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Elizabeth Banks Talks About Jennifer Lawrence and Being ON THE MOCKINGJAY SET!

Elizaeth Banks at Sundance. Portrait thanks to EW E!Online spoke with Elizabeth Banks at Sundance while she was promoting her film, Little Accidents, and they asked her about co-star Jennifer Lawrence. We LOVE Jen, obviously, but don't you think her co-stars get a little sick of having their entire interviews be about someone else? Anyhoo, Liz gave up one little tidbit that is still FREAKING me out (in a good way). She's in Mockingjay Part 1.

"Yes, I was on [the Mockingjay] set the Thursday she was nominated," Banks dished to E! News at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival junket for her film Little Accidents sponsored by Chase Sapphire on Main at the Nintendo Chalet. "We all kid with her more than anything."

Banks, who also called J.Law's second Oscar nomination for American Hustle "pretty cool," continued, "A lot of poking fun at her. She can handle it, which is a lovely quality of hers."

So what's the craziest thing Banks has ever seen Lawrence do?

"I could never repeat the craziest," she said. "She'd get in a lot of trouble."

"We don't give away all of our set secrets," Banks said, adding of Lawrence, "She is exactly what people hope that she is, which is really fun, easygoing gal you'd want to hang out with. You definitely want to have a beer with her."

See the video HERE. 

Yeah, yeah, Jennifer Lawrence, blah, blah we love her but - GUYS!! Elizabeth Banks was on the Mockingjay set which means Effie is really in the movie. She's not listed on the IMDB page for Mockingjay Part 1 but now we know she's in the film!

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The 'Mockingjay' Team on Marketing and Plans for the Next Two Films

Variety just posted a great article on the Mockingjay films. They spoke with Lionsgate's head of marketing, Tim Palen, producers Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, production president Erik Feig, and director Francis Lawrence on everything from the marketing plan to European shooting sites. Read on:

“When we started, we decided to look at this as one big movie that’s eight hours long,” notes Tim Palen, the architect of Lionsgate’s marketing effort. “Otherwise, it’s going to be kind of overwhelming to do a new campaign for each movie.”

Palen admits the bar is set higher for the Mockingjay movies than for the first two pics — even though foreign box office jumped by more than 50% (to $450 million from $283 million) from the first to the second pic.

“A big part of the second film was growing the franchise, and the greatest potential was international,” he says. “We did a major presentation to distributors in Cannes, and did six premieres outside the U.S. And we still have room to grow. We’ve matched Iron Man 3 on domestic, but we can do better on international.”

Mockingjay: Part 1, which hits theaters Nov. 21, takes place in a location far different from the world of Suzanne Collins’ first two books — and the first two movies in which Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen battles through two versions of the gladiatorial Hunger Games. In the coming film, Katniss becomes the poster child of a massive rebellion in a world on the brink of war.

In his promotional materials, Palen used the iconic mockingjay image from the The Hunger Games book covers for the first film as a symbol of freedom and for the second with the pin ablaze. In the third image, the bird is breaking free and taking flight — reminding fans of what they liked about the first two movies and hinting at what’s to come.

Director Francis Lawrence ended Catching Fire with a shot showing a spark in Lawrence’s eyes, followed by the rebels’ mockingjay logo. “It was a great way get from one to the next eloquently and elegantly,” Palen notes.

There will be reveals of the campaign in May at the Cannes film festival and in July at Comic-Con. Until then, Lionsgate is trying to keep specifics under wraps, though director Lawrence allows that the next two films take place in a Panem so devolved as to be barely recognizable.

Much more after the jump!

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Natalie Dormer Debuts Cressida's Mockingjay Hairdo at the SAG Awards

Natalie Dormer debuted the hairdo for her Mockingjay character, Cressida, at last night's SAG Awards. Dormer shocked most of the world (but THRILLED us - it looks amazing on her) with her half-shaved head on the red carpet. Natalie confirmed that the hair is part of Mockingjay. She told E! News, "The hair department of Mockingjay did it and I love it. A little trepidation but I was excited."

She went on to share with Entertainment Weekly, "It’s been hidden for 3 months. It happened back in October. I was, you know, waiting for the right moment. Francis Lawrence, the director of Mockingjay, and I discussed it and I took the job on the premise that I would possibly [have to] shave my whole head. I’m actually really pleased that we went halfway because I think it’s more the Capitol… and that’s where Cressida comes from… I think it’s right for the character."

She also noted, “It was a bit weird lying in bed for the first few nights. [One] side feels normal, [the other] side doesn’t feel so normal against the pillow,” she said. ”[And] hats fit differently.”

Dormer had previously commented on how they were going to interpret Cressida's bald, tattooed look from the book into the Mockingjay film in an interview with VH1's Big Morning Buzz Live in October:

“I haven’t shaved off all my head hair, no. But it's definitely an interesting interpretation of the reference in the book. I would like to think that people won’t be disappointed with the choices that we made.”

 

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Buttercup's "Crazy Cat" Scene Confirmed by 'Mockingjay' Producer Nina Jacobson

Producer Nina Jacobson confirmed today on twitter that it's Buttercup's big day on the Mockingjay set! Apparently, they're filming the "Crazy Cat" scene in District 13 today. For those of you who don't know who Buttercup is - and if you don't this whole website must be thoroughly confusing -  it's Prim's beloved cat, who is barely tolerated by Katniss.

Prim and Buttercup. Image courtesy Seventeen

In Mockingjay, Katniss devises a game of "Crazy Cat" to entertain the citizens of District 13 while they're confined *SPOILERS* because of a bombing. Katniss shines a flashlight around the compartment and Buttercup tries to catch it. It later becomes a metaphor for how Katniss is feeling about *SPOILERS* Peeta's capture and torture, so it's a pretty important scene and one we're thrilled is staying in the movie!

 

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Production Designer Phil Messina On 'Catching Fire' and 'Mockingjay'

The Hunger Games director Gary Ross brought Phil Messina on board as Production Designer, and he is remains with the franchise, creating the world in Catching Fire as well as both Mockingjay movies, currently in production. He recently spoke with FlickeringMyth.com about the films, some of the challenges, and hat it was like working with Francis Lawrence who "has become a dear friend of mine."

How it all started:

Gary called me which was in the middle of night my time and said that he was going on this film called Hunger Games [2012]. I had never heard of it. Gary was probably the most excited about it than I had heard of any one director and he had the script emailed to me. I had to go work in the morning but I read it all night. Suzanne [Collins] was part of the process the entire time so there wasn’t a dichotomy between script and book.  When questions came up in our work about how things were organized or what things should look it we often went back to the book. In fact we still do. I’m working on Mockingjay 1 [2014] and 2 [2015] right now so at the end of this I’ve would have done all four Hunger Games films. I have dog-eared pages of all three books in my office that we’re constantly referring back to try to keep it straight.”

Working with director Francis Lawrence on Catching Fire:

“When I found out about the second film Gary was going to direct it and he was the one who asked me back,” recalls Phil Messina. “When he decided not to do the film it was an odd couple of weeks where Producer Nina Jacobson was persuasive in saying, ‘We want the continuity since we’re bringing in an unknown entity at this point.’ They hadn’t hired a director yet. I was caught by surprise and they were all reacting in real time. I was literally reading the movie headlines a couple times a day to see who was in the lead to do our film. I had not worked with Francis [Lawrence] before nor had any contact with him.  I took our first meeting as if I was interviewing for the job. If Francis wanted to go in a different direction or it wasn’t going to work out personality wise I would have bowed out. We had a wonderful connection and he has become a dear friend of mine.”

