'Mockingjay Part 1,' Sam Claflin, and Julianne Moore in Empire's Winter Preview Issue

Sam Claflin and Julianne Moore talk Mockingjay Part 1 in the October issue of Empire Magazine. In Empire's Winter Preview Sam talks about living up to the first two Hunger Games films, while Julianne Moore remembers Philip Seymour Hoffman and says that Jennifer Lawrence is "very, very easy to love." There's also a small feature on Sam's upcoming film, The Riot Club.

 

Julianne Moore recently came full circle after filming a prominent role in the last installments of The Hunger Games - the fourthcoming two-parter Mockingjay - where she worked for a final time with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

 

Moore features as President Alma Coin, another high-profile co-star for Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss. "I did the bulk of my work on the film with Phil," she says, quietly. Hoffman was her friend and co-star from Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski and Magnolia. "He had pretty much completed shooting, so I had done all my work with him..."Her voice trails off, a cue for Empire to move on.

 

She must've also enjoyed re-teaming with Hunger Games mainstay Woody Harrelson, we inquire (the two having worked together on The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio and the TV picture Game Change, where Moore played Sarah Palin)? "Oh yes," she coos. "It was great fun to be with Woody and sometimes you forgot you were in this dystopian fantasy. Then someone would walk by with half their head shaved and there would be weird things coming out of the back of them and you were like, 'Oh yeah, this is a fantasy movie!'"

 

Moore's route into The Hunger Games came, somewhat predictably, through her two children. She picked up her daughter's copy of the first book in the series while on holiday, when her kids were playing table tennis. "I thought it was great and my children love these books, so for them it is very exciting for me to be in the franchise. Generally, I make movies that they can't see! And they both love Jennifer Lawrence. She is very, very easy to love."

 

Hack Into The Capitol.PN and Unlock Cressida's Confidential Case File

The mobile District13.co.in site promised us 5 "hacks" and number 1 arrived today shortly after the surprise release of the new "Rebel Warrior" Mockingjay Part 1 character posters. To hack TheCapitol.PN you will need your mobile device and a desktop computer. 

First: Go to m.district13.co.in on a browser on your device. If you're outside the US, you can try going directly to m.district13.co.in/signin   if you have trouble. Connect with either twitter or facebook.

Second: Open TheCapitol.PN on your desktop computer. Enter the session ID number from the upper right corner of TheCapitol.PN into your device. 

You should then see this on your mobile device:

And your desktop will change to this:

 

Third: Touch "01 Hack Discovered" on your mobile device. You'll get this screen on your device. Touch initiate:

Fourth: Keep TheCapitol.PN open on your desktop computer screen while you complete the challenge. Lock your device screen to portrait and complete the gyroscopic challenge. (Just keep the blue line between the pie pieces):

Your desktop screen will change and start a countdown as you complete the challenge on your device. 

After successfully completing the challenge, your device will display this: 

And TheCapitol.PN will change Cressida's file from

TO

Looks like The Capitol didn't get the intel correct on the spelling of Castor's name yet. But, what a freaking COOL mobile site. We're looking forward to the rest of the hacks we'll be unlocking in the coming weeks. Hopefully one of them will be Katniss?!?!?

Thanks to our friends at QuarterQuell.org and WelcomeToDistrict12 for their help and advice on unlocking the hacks. They OBVIOUSLY hail from District 3, so make sure to follow them!

Meet the Rebels! New 'Mockingjay Part 1' Character Posters

Thanks to Wired we've got our first look at the "Rebel Warriors" of Mockingjay Part 1. Check out members of Star Squad 451 in uniform with the awesome new black mockingjay symbol in the background. We can't wait to see Katniss' poster with those wings looking like they're coming out of her back  - now we see where that stylistic change Francis Lawrence talked about in EW is going. It will be the warrior version of the mockingjay dress Cinna created for Katniss in Catching Fire.

The "Rebel Warriors" posters feature Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Natalie Dormer as Cressida, Mahershala Ali as Boggs, Wes Chatham as Castor, Elden Henson as Pollux and Evan Ross as Messalla. 

Natalie Dormer and Woody Harrelson at the Emmys

Mockingjay Part 1 cast members Natalie Dormer (Cressida) and Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy) attended the 2014 Emmy awards last night. Woody was nominated for his work in True Detective. He didn't win but was pretty fabulous while presenting the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. My new motto is going to be "Just forget about it." Thanks, Woody! 

Natalie was there in support of Game of Thrones who were shut out at the Primetime Emmys yet again. Boo. 

'The Hunger Games' Cast and Crew Take The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Nina Jacobson, producer of The Hunger Games films, graciously accepted our ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Nomination and took the plunge in honor of The Hunger Games fans. Thank you, Nina!! You are amazing. Check it out:

She nominated Jennifer Lawrence, Jena Malone and Natalie Dormer to take the challenge.

Director Francis Lawrence ALSO accepted our challenge and took his icy bath in honor of the fans:

What a champ! Thanks, Francis! It means so much to the fans that you both did this. Francis has nominated Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Sam Claflin. Josh and Sam accepted and completed the challenge:

Natalie Dormer completed the challenge. You can see her video exclusively at Buzzfeed. I LOVE that she's wearing a Mockingjay t-shirt!! 

Jennifer Lawrence and Jena Malone both opted to donate in lieu of completing the ice bucket challenge. Ice or no ice, we love you, Jennifer and Jena! Thanks for donating! Jena posted a pic of her interpretation of the Ice Bucket Challenge to her social media and is donating $1 for every like/rt the photo gets on twitter, facebook and instagram by 5:30am on Thursday, 8/28/14. Go, go, go! 

 

Willow Shields took the challenge in honor of The Hunger Games fans too! This may be the cutest one I've seen. 

Liam has already done the challenge through another nomination. Love the outfit, Liam.

Check out some of our other THG cast members doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. And find out more about this great cause HERE.  

Julianne Moore:

Elizabeth Banks:

Evan Ross:

Alexander Ludwig did it on behalf of his show Vikings:

Alan Ritchson completed the challenge with Rob Ramsey and they took it up a notch and used Slushys.

Dayo Okeniyi completed the challenge and called out Amandla Stenberg, Jack Quaid and Leven Rambin. 

Francis Lawrence Accepts our ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Earlier today Nina Jacobson, producer of The Hunger Games films, accepted our ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Nomination. I mean, how cool is that? Director Francis Lawrence had tweeted that he was in

 

but he came through with the video proof today:

Aww, Francis! We feel your pain. 

He nominates Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Sam Claflin for the challenge. What do you say boys?? From the looks of social media, you should get to those ice buckets asap.

And we'll be getting out our check books again. As promised, PanemPropaganda will make a donation for every cast and crew member that does the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge! Thanks Francis, and thanks to all of you that are supporting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

And let's hear it for our Hunger Games team! Nina and Francis obviously didn't have to take the time to do this, but it's a lovely gesture to do for the tributes/Hunger Games fans. Thank you! 

More 'Mockingjay' Details from Francis Lawrence and EW

Entertainment Weekly published a few more tidbits from their recent interview with Mockingjay director Francis Lawrence yesterday (see the scans of the Fall Movie Preview Issue HERE).

 

Having gone through the games one more time and having lost Peeta and having been run through the wringer, she’s even more damaged. So you find her in a more agitated place. She’s distraught, confused, angry.”

Collins’ final book presents a gritty narrative about Katniss’ role in the rebellion to overthrow the Capitol, with grim scenes of wartime brutality as the teen heroine struggles with the psychological consequences wrought by violence. But, says Lawrence, the upcoming installment won’t be entirely somber.

“There’s definitely some battles. There’s some of the first glimpses of real war in this movie. And the scale gets quite big,” he reveals. “There’s an atonal shift from some of the last movies, but they’re still very emotional, very sweeping, [on a] grand scale with some levity and humor.”

“Instead of changing the plot and changing characters what we did was have the opportunity to show scenes that could have been happening at different times in the book,” Lawrence says. “For us it’s world expansion instead of changing things. I think it’s exciting for the fan to see certain things. So we’ve been able to open the world up in this and see some new places. We get to see some new districts this time and the scope gets quite large.”

There’s also the addition of cast member Julianne Moore as rebel President Alma Coin, a character whose role has been expanded for the upcoming films. President Coin—who becomes reluctant allies with Katniss Everdeen in the rebellion’s efforts to overthrow President Snow—was written by author Suzanne Collins through Katniss’s perspective as narrator; she is perceived as ambitious and egotistical. But with Moore’s involvement, Lawrence says, the gray-haired politician’s role in his two-part finale has expanded significantly beyond her portrayal in the bestselling Hunger Games series..

“She actually sort of tracked us down and had an interest in the books through her kids,” Lawrence says. "She didn’t audition. Once we knew she wanted it, that was it—done,” Lawrence says, laughing. “I sat down with her, she had great ideas, we got along and that was it.”

“What’s interesting is although she’s a huge character in Mockingjay the book, there’s actually very little of her in it,” notes Lawrence. “There’s more of her in this than in the book and because of that, there’s some development. I think the character has developed into something pretty amazing. And Julianne was a big part of that.”

But one thing thing that won’t change? That’d be the love triangle between Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), Gale (Liam Hemsworth), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson).

“With Mockingjay – Part I it’s tricky because Peeta is out of reach for her,” notes the director. “Obviously he becomes an objective for her, but Gale is right there, so that’s always a tricky situation.”

While Lawrence won’t reveal how he divided the final book in Suzanne Collins’ trilogy (“That’s going to be one of the really good surprises,” he says), he shares that the films will have “two different, very distinct stories.”

“Those objectives became the motives for us,” Lawrence explains. “This is where the meaning of the entire series comes into play. The answer to why these books exist exists in Mockingjay, and that’s really been exciting to me. That’s been kind of what I’ve hung on to through these stories.”

'Mockingjay Part 1' Featured in Entertainment Weekly's Fall Movie Preview

Many thanks to QuarterQuell.org for the untagged still.

A new still of Katniss Everdeen and details on her grittier new appearance in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 are featured in Entertainment Weekly's latest Fall Movie Preview issue. EW talked with Francis Lawrence about Katniss' transition to reluctant rebel leader and some of the visual aspects of the film. 

 

The digital issue has an interactive photo with additional details on Katniss and Mockingjay:

1. Melancholy Mood

Mockingjay introduces a more somber color palette in its new costumes and locales, including rebel headquarters in District 13. "You're sort of hit with the harsh reality of the consequences of war," director Francis Lawrence says.

2. Straight Shooter

After shooting the Hunger Games movies, Jennifer Lawrence has become quite the archer. She didn't have to practice too much says her director. True to Suzanne Collins' novel, it's Jeffrey Wright's Beetee who designs Katniss' new arrows with special explosive capabilities.

3. Combat-Ready

Katniss dons sleek body armour with protective boots, knee and elbow pads, and a tailor-made chest plate that sparkles with an iridescent indigo sheen recalling the feather-trimmed gown she wore in Catching Fire. "It's the warrior version of her mockingjay look," says the director.

4. A Rebel's Reminder

Katniss' trademark gold-plated mockingjay pin had been exchanged for a new black-on-black token. "Stylistically, this is something that Cinna designed for her before he was beaten in Catching Fire," Francis Lawrence says.

OK, who else is dying to get their hands on one of those matte black Mockingjay pins? Someone please make them immediately. 

The digital issue is available now and the magazine hits newsstands Friday.

Many thanks to our friends at QuarterQuell.org for the larger and untagged version of the Katniss still at the top of the article! 

Photos From The First Press Day For 'Mockingjay Part 1'

And so it begins... The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 had its first press day yesterday! Both Lionsgate and Elizabeth Banks posted this cute shot of Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth and Jennifer Lawrence to social media last night. 

 

Elizabeth shared another angle of the shot (above) today to tumblr. 

Willow Shields posted this snap to her instagram with the caption, "Feeling fancy. Press day for Mockingjay Part 1!"

A couple additional shots of Elizabeth and Willow were also shared around social media:

Photos thanks to @HGNewsChannel

 

Tara Bennett tweeted that she interviewed Francis Lawrence (@Hibbits on twitter) for a Sci Fi Magazine article. We'll be looking forward to that one, Tara!! FYI, last year Tara wrote the cover story on Catching Fire for Sci Fi's December 2013 issue. It hit newsstands October 13th - ish if you're trying to figure out when we'll see all of this press. 

 Thanks to our friends at @HGNewsChannel and @Larrs9325 for the tips. 

'The Hunger Games:Catching Fire' Takes Home 4 Teen Choice Awards

 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire took home four Teen choice Awards at last night's ceremony in Los Angeles.

Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy - Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark

Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy- Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen

Choice Movie Villain: Donald Sutherland as President Snow

 

Josh Hutcherson and Donald Sutherland were on hand to accept their awards and Willow Shields also attended. Sadly, Jennifer Lawrence wasn't there to take home her surfboard this year.

 

Josh's acceptance speech:

Mr. Sutherland gave an epic President Snow-worthy acceptance speech, complete with nightlock berries and a white rose that he tossed into the audience:

Josh talks the "melancholy" end to The Hunger Games films, the wrap party, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and honors his grandfather, Dennis Hutcherson, who passed away later that evening. Our condolences to the Hutcherson family.

