Hunger Games Fireside Chat Podcast: Recent Episodes
Hunger Games Fireside Chat
The #1 weekly Hunger Games podcast, hosted by Adam Spunberg and Savanna New, along with the top fan sites on the web. Listen LIVE every Monday at 10pm ET. www.HGFiresideChat.com
The Capitol stole our airwaves on March 23 when this show was supposed to happen, so let's come back with more fire and more bread than ever before! Monday, March 27
In a tremendously exciting episode, the Hunger Games Fireside Chat will be broadcasting live from the Hunger Games Exhibition at Discovery Times Square, as part of New York Super Week. Host Adam Spunberg will be joined by Ariel Birdoff and Kim Denny-Ryder as on-site fans ask questions and take part in some Hunger Games trivia.
See details for the event, which takes place Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 7:30-9:30 p.m., by clicking here!
Leave comments for us to discuss on the show and see the full episode info on our website, here!
Some of us were lucky enough to attend an early preview of The Hunger Games Exhibition at Discovery Times Square, featuring an amazing collection of costumes, props, and interactive features from The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay: Part 1. Now, the exhibit is open to everyone!
We are extremely excited to share our experience with all of you, in addition to covering all the news related to the exhibition. We will also have a very special guest: Dean O’Carroll, author of The Humor Games, a friendly parody of The Hunger Games series. See more info here, and read a big selection of the play here. You won’t want to miss this one!
We are eager to hear what you think about the exhibition and The Humor Games — and to answer any questions you might have — so please leave a comment on our website!
Can you believe Mockingjay: Part 2 is just five months away? Neither can we. To all our old fans and future listeners, please join us as we do another one of our "famous" second-by-second, obsessive breakdowns of the new 'Mockingjay Part 2' trailer. We are absolutely salivating to know what YOU think about the new trailer, so please leave a comment on our website, and don't be afraid to express your feelings!
In addition, we will talk/come to grips with the end of shooting, reflecting on what an extraordinary franchise this has become and how wonderful it has been to be part of this fandom. How could we not be touched by the tweets from Nina Jacobson and Francis Lawrence? This has been our journey almost as much as it has been theirs, and we hope you jump on board for the final stretch.
What are we going to talk about? The movie OF COURSE! We’ll share our thoughts on how true to the text it was, on the acting, on the directing, on the cinematography, and on anything else we can possibly discuss. We’ll also talk about the box office performance, which has been below the first two films but still nothing to be ashamed of.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE MOVIE?? Share it all in the comments on our website!
Well, the title of this episode says it all. There are premieres happening, new TV spots, stills exploding across the internet, interviews galore. There’s so much to talk about, we’re not even going to structure it. This episode will be an ABSOLUTE FREE-FOR-ALL!
How do you feel about the world premiere being in London again? Are you excited for the movie?? Tell us in the comments on our website!
Has fan reaction been so unified against the song, “This is Not a Game,” the conglomeration of The Chemical Brothers, Miguel, and Lorde? We will also talk about the majestic new TV spot, “Most Anticipated Event,” that has dazzled many HD screens and the District Voices campaign.
Do you like “This is Not a Game?” What did you think of the TV spot? Don’t hold back — speak your mind in the comments section! on our website!
The Hunger Games franchise has been synonymous with many colors. President Snow’s white roses. District 12’s black coal mines. Katniss’s orange backpack, which we have popularized on this show in the past. Now, we add Lorde’s “Yellow Flicker Beat” to the spectrum and discuss the quality of its hue. We are chomping at the bit to know what YOU think about Lorde's song, so please leave a comment on our website!
Our love for the Hunger Games franchise may have withstood the test of time, but we have all gone through several transformations, both as participants and as spectators. The same can be said for certain characters in the story, such as Effie, and in this episode, we juxtapose our own changes with those of the characters. We are eager to know what YOU think about the changes within the fandom, so please leave a comment on our website! In addition, we will continue our discussion of Luly's piece on whether there's a lack of critical discussion in the fandom today.
In a bombastic return to the airwaves, we do one of our "famous" second-by-second, obsessive breakdowns of the new 'Mockingjay Part I' trailer. We are dying to know what YOU think about the new trailer, so please leave a comment on our website, and don't hold back! In addition, we discuss Luly's piece on whether there's a lack of critical discussion in the fandom today.
After over a year of waiting, Catching Fire is out for the world to see! We spend Episode 130 discussing the film in-depth: What did we like? What didn't we like? What book-to-movie changes did we especially enjoy? Etc. Spoilers abound, of course, so if you have not yet seen Catching Fire, you may want to wait to listen to this one. If you have any specific talking points that you think we should address, just leave a comment over on our site. We also look at the sequel's box office performance thus far.
Catching Fire Week is finally here! Can you believe it? We certainly can't! We'll be seeing Catching Fire on Monday, November 18, which is why this episode has been scheduled for the following night (Tuesday the 19th). We'll spend the entirety of Episode 129 offering up as spoiler-free a review as possible, sharing our initial impressions and reactions and letting you know what to expect! If you have any specific questions about the film that you'd like us to answer during Episode 129, just leave a comment over on our website. Please keep in mind that we do want to keep this review spoiler-free, so don't ask anything too detailed!
In Episode 128 of Fireside Chat, we reflect on the night's events at the world premiere of Catching Fire in London and take a look at some early reviews. We also chat about the latest Catching Fire clips to have been released and weigh in on a particularly sticky subject: the [very real] possibility of a Hunger Games theme park. Please leave a comment over on our website and let us know what you think about this idea.
Since our last unscripted episode wasn't quite as unscripted as we'd hoped given the new Catching Fire TV spot and TheCapitol.PN relaunch, we figured we might as well have a little fun before the premiere next week! We'll spend the whole night pulling all sorts of thought-provoking and crazy topics out of our trusty grab bag/topic cornucopia. We'll also briefly chat about our experience interviewing Sam Claflin and Jena Malone on Sunday. Update: Did we jinx ourselves or something? Subway just unveiled another new Catching Fire TV spot set to "We Remain" by Christina Aguilera and...oh, the feels! As we write this, we're still teary-eyed. Mags! Johanna! So, yes, we will absolutely be discussing this new TV spot. Update #2: Below you'll find a list of all the topics we pulled from our grab bag! - From Marce: Do you think if Peeta hadn't been hijacked that he and Katniss would have been together from that point forward? - From Satsuma: If Peeta hadn't been reaped for the Games, would he have volunteered? - From Anonymous: Where is Cinna from? The Capitol? District 8? District 12? - From 4LoveIsStronger: If you could spend a whole day with a tribute from the 75th Hunger Games (excluding Katniss and Peeta), who would it be?
In a special Tuesday night episode, we do one of our "famous" second-by-second, obsessive breakdowns of the new (and final) Catching Fire trailer. The arena! The locket! The fog! Monkey mutts! Jabberjays! We discuss it all. Obviously, we want to know what YOU think about the new trailer, so please leave a comment on our website and let all your thoughts and emotions out! We also chat briefly about the latest stills released in Us Weekly and People.
In Episode 125 of Fireside Chat, we compare the first film in the Hunger Games franchise with what we've seen of Catching Fire thus far. With its bigger budget, improved CGI (Weta, anyone?), and reassuring quotes/decisions from director Francis Lawrence, it seems as though we're in store for something truly grand come November 22. Some even believe that Catching Fire has the power to surpass $1 billion in worldwide ticket sales. But is bigger necessarily better? In recent weeks, many fans have been quick to praise Lawrence while being very vocally negative about Gary Ross and The Hunger Games. Is this fair? How have our own opinions of the first movie changed since March of 2012? We discuss. (Of course, we also want to know what you think. So leave a comment on our website with your thoughts on the topic and let us know if/how your perceptions of The Hunger Games and Gary Ross have changed now that you've gotten a good taste of what to expect from Francis Lawrence.)
We haven't done an unscripted show since July, so we figured it was time for another one! In Episode 124 of Fireside Chat, we spend the first few minutes chatting about the newly relaunched TheCapitol.PN and how it compares to last year's version. We also talk about THE NEW CATCHING FIRE TV SPOT which debuted online tonight on Walmart's Facebook page. And then, in lieu of a planned agenda, we spend the rest of the evening pulling all sorts of thought-provoking and crazy topics out of our trusty grab bag/topic cornucopia. If you'd like to submit a topic or share your thoughts on TheCapitol.PN and the new TV spot, just leave a comment on our website. Update! Topics we pulled out tonight: - What would the characters from the trilogy dress up as for Halloween (if they celebrated)? - If you could swap two members of the cast (and have them switch roles), who would they be? - If any place on Earth could be used for a filming location, what would have been the best place to shoot? - Buttercup is now orange (like he should be)!
In Episode 123 of Fireside Chat, we share our thoughts on the latest additions to the cast of the Mockingjay films: Wes Chatham as Castor, Elden Henson as Pollux, Omid Abtahi as Homes, and Misty and Kim Ormiston as Leeg 1 and Leeg 2. We also discuss the full track list for the Catching Fire soundtrack (revealed on September 26) and weigh in on Christina Aguilera's "We Remain," Sia's "Elastic Heart," and The Lumineers' "Gale Song." Time permitting, we spend the remainder of the show offering up opinions on the final Catching Fire poster, the new Entertainment Weekly covers, and all of the new stills released over the past couple of weeks. We'd love to know your thoughts on any or all of these topics, so if you'd like to share, please leave a comment over on our website!
In Episode 122 of Fireside Chat, we welcome not one, not two, but THREE new Mockingjay cast members to the Hunger Games family! We share our thoughts on Lily Rabe as Commander Lyme, Patina Miller as Commander Paylor, and Mahershala Ali as Boggs. Let us know what YOU think about these casting decisions by leaving a comment over on our website. (Reminder: We're one of 75 official Lionsgate partners giving away tickets to the U.S. premiere of Catching Fire! Our contest closes on 9/23/13 at 11:59pm ET. Click here for more details and to find out how to enter.)
Due to technical difficulties, we have had to pull the audio for this episode. If we are able to restore it, we will let you know on our social media channels and website. (Click here to read our transcribed interview with The Hungry Hungry Games.) In Episode 121 of Fireside Chat, we speak with the creators of The Hungry Hungