Jennifer Lawrence & 'Catching Fire' Cast Gives Details at Cannes
Although the second installment of the Hunger Games franchise was not screened at the Cannes Film Festival, fans eagerly awaiting the fall release of Catching Fire were treated to a few hints by the cast as they visited the French Riviera to promote the film.
Lionsgate screened select scenes at the festival while the cast participated in photo shoots and a Lionsgate/CoverGirl collaboration party. While fans are not privy to the footage shown during Cannes, the first trailer was released back in April and director Francis Lawrence and his cast had a few teasers to share with reporters.
The film will pick up where its predecessor left off. Following the victory of teenage heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) in the 74th annual Hunger Games, citizens of Panem are moving towards rebellion and President Snow sits in the Capital as he plots a way to use the games of the Quarter Quell to diminish the status of former victors.
"Visually it's a lot bigger this time," Jennifer Lawrence said, according to Yahoo! Screen. "We get a little deeper into the Capitol, and Katniss is trying to get her life back together after the Games, suffering from post traumatic stress."
Catching Fire sees a few newcomers to the cast. One of these is Sam Claflin who plays Finnick Odair. Asides from giving CPR to Josh Hutcherson at one point in the film, Claflin dished on the other highlights of playing Finnick and how his character fits into the already established Hunger Games universe.
"It's an epic story," Claflin said, according to the Examiner. "It's also the next installment of an already well-established film. I generally believe that, it's gonna get people talking."
Meanwhile Francis Lawrence discussed his efforts to stay true to the original novels by Suzanne Collins.
"I would say there's very little that's been taken out [from the novels]," Francis Lawrence told Yahoo! Screen. "There's some additional scenes with some of the characters, with Plutarch and Snow, so Donald Sutherland and new cast member Philip Seymour Hoffman."
Catching Fire will hit theaters Nov. 22.