Sam Claflin Makes a Cameo in Norwich Theatre Royal’s Wind in the Willows

Sam Claflin and some of the special guests of Norwich Theatre Royal

Sam Clalfin Photo by Denise Bradley

Sam Claflin and his brother Joe Claflin made cameo appearances in Norwich Theatre Royal’s Youth Theater Company production of Wind in the Willows last weekend. Sam and Joe are both alumni of the Norwich Theater Royal’s Theater Arts Course and were cast members of Wind in The Willows as students back in 2005. They resumed their roles to celebrate director David Lambert’s 25th show.

Sam and Joe Claflin. All photos courtesy Great Yarmouth Mercury

Great Yarmouth Mercury spoke with Sam about the experience:

Nowadays he’s more used to working on Hollywood film sets with some of cinema’s biggest names, but this week film star Sam Claflin is returning to his roots and taking to the stage at Norwich Theatre Royal.

The former Costessey High School pupil is one of a number of the theatre’s arts course alumni who have returned to mark director David Lambert’s 25th show milestone by appearing alongside current students in the show The Wind in the Willows.

Sam – known for films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – actually played Ratty in the youth theatre company’s 2005 production of the riverside tale, and last night he played the older version of the character.

“It’s very nostalgic treading these boards again, without the arts course I wouldn’t be even half way to where I am now. It embraced me as a thespian and made me who I am I guess... I’m very thankful and happy to be back to celebrate,” said Sam.

About the 2005 Wind in the Willows show, he added: “It feels so long ago but at the same time it feels like only yesterday.

“It’s all been such an incredible journey from here to where I am, so it’s nice to be back... I know that I had the most fun on this stage.”

He said it was great to be a part of the on-stage reunion and to celebrate Mr Lambert’s landmark anniversary, and that it was brilliant to perform alongside his brother Joe, also a professional actor, who last night played the character of older Mole.

“It’s the first time Joe and I have acted together since we did the Sinbad the Sailor here which was 2006,” said Sam, who in 2003 also played the title role in the youth theatre company’s production of Robinson Crusoe.

Fellow alumni who joined Sam and Joe on stage last night were Daniel Burgess, who played older Toad, and Lisa Ellis, who played Mrs Otter.

New 'Mockingjay Part 1' District 13 Citizen Posters

We're getting an earlier than expected look at six new Mockingjay Part 1 District 13 character posters. President Coin, Haymitch Abernathy, Beetee Latier, Effie Trinket, Plutarch Heavensbee and Finnick Odair are featured in their District 13 finest. And by finest we mean their drab grey uniforms. Looks like Effie is making the most of what she's been dealt in 13. You go, Effie. 

The posters debuted on various websites tonight after they were leaked a bit early online right after the District 13 mobile site launch. 

We assume this is the first wave of District 13 citizen posters and we're very excited to see Katniss in one of them, hopefully in the near future. Because District 13 is alive and well and so is the Mockingjay.

District 13 Mobile Site Launches - 'Mockingjay Part 1' D13 Citizen Posters To Debut

Those District 13 rebels are really taking over. A new District 13 website site launched today and SIX new Mockingjay Part 1 District 13 citizen posters are set to be revealed tomorrow.

 

Head to TheCapitol.PN and synch to reveal the mobile District 13 site and clues to where the 6 new District 13 citizen posters will be revealed.

Go to TheCapitol.PN/OnePanem, click the diamond under the words "One Panem" to get to the next page (triumph, lead, etc), and type in "OLTM" which will reveal the new site:

We speak for those who do not have a voice.  

 www.District13.co.in

Then scan the QR code (above) with your mobile device and connect to the mobile site with your fingerprint, facebook or twitter, and session ID from TheCapitol.PN. 

Lionsgate and EGPAF Auctioning 'Mockingjay Part 1' Posters For Charity

The signed Mockingjay poster up for auction

Lionsgate and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) are teaming up once again to auction off five signed Comic Con exclusive Mockingjay Part 1 posters for charity. The posters, signed by the "rebel warriors" (Natalie Dormer, Evan Ross, Elden Henson, Mahershala Ali, and Wes Chatham) are available for auction on eBay through 8pm on Tuesday, August 5th and 100% of the proceeds goes to EGPAF. The auction listing also includes a Comic Con exclusive Mockingjay pin.

Click here to check them out on eBay.  

'Mockingjay Part 1' "Our Leader The Mockingjay" Trailer Debut

The LOOOONG awaited The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 "Our Leader The Mockingjay" teaser trailer finally made it's debut online tonight on The Hunger Games official facebook page! We got a preview of it at Comic Con (see our thoughts about the trailer HERE) and many fans went to participating Best Buy locations over the weekend to catch a preview. But we're so excited the EVERYONE can finally see the short but very sweet teaser. 

We get a look at Francis' violent yet gorgeous vision of the districts in rebellion, a peek at Natalie Dormer as Cressida, Robert Knepper as Antonius and Patina Miller as Paylor, plus we finally get a glimpse of a heartbreaking Katniss. Her pivotal line still leaves us with goosebumps, "I am. I will."

'Mockingjay Part 1' Trailer Debuts Tonight!

Fire burns brighter in the darkness. The all-new "Our Leader The Mockingjay" Mockingjay Part 1 Teaser Trailer debuts TONIGHT at 9p PT/12a ET. Watch it on The Hunger Games Facebook page!

The 'Mockingjay Part 1' Cast Signing at Comic Con

The "rebel warriors" (Natalie Dormer, Mahershala Ali, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross) did an autograph session at the Lionsgate booth after presenting the trailer at Comic Con. Check out some video from the signing thanks to our friends at QuarterQuell.org.

'Mockingjay Part 1' Cast Presents "Our Leader the Mockingjay" Trailer at Comic Con

Natalie Dormer, Mahershala Ali, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross were on hand today at Comic Con to present the new "Our Leader the Mockingjay" Mockingjay Part 1 trailer to guests at the Captiol Gallery Experience at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego. 

We were lucky enough to attend a press preview of the new trailer with some of the other Hunger Games fan sites, and got to do a meet and greet with cast members Mahershala Ali, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross. They were SO generous, kind, and sweet with all of us! Thanks so much, guys!

The fansite meet & greet. I'm in the front row in a green jacket + leopard shoes.

Natalie wasn't at the meet and greet (SAD FACE) she was running in from another panel. But she did get there in time to introduce the trailer to a very excited crowd on the Capitol Gallery floor, then all of the cast members took photos with the fans there. Natalie Dormer is a queen. She said something nice to every single fan snapping photos with her today.

 

We watched the trailer in a heavily-secured room, all bags were checked, and armed peacekeepers (and real security) watched our every move. This sucker is NOT leaking - at least not from Comic Con. You watch the trailer in individual pods on Samsung devices with head-sets. 

While I'd love to spill every last detail about the trailer to ALL OF YOU, about half of you don't want to be spoiled. So we'll give you our spoiler-free take on what we saw. 

Even though it’s only 1 minute long, the Our Leader the Mockingjay trailer feels enormous. It's violent. It's epic. My favorite thing about it is the look and feel of the districts. You’ll recognize a few right off the bat, and how Francis captures them is very unique but still beautifully faithful to the books. And Katniss. We see Katniss and she breaks your heart. The “I am. I will.” line you’ve been hearing all day will give you goosebumps long after you watch it. 

Can't wait to fangirl/boy over this one with all of you! It looks like the trailer will be online this Monday, July 28, at midnight ET (that’s 9pm PT on Sunday and 5am BST on Monday).

'Mockingjay Part 1' at Comic Con - A Look at the Lionsgate Booth

Those nutty peacekeepers!

We spent a little more time at the Lionsgate booth today at San Diego Comic Con. Mockingjay is definitely the big presence at the booth, along with The Expendables and Divergent. The guys playing the peacekeepers are clearly having a blast, posing for pictures and pretty much doing anything you ask them to do. And the costumes are badass.

An apple a day keeps the Rebellion away?

You can also check out the Hall of Heroes and see holograms of Peeta Mellark and Johanna Mason rotating in the window. 

Capitol Couture Releases New Capitol Portraits of Peeta & Johanna + Motion Posters

Capitol Couture has relaunched with issue number four, Fida Coeur, and new Capitol portraits of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Jena Malone as Johanna Mason. Capitol Couture has also posted gorgeous and heartbreaking new motion posters ("Living Portraits") of both Peeta and Johanna.

 

Capitol Couture is proud to commemorate President Snow’s “One Panem” initiative with a brand new Special Issue of Capitol Couture focusing on collaborations in art, fashion, and design. Today we celebrate the incredible achievements coming out of the Capitol—the beating heart of Panem. Gaze upon the fervently awaited Capitol Citizen Living Portraits presented by Capitol Couture featuring your cherished victors Johanna Mason and Peeta Mellark as they stand proudly before Panem.

The site teases that the "Living Portraits" will be available for viewing this summer. Will they be displayed as "astoundingly realistic hologram displays" as Capitol Couture promises?

See it all at CapitolCouture.PN