The Movie Adaptation of The Hunger Games Casts Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss
New broke last night that one of the most sought after roles in young Hollywood has been filled, and starlets everywhere cried unless her name was Jennifer Lawrence. And yes, I am talking about something other than dramas and Asian entertainment, you didn’t go to the wrong playground.
The most addicting novel I have read in the last year is the most anticipated movie adaptation in Hollywood, which I am of course talking about Suzanne Collins breakout novel The Hunger Games.
This is no Twilight and its ilk, for a teen novel it’s surprisingly well-written with thoughtful and subversive concepts and themes I haven’t seen in teen lit since I read His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman (though Collins is nowhere near the masterful writer Pullman is).
I am so very pleased that Hollywood did not ruin the casting of heroine Katniss Everdeen by choosing a wide-eyed bimbo, but instead went with a truly talented and age-appropriate young actress. I know everyone has been calling for Hailee Steinfeld, but I really much prefer Jennifer Lawrence, who I think is a great choice who can channel not just Katniss’ steely grit, but also her burgeoning and confusing affection and attraction to the two men in her life, Peeta and Gale. This has really been Jennifer’s year, having just come off an Oscar Best Actress nomination for her performance in Winter’s Bone, and now landing the most coveted role amongst actresses her age.
The Hunger Games tells the story of a young sixteen year old girl living in a post-apocalyptic United States which has turned into an authoritarian society where control is wielded by melding entertainment with savagery. A televised game is devised that is a combination of Survivor and Battle Royale, where the children chosen to participate must battle each other to the death while the entire country watches, and the winner is the person who is left standing.
I LOVE The Hunger Games and its second novel Catching Fire (and I loathe the third novel Mockingjay so much I pretend it doesn’t exist). I’m so looking forward to this movie it’s not even funny. With director Gary Ross at the helm, the only way they can muck this up is to flail on casting the two male leads, who need to have sizzling chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence to make this movie come alive. And for those of you who have read the novel(s) – I am 100% a Katniss-Gale shipper. The movie is scheduled to be released in March of 2012.
Then you must have been 100% bummed that your ship was sunk in Mockingjay… which is probably why you pretend it doesn’t exist.
You must be kidding, right? Did I say that I wanted Gale and Katniss to end up together? Hardly. Gale and Katniss would combust and it’s hardly the recipe for long term marital bliss. Peeta is and was the conservative and correct choice for Katniss.
What I hated about Mockingjay is how Collins upended her character developed for all three leads, created circular logic to justify her heavyhanded “morality of this story” ending, and took the easy way out in resolving the love triangle.
Katniss should have ended up with Peeta, and Gale should have died. One was her true love that could not be, the other was her future that promised a life of hope.
Mockingjay is a disservice to her readers and to her first two books. Add to it the choppy writing and horrific editing, one would have thought Mockingjay was written by a fan and not Collins herself.
Please don’t project and put words in my mouth as to why I like or don’t like something.
I didn’t mean to put words in your mouth and it wasn’t meant to sound like I was projecting my own opinions. I’m sorry if it seemed that way.
a touch sensitive eh, koala? we love you anyways 🙂
I have only just finished the trilogy last week and still suffer from withdrawal symptoms so much so that I am currently seeking out other dystopian books. I absolutely loved the books (minus Mockingjay) and the simple language used to deploy so much tension, emotion and other complexities. I understand why it had to be Peeta and was actually glad that a ‘good guy’ (as opposed to the usual [reformed] bad boy) who eventually got the girl. However I also believe that had Gale been featured more in the books he would have been serious competition for Peeta shippers, not that he didn’t have an impact even with his limited ‘page’ time. I mean the guy taught her life-skills but Peeta gave her (burnt) bread and saved her life (numerously) and wore matching outfits etc all for love…and survival. He’s the water to her fire and they actually got together… so yeah I’m Team Peeta all the way.
I have not read this trilogy but seeing as you think it is a well written novel and also because, so far, your taste seem pretty close to mine (I absolutely loved Pullman’s trilogy and, of course, all the drama you like…..I follow….and totally agree!!) 🙂 Soooo, a million thanks from this humble bookworm kekeke.
Cheers for the Hunger Games! (Except for the absolute chaotic dross that was Mockingjay – worst third novel ever).
The first two books were the most delicious, addictive, fast-paced novels I have read in a long time. I loved the action in the arena, the relationship between Katniss and Peeta (although Collins really went overboard trying to create a love triangle – the whole Gale/Katniss thing was totally unnecessary, imo), the underlying themes of the books. I think Jennifer Lawrence is spot-on for Katniss. Definitely going to watch this movie.
I’m disappointed in the casting in that Katniss’s ethnicity is never specified, except that she has dark hair and dark eyes. And so they cast a blue-eyed blonde. Yay for diversity, not. Still looking forward to the movie, but without quite as much enthusiasm.