Photo courtesy litegear.com

On creating Panem:

“There are a lot of different ways you can go,” explains Phil Messina.  “There is the Star Trek, Star Wars and Oblivion that's high tech futuristic which is an amazing look.  But with ours it was important for it to be accessible, and feel like a world that could easily develop in the not so distant future.  Suzanne described this world as having no satellites or Internet. It’s not so futuristic, but a parallel society that would have developed given a different set of circumstances. That’s what I found interesting in the world. How do things develop if XYZ...? Those are some of the factors that we’re dealing with every day.” Cities don’t grow from one place. What we tried to bring to it was a visual harmony of a singular idea but also things are built at different times. It doesn’t all go up in the same five or ten years. It had developed over a certain amount of time. In Catching Fire we have more of the Capitol shown than in Hunger Games, but in Mockingjay, especially in the second film, it's like being on the streets of the Capitol. We’re using some locations in Europe, especially in Paris and Berlin. We tried to use places that felt architecturally relevant to our film and also felt real. One thing that Francis wanted was to be on real streets; he didn’t want to be on the back lot with fake buildings so we are in a lot of real locations and I find that exciting.”

On the Districts:

“Every district has a specific purpose which has a specific resource that serves the capital,” states Phil Messina.  “Katniss [Jennifer Lawrence] is from the mining district which Suzanne wrote as being in the Appalachian Mountains so we naturally drew from the coal mines from West Virginia." The production designer drew upon his own childhood. “For the textile district I grew up in a mill town called Lawrence, Massachusetts which at the turn of the last century was the textile centre of the world. In Catching Fire when we had to create the textile district for a brief scene I knew exactly where to draw from. The transportation district we used a lot of trains. We tried to stay mostly in the U.S. and not to draw from too many European influences. We tried to make it American feeling. Logging and lumber is from the Pacific Northwest. Suzanne had marked out a map of Panem where each of these resources came from and were based on American history. It became easy to think of the next step and start creating the visuals for them.” (insert personal freak out - WHERE IS THIS MAP??)

On Catching Fire:

"It looks beautiful and the world looks real.  The shot selections were great and it tells a story.” Messina adds, “I’m proud about the work I did with Gary on the first one and I’m proud of the work I’ve done on Catching Fire with Francis. I’ve seen Catching Fire several times already and it’s fantastic. I’m glad to continue to be part of this franchise.”

Read the rest of the really interesting interview HERE. Phil talks more about the Hunger Games weapons, working with CG and shooting in the jungle.

 

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Make-up Supervisor Ve Neill Talks 'Mockingjay' - "It’s nice to have a group of actors who enjoy coming to work.”

Photo thanks to Allure Magazine Makeup artist Ve Neill has served as makeup department head for all of the Hunger Games movie adaptations. Neill told EW that she’s consumed with work on the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay. “It’s going to be pretty spectacular. Julianne Moore is on with us now as President Coin and she’s great. We have quite a few new characters who’ve joined us,” she hinted. “They’re all wonderful to work with. Jennifer [Lawrence] and Josh [Hutcherson] are absolute dolls. It’s nice to have a group of actors who enjoy coming to work.”

What’s next in the Hunger Games movies and how do you help tell the story through makeup? 
We’re going into the third book, which is when they go to war. You’re going to see a lot more wartime stuff. They’re going to go into district 13, which we’ve never seen and nobody thought existed. These people have been living underground, so you’re going to see a lot of that. Everybody is pretty plain. There’s not a lot of exotic looking stuff in the third movie. In the fourth movie, we go into The Capitol again and you’ll start to see some crazy stuff there. We’re really going for it on the fourth one. Part one is a wartime movie and we have four huge “prosthetic days” that include a hospital full of injured people who have just come in from bombings. They’re burned and missing limbs. We have a lot of distressed looking makeups as opposed to glamour.

How big is the part of the Hunger Games makeup department that you oversee?
We have three makeup artists who are on all the time and we have one make-up artist who runs our tech unit, who works with us concurrently doing interior and pickup shots. She sometimes has fifteen people working with her. Right now we’re doing stuff in District 13, so we have 20 extra makeup artists, and there are even more people in the hair department. We have a lot manpower because there are over 400 extras. They live underground, so nobody has tans. Everybody has to look sickly. Those are the types of makeups we’re doing — very simple, really pale.

What’s it like working with the stars of the movie?
They’re all wonderful to work with. They all have children… well Josh and Jennifer don’t, but a lot of our other adult principals have children and, of course, their kids are all really happy that their parents are working on the Hunger Games, so that’s fun for them. We have a terrific director and we don’t work hellacious hours. No 19-hour shoot days. They try to keep it to 12 hours so that everybody stays relatively healthy and rested.

