “The Hunger Games” is not “Twilight” and shouldn’t ever be compared as such, but it deserves that blockbuster status. This is a story about survival, self-reliance and discovery, with a female protagonist who is strong, resilient, independent, intelligent and real. In short, Suzanne Collins’ creation has everything modern youth-targeted fiction lacks. I pray to the movie powers for Gary Ross’ big-screen adaptation to be the biggest success story of the year and that the fan fervor for the “Games” doubles that of “Twilight.” – Kara Warner Luck For “Looper” Looking ahead to 2012, it’s impossible to not stop in awe when considering the sheer number of blockbusters I can’t wait to see. This is “stars aligning” material. We’re talking Batman, Bilbo and Bond, but if I have my way, people will turn out in droves to see a movie they probably haven’t heard of yet: Rian Johnson’s “Looper.” A sci-fi/crime movie hybrid, “Looper” takes place in the near future where mobsters send their enemies back in time where waiting hitmen finish the job. In the film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis play the younger and older versions of the same character, and if that and the story don’t completely sell it, I’m afraid you’re lost, my friend. Test screenings left critics raving, and Johnson has made consistently interesting work since his indie debut “Brick.” If there is any justice at the movies, people will see “Looper.” – Kevin Sullivan Related Videos ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review MTV Rough Cut: Tom Hiddleston
The film might not hit theaters until next year, but casting announcements and exclusive interviews got fans worked up for March release. By Kara Warner Jennifer Lawrence in “The Hunger Games” Photo: Murray Close For the millions of fans who have been eagerly awaiting a film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ best-seller “The Hunger Games,” 2011 gave them even more to be eager about as details trickled out about the movie, which is due in March. We at MTV News have been as caught up in the frenzy as everyone else. And along the way, we’ve been able to speak with the major players involved in the “Games,” gleaning the juiciest details from the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. Back in January, before casting was solidified, Hemsworth told MTV News he’d read the script and that he could actually see himself in the role of Peeta. After Hemsworth won the role of Gale instead, we chatted up his older brother and fellow actor Chris Hemsworth, who revealed that he helped Liam prep for his big audition by reading the role of Katniss. “I did. Swear to God,” he said. “I read that. Put my girly American accent on.” In May, we had our first “Hunger Games”-centric chat with Jennifer Lawrence . She discussed fans’ initial protests over her blond hair , which quieted after she dyed it, along with the intense hours of archery training she went through to become as convincingly handy with a bow and arrow as Katniss is. “It’s lots of training, but the training is actually really fun,” she said. “I’ve done archery for about six weeks, rock climbing, tree climbing and combat and running and vaulting,” she said. “Also yoga and things like that to stay cat-like.” We also caught up with some of the film’s supporting actors. Lenny Kravitz, who is ready to further prove his acting chops in the role of sympathetic District 12 stylist Cinna, said he’s doing his homework by immersing himself in all Collins’ books. Elizabeth Banks was a bit more cagey in revealing any details about her transformation into pink-haired, type-A Effie Trinket, but she did admit that she and co-star Woody Harrelson have chemistry. Harrelson, who plays alcoholic Hunger Games survivor Haymitch Abernathy, praised Lawrence’s portrayal of Katniss and revealed that his character’s hairstyle was inspired by his own brother. “I was like, ‘OK, let’s get a wig. Let’s do the Brett Harrelson hair,’ ” he said of the long and slightly shaggy style. “It’s kind of cool. I really liked the look. It’s a fun character, and I think it’s going to be a good movie.” Fellow supporting player Stanley Tucci , a.k.a. the blue-haired Caesar Flickerman, echoed Harrelson’s sentiments about Lawrence’s performance. “She was amazing,” he said. “They were all amazing. She’s just so good and so mature at such a young age. It was really fun. Really fun. And [director] Gary Ross, he’s great.” We didn’t have to take Tucci’s word for it, as we also sat down with Ross for an exclusive interview surrounding our debut of the “Games” teaser trailer back in August. The “Seabiscuit” and “Pleasantville” helmer took us through his detailed plans for the film and the challenges of filming. And we finally stole a few moments with Peeta Mellark himself, Josh Hutcherson . who took us through his grueling audition process and the anxious wait for the news of his casting, why he was “so right” for Peeta and his excitement for the fans to see the finished product. “It’s exciting to hear people are that interested in something you’re doing, so it’s a little nerve-racking, but I’m onboard,” he said. “The fans for ‘The Hunger Games,’ they’re die-hard. They’re the best fans in the world, so I’m really excited for them to see the movie.” 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 ‘The Hunger Games’: 2011 In Review
Make like Katniss and sharpen those hunting skills, Hunger Games fans, because Lionsgate’s launching a scavenger hunt with a worthy payoff to count down the mere 100 days that remain until Suzanne Collins’ dystopian teen battle royale tale hits screens on March 23: Collect all 100 pieces in the Hunger Games 100 Poster Puzzle Hunt and be the first to get a peek at the full official first poster for the March flick. You can start with golden-flecked puzzle piece #78 (of 100), which Movieline hosts exclusively after the jump. (Hint: It’s a corner piece! Get to puzzling already!)
