Let the Games Begin!

After months of whirlwind casting announcements and preparation, shooting for The Hunger Games is slated to begin today in the small town of Hildebran, North Carolina (rumored to be the set of District 12). I for one am already marking the release date on my calendar! I will be at the midnight show.

For those of you who are behind the times, The Hunger Games is based on the first book in a trilogy by Suzanne Collins set in a post-apocalyptic dystopia where impoverished citizens of 12 districts under the rule of a sinister capitol are required to send randomly selected children (called “tributes”) to fight to the death on live broadcast. Enter Katniss Everdeen, an intrepid 16-year-old with a sharp tongue and some mad bow hunting skills who becomes a contestant in the Hunger Games when she steps up to take her little sister’s place. Awesomeness ensues.

The books are a quick, exciting read, and while the series has been called "the next Twilight", please don't let that fool you! Yes, the story is about teenagers and it has a huge fan base, but that's where the similarities end. The Hunger Games and its sequels are dark, complex, and extremely relevant. I spent most of my time reading in an adrenaline charged tizzy, and when I was forced to put them down for a minute (damn you work!), I continued to obsess over what would happen next. The film is set to be released March 23, 2012 (yes, I know the world is supposed to end, but I'm hoping that it will wait until December...). I highly recommend picking up those books before then. You'll thank me.

The film’s casting has been a source of heated debate since the moment the big screen adaptation was announced. After long months of speculation, Jennifer Lawrence, the 20-year-old Academy Award nominee from Winter’s Bone, officially took up Katniss’ bow. While many fans have loudly protested that she’s “too blonde” or "too old" or “too pretty” for the role, I am just relieved that the casting directors have chosen an actress worth her salt (unlike some other film adaptations that I won’t go into). She will star alongside Hollywood veterans Woody Harrelson (Haymitch; a genius piece of casting), Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman), and Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinkett) as well as rising stars Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) and Liam Hemsworth (aka Thor's little brother; Gale).

If you would like to read more, Entertainment Weekly has an interview with Jennifer Lawrence you can check out. Happy reading! May the odds ever be in your favor.