Jennifer Lawrence Before THE HUNGER GAMES CATCHING FIRE

 

The Hunger Games Cast Tour in Seattle

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire opens this week.  Jennifer Lawrence reprises her role as Katniss Everdeen, who is forced to compete in deadly new games of former champions (including Josh Hutcherson back at Peeta.)

 

Before global success of The Hunger Games, before winning an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, Lawrence and her leading men (Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth) came to Seattle on The Hunger Games Tour.  I remember young fans erupting into a frenzy like tributes arriving in the Capitol.

 

I wanted to share part of that interview again. Most of the young fans were on Team Gale or Team Peeta. I asked Lawrence about the relationship between Katniss and Cinna, the stylist who becomes her mentor. While filming X-Men: First Class Lawrence (who played Raven/Mystique) became friends with co-star Zoe Kravitz (who played Angel) and developed a friendship with her dad, rock star Lenny Kravitz. She explained that helped their on-screen rapport:

Kravitz returns as Cinna to prepare Katniss and Peeta for the Hunger Games Quarter Quell as the new District 12 champions must fight for their lives again against former winners.

 

Lawrence reprises her role as Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past coming in May, 2014.

 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire opens Friday. The third book in Suzanne Collins’ best-selling trilogy, Mockingjay, will be split into two final films.

 

By Editor

 

IRON MAN, X-MEN Stars Named Most Beautiful Women

Iron Man 3 courtesy Marvel
Iron Man 3 courtesy Marvel

Gwyneth Paltrow has been named People Magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman of the Year. The Oscar winner is about to hit the big screen as Pepper Potts in Iron Man 3 on May 3rd.

The Hunger Games Cast Tour in Seattle, photo by ComicsBlend.com
The Hunger Games Cast Tour in Seattle, photo by ComicsBlend.com

Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence of The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class was number six on this year’s list. Catching Fire comes out later this year and Lawrence will reprise her role as Continue reading IRON MAN, X-MEN Stars Named Most Beautiful Women

THE HUNGER GAMES Costumes at Emerald City Comicon

 hungergames   Fans of The Hunger Games can feast their eyes on costumes worn by “The Girl On Fire” and other characters from hit movie based on the best-selling novel! An amazing collection of genuine costumes will be exhibited at the upcoming Emerald City Comicon taking place on March 1st – 3rd, 2013 at the Washington State Convention Center. This rare display of Hollywood history will be on display all three days!

  The exhibit features original screen-worn costumes worn by Jennifer Lawrence as “Katniss,” Josh Hutcherson as “Peeta,” Elizabeth Banks as “Effie,” Stanley Tucci as “Caesar,” Liam Hemsworth as “Gale,” Woody Harrelson as “Haymitch,” Lenny Kravtiz as “Cinna,” Donald Sutherland as “President Snow,” Wes Bentley as “Seneca,” and many more!

  The costumes are all set to be auctioned off in October but will be making a few appearances around the country first to give the public a chance to preview the items. Cities for the costume exhibit include Hollywood, Chicago, New York and Seattle.

 

The Hunger Games Cast Tour in Seattle, photo by ComicsBlend.com
The Hunger Games Cast Tour in Seattle, photo by ComicsBlend.com

  Almost a year ago thousands of local fans gathered and screamed for Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth on The Hunger Games Tour. Here’s a link to my interviews with those stars.

By Editor

Arcade Returns in Avengers Arena!

Avengers Arena #1 courtesy Marvel

   Avengers Arena may be one of the biggest surprises to come out of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will take 16 young heroes (including members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and Darkhawk) and throw them into a Battle Royale scenario. The kids are trapped on an island by a classic X-Men villain. Arcade is back and he’s created a new Murderworld for Marvel’s young heroes. This concept sounds like a mini-series or one-shot but Hopeless and Editor Bill Rosemann tells Comics Newsarama this is definitely an ongoing series.

“Dennis and Kev have thought long and hard about how and why these characters will react to the scenario and the ripple effects their actions will create. Each month — and, yes, this is an ongoing monthly series — they’ll use the creative space to dig deep into the emotions of each character. As to what our cast will look like a year from now, well…”

“Yeah, this is definitely a long game sort of story. We need the space to explore all the different ways a worst-case scenario like Murder World affects this massive cast. I’m not sure we could have done them justice in a miniseries,” adds Hopeless.

 

Uncanny X-Men #123 featuring Arcade courtesy Marvel.com

I love the villain at the center of this new book. Arcade may not have a great track record for assassinating his targets but he’s definitely a twisted character to enjoy. Rosemann and Hopeless discuss the plan to make Arcade a potent enemy.

“When at his best, Arcade’s creepy façade of a cheery carnival barker is a calculated play that both distracts his targets and also leads his unsuspecting foes to underestimate him. And never forget he began his career by murdering his own father before embarking on a successful run as a freelance assassin. Dennis and Kev both completely understand his potential and knew instantly how to peel off the cheese to reveal his untapped terrifying core. Previously, Arcade always left a way out of his deathtraps, giving his prey a sporting chance, but now… soon everyone will learn that to underestimate Arcade is a deadly mistake,” declares Rosemann.