Though you might have less work to do if the extras came to set already looking a little sickly.
We’ll just make ‘em look that way.

 

Neill talks more about her role as judge on the show "Face Off" in EW.

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'Mockingjay Part 1' Filming Resumes Outside Atlanta Today

The Newnan Times-Herald is reporting that Mockingjay Part 1 filming has resumed at the Caldwell Tanks in Newnan, GA as of today.

The Mockingjay crew unloading equipment at Caldwell Tanks. Photo by Clay Neely

Just weeks before the release of Catching Fire, the film crew was at Caldwell Tanks building a coliseum set in the largest of the warehouse buildings. The first shoot began on Dec. 18, which only lasted two days. Today, the filming got underway again, though it is unknown for how long they plan to film. The set is obviously closed to the public.

Thanks to the Newnan Times-Herald for the info!

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'Mockingjay Part 1' in EW's 2014 Preview Issue

There's a tiny snippet about Mockingjay Part 1 in Entertainment Weekly's 2014 Movie Preview Issue (it's the January 17, 2014 issue) but we couldn't resist posting it!

 

If you thought Catching Fire was dark, you ain't seen nothing yet. In Mockingjay Part 1, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) endures more violent loss and personal betrayal when she reluctantly becomes the face of the rebellion seeking to overthrow the Capitol. Director Francis Lawrence, returning for the two-part finale, is undaunted by the challenge of adapting the last book in Suzanne Collins' beloved trilogy. "Even though it may be the toughest, and people view it as the bleakest, " he says, "it's the story that gives meaning to all of them."

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Nominate 'Mockingjay Part 1' in the MTV Movie Brawl 2014

It's time for MTV's annual Movie Brawl and this year it's up to YOU to nominate the competitors! The Movie Brawl will determine the most anticipated film to hit theatres in 2014 - and we know that for US it's obviously Mockingjay Part 1! So, let the nominations begin!

The Details from MTV:

To kick things off, we want you to let us know what movie you're most looking forward to in 2014 through Twitter using hashtag #MTVMovieBrawl and in the comments HERE. We'll tally those votes, and release the thirty-two top vote getters on January 13 at 9 A.M. on our official MTV Movie Brawl bracket. And then it's time to let the brawling begin.

Just to be clear that it is, in fact, up the fans to decide this thing: in 2012, Robert Pattinson's Cosmopolis was the surprise winner, narrowly beating The Hunger Games. So in 2013, it was time for revenge when The Hunger Games: Catching Fire took the top spot. This year, with Pattinson reteaming with Director David Cronenberg for Maps To The Stars, will they take back the top spot from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1? Or will a third contender enter the ring?

The idea is pretty simple: 32 movies released between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 enter; one movie leaves. Until the end of January, you let MTV know by voting on the MTV Movie Brawl page what should stay and what should leave. Every few days, MTV will eliminate half the movies until one victor remains to reign supreme.

Go forth and tweet Mockingjay Part 1 with the hashtag #MTVMovieBrawl!

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'Mockingjay' Set Photos From Pullman Yard in Atlanta

A blogger from Georgia recently posted some great shots from the Mockingjay set at Pullman Yard in Atlanta, GA. The shots were taken in October when Karen from Georgia Goods decided to head up to her rooftop to see if she could get a better view of the action that was taking place across the street from her home.

We couldn't spot any of the main cast in the pics but there are lots of extras who look like citizens of one of the Districts. What do you think they were filming?

Go to Georgia Goods for more pics and thanks to QuarterQuell.org for the tip!

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Sam Claflin and Jena Malone Talk Mockingjay in Empire's 2014 Movie Preview Issue

Image by John WrightImage by Tesh/Corbis Outline

Sam Claflin and Jena Malone talk about Mockingjay and their characters Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason in Empire Magazine's 2014 Movie Preview Issue. Check out the article by Olly Richards:

When you're appearing alongside the most famous actress in the world right now, it's hard to steal much glory for yourself, but in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire both Sam Claflin and Jena Malone managed to wrestle just a little limelight from Jennifer Lawrence to become the sequel's breakout stars. And without warning to spoil anything, both are about to become even more significant in the final two films, in very different ways. Not that any of this is quite registering with Claflin, who plays the studly Finnick Odair, just yet.

