Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will return as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the casting this week, noting the pair will likely appear in a flash-forward sequence. The book includes a scene where grown Peeta and Katniss listen to Haymitch Abernathy recount his own Hunger Games experience (via Deadline). The beat will likely be a bridge between timelines.The franchise is on pretty firm footing. The first five Hunger Games films made more than $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office (via The Hollywood Reporter). Suzanne Collins' latest novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, sold over 1.5 million copies in its first week. Safe to say, the audience is still there.Lionsgate isn't relying solely on Lawrence and Hutcherson's return. The expanded ensemble includes Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Elle Fanning as a younger Effie Trinket, and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman. They're taking on roles originally played by Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, and Stanley Tucci. - YouTube www.youtube.com What Filmmakers Can LearnWe've talked about how successful nostalgia projects don't rely only on what is familiar. Characters need to be placed in new situations that resonate with today's viewers. Don't just recycle characters and settings or the coolest part of an old project. Use the original as a launching pad to explore contemporary themes through established characters.For example, The Devil Wears Prada 2 screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna said she found her sequel opportunity because...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 6 days ago