“Arcade doesn’t get a lot of respect and we all kind of understand why. For the longest time, nobody ever died in Murder World. But despite all of his failures over the years, Arcade is a brilliant guy. Deranged and bizarre, but brilliant. He designed and built all of those crazy death traps,” says Hopeless.

“The scenario Arcade has cooked up in Avengers Arena is a game changer for him. It’s his way of saying, “You don’t respect my reindeer games? Fine. Respect this!”

You could call Arcade the Seneca Crane (from The Hunger Games) of Marvel. The question is who will survive to become the Katniss or Peeta?

For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

By Editor

Top 5 Comic Book Picks for 12/12/12

 

Avengers Arena #1 courtesy Marvel

Avengers Arena #1 Sixteen superpowered teens (including members of Runaways, Avengers Academy) wake up on an island with an ultimatum: fight or die! One of the biggest surprises of Marvel Now kicks off this week by Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker. Imagine X-23 in Battle Royale and The Hunger Games and that gives you an idea!

Batman #15 The Joker holds all the cards. He knows Batman’s biggest secret. He’s predicted when all Batman’s allies and friends will be dead. The Riddler finds out the hard way that not even other villains are safe from the Joker’s mad final scheme.

Cable and X-Force #1 The son of Cyclops is back with a brand new team. Why have these mutant heroes been branded terrorists?

Fantastic Four #2 Marvel’s First Family blasts off across time and space. Can Reed keep the real motivation for this family vacation hidden from Susan? What new threats are waiting for them?

Space 1999: Aftershock and Awe A disaster blasts the moon out of orbit and across space. The crew of Moonbase Alpha will face outrageous aliens as they try to find a way home. I was a huge fan of this classic sci-fi series from the swinging 70’s but I didn’t know there was a comic book series. This trade paperback collects new stories of the crew of Moonbase Alpha.

By Editor

Avengers Arena, A Villain’s Game-Changer

Avengers Arena #1 courtesy Marvel

  Avengers Arena is one of the biggest surprises to come out of the Marvel NOW relaunch. Dennis Hopeless and Kev Walker will take 16 young heroes (including members of Avengers Academy, Runaways and Darkhawk) and throw them into a Battle Royale scenario. The kids are trapped on an island by a classic X-Men villain. Arcade is back and he’s created a new Murderworld for Marvel’s young heroes. This concept sounds like a mini-series or one-shot but Hopeless and Editor Bill Rosemann tells Comics Newsarama this is definitely an ongoing series.

  “Dennis and Kev have thought long and hard about how and why these characters will react to the scenario and the ripple effects their actions will create. Each month — and, yes, this is an ongoing monthly series — they’ll use the creative space to dig deep into the emotions of each character. As to what our cast will look like a year from now, well…”

  “Yeah, this is definitely a long game sort of story. We need the space to explore all the different ways a worst-case scenario like Murder World affects this massive cast. I’m not sure we could have done them justice in a miniseries,” adds Hopeless.

 

Uncanny X-Men #123 featuring Arcade courtesy Marvel.com

I love the villain at the center of this new book. Arcade may not have a great track record for assassinating his targets but he’s definitely a twisted character to enjoy. Rosemann and Hopeless discuss the plan to make Arcade a potent enemy.

“When at his best, Arcade’s creepy façade of a cheery carnival barker is a calculated play that both distracts his targets and also leads his unsuspecting foes to underestimate him. And never forget he began his career by murdering his own father before embarking on a successful run as a freelance assassin. Dennis and Kev both completely understand his potential and knew instantly how to peel off the cheese to reveal his untapped terrifying core. Previously, Arcade always left a way out of his deathtraps, giving his prey a sporting chance, but now… soon everyone will learn that to underestimate Arcade is a deadly mistake,” declares Rosemann.

“Arcade doesn’t get a lot of respect and we all kind of understand why. For the longest time, nobody ever died in Murder World. But despite all of his failures over the years, Arcade is a brilliant guy. Deranged and bizarre, but brilliant. He designed and built all of those crazy death traps,” says Hopeless.

“The scenario Arcade has cooked up in Avengers Arena is a game changer for him. It’s his way of saying, “You don’t respect my reindeer games? Fine. Respect this!”

You could call Arcade the Seneca Crane (from The Hunger Games) of Marvel. The question is who will survive to become the Katniss or Peeta?

 For the entire interview here’s the Comics Newsarama link.

By Editor

Catching Fire Targets Phillip Seymour Hoffman

  Who will play the mastermind behind the games of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire? Phillip Seymour Hoffman has been offered the role of Plutarch Heavensbee according to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision.

  Rumors are still swirling about the actor who will play Finnick Odair, another new character joining the film directed by Francis Lawrence.

By Editor