"I'm still surprised they've picked me," he says, with a very British self-deprecation that is likely to serve him well in America. "Every time I see Francis I'm convinced he's not going to know who I am... I mean, I'm not the Finnick in the book. I've got brown hair, a beard, I'm a bit overweight, not 24 and I'm not seven foot... I was fully ready for the fans to hate me!"

Claflin has had a good warm-up to becoming a household name. After the old actorly cliche of a burgeoning football career truncated by injury, he slipped fairly easily into the romantic role in Snow White and The Huntsman, before The Hunger Games came calling. "It is weird that all those films are big, but I've done very little things that nobody's seen too," he says, absolutely determined that he not at any point celebrate his own achievements. "And honestly, nobody's recognizing me. Maybe it's because Finnick always has his top off. I've not been walking round much with my top off."   

Mockingjay will see less nudity and more neurosis from Finnick. "I'm honestly so scared about saying anything at all, even though, as you say, the books are out there," say Claflin. "But you see more of Finnick. No, not like THAT. More of his reasons for being how he is. Oh, you know what I mean!"

Unlike Claflin, Jena Malone has had almost two decades of being recognized, starting her acting career at the age of 11 and working consistently since in everything from Stepmom to Donnie Darko to Sucker Punch. But more often than not she's been the good, sweet girl - something her Hunger Games incarnation, Johanna Mason, would find deeply off-putting.

Read more after the jump!

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Natalie Dormer Talks 'Mockingjay Part 1'

Natalie Dormer was interviewed on the red carpet before the holidays promoting Delta's newest transatlantic flight, and she talked a little about her crazy shooting schedule for Mockingjay Part 1. Sounds like she may be back on set in Atlanta very soon.

 

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'Mockingjay Part 1' Makes 2014 Must See Lists

Mockingjay FAN ART by Grodansnagel.deviantart

Obviously WE are already totally excited about Mockingjay Part 1 (even though it's still 11 months away) and if you're here, we know you are too.  But it looks as though the rest of the world is also getting pretty excited about the movie.  Mockingjay Part 1 is starting to show up on a bunch of "Must See Movies of 2014" lists. Check out the ones we've compiled so far:

247Miami: Year Review: Top 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

AceShowbiz: Most Anticipated Movie Sequels of 2014

CBS San Francisco: Movies to See in 2014

ContactMusic: The 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2014

Den of Geek: The Top 25 Must See Movies of 2014

Digital Spy: 20 Must Watch Movies of 2014

Empire: The 100 Movies You Should See in 2014

ET Canada: 10 of the Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

Fandango.com: Movies We're Looking Forward to in 2014

Hollywood.com: Movies of 2014. What We're Looking Forward To in November

Hypable: Fourteen Movies You Must See in 2014

HitFix: 25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

International Business Times: New Year 2014: Top 6 Most Anticipated Movies

London Film Review: 30 Films to Look Out For in 2014

MetroUK: 14 Films You'll Want to Watch in 2014

Movies.com: The Most Anticipated YA Movie Adaptations of 2014

MStarz: Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

SeattleWeekly: 10 Must See Movies for 2014

Screen Rant: 20 Most Anticipated Movies 2014

SlashFilm: Angie's Most Anticipated Films of 2014

Teen: 14 Movies We're Dying to See in 2014

The Wire: Our Most Anticipated Movies of 2014

Toronto Sun: Top 10 Movies to Get Excited About in 2014

Total Film: 50 Films to Look Forward to in 2014

Wired: The Most Exciting TV, Movies and Books Coming in 2014

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Natalie Dormer one of L.A. Times "Faces To Watch in 2014"

Natalie Dormer, who will play Cressida in Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2, has just been named one of Los Angeles Times' "Faces to Watch in 2014."

From L.A. Times:

Audiences familiar with Natalie Dormer are probably accustomed to seeing her dressed up in royal garb, from the flowing gowns of Anne Boleyn on the Showtime series "The Tudors" to the ornate dresses of would-be queen Margaery Tyrell on HBO's "Game of Thrones." Next November, the 31-year-old British actress will show a different side as Cressida, the intrepid documentary filmmaker and revolutionary in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, the first installment of the series' two-part finale.

"It's such a departure for me," Dormer said, speaking on the telephone from Britain. "At the moment, people think of me in long skirts, with long brunet hair, so [it's a change] to be running around in combat trousers and flat army boots."

A role in the blockbuster series, which Dormer will reprise for "Part 2" in 2015, could spell a new level of fame for the actress, who in addition to "Game of Thrones" this year appeared in the Formula 1 racing drama "Rush" and the Ridley Scott thriller "The Counselor." She has also completed work on "Posh," director Lone Scherfig's adaptation of the Laura Wade play about an elite social club at Oxford University, as well as the indie dramas "Fencewalker" and "A Long Way From Home."



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New Mockingjay Set Photos

Photo courtesy Karen Freeman

A few new Mockingjay set photos have turned up online thanks to some fans in the Castleberry Hill area of Atlanta. What scene do you think they could be filming? It almost looks like a hovercraft claw. More of the rescue? Katniss dropping into District 12?

Photos courtesy Carrie Burns Twitter (above) and instagram (below)

 

Thanks to Karen Freeman and Carrie Burns for sharing the photos!

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PHOTOS & VIDEO: 'Mockingjay' Set at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA

Mockingjay is filming at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA again! Thanks to some observant fans we've got pictures and video of the action inside the hotel. On Location Vacations reports that one of their Twitter followers, @emileerocks13, let them know that Mockingjay was setting up to shoot a scene in the hotel. Emilee and her friend Meredith let us know that they're filming a rescue scene in The Capitol (PEETA!!) Sunday and Monday with Gale and Boggs. Scroll down to see their pic of Liam Hemsworth and Francis Lawrence on set!

Check out this blog post by Hunger Games fan Meredith about her experience at the hotel and seeing the set.

UPDATE: Our follower, Dustin was at the hotel on Monday, Dec 16th and reported the following:

Lots of extras in all black playing unconscious/dead on the Pulse set. Tons of security. Hotel staff on walkies and regular clothed film crew in the hallways. 10th floor being used again. Crew may be wrapping soon on this set. Cake was being passed around to crew.

The next 3 pics are Dustin's shots from 12/16.

Dustin's pics from Dec 16th on the Mockingjay set

Liam Hemsworth and Francis Lawrence on set

See more photos and video after the jump!

Thanks to our good friends QuarterQuell.org (who spotted it first!) and On Location Vacations for the information and @emileerocks13, @MeredithJane5 and @pheasantjumpers for the on site reporting and photos! Thanks to our good friend Tiffany from Mockingjay.net for additional photos!

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Sam Claflin in SFX Magazine

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is reviewed in the February issue of SFX magazine, and there's also a tiny little interview with our Finnick, Sam Claflin included alongside the review. Check out what Sam had to say when he spoke with SFX's Tara Bennett:

What appealed to you about playing Finnick?

That I was playing a character where I would be physically in shape and challenged with the fighting side. Finnick is also so complex, having bad points and good points, so I get to portray a character you don't quite trust.

Was the physical preparation a big change to your daily routine? Yeah, I'm English so I like beer and Christmas dinner! But what's great about working on Finnick was I had no time to eat or drink, as I was literally in the gym. It was time-consuming in a good way.

Did the fan backlash at your casting get in your head? I have to admit I'm one of those people who read things on the internet about me being cast as Finnick. It spurred me on every time someone said, "He's so ugly! I'm going to hang myself!" The fact is it made me work harder to prove them wrong. I'd like to think a lot of people have changed their perception of this English kid getting the part.

[SPOILER ALERT!] In book three, Mockingjay, Finnick meets a nasty end. Worried about that bit? Yeah, there is that. I think my brother is very excited about that scene! I can't wait to get started on the next one, to get thrown into the mix again, and to work for Francis, who I see as a pure delight to work for. It's exciting times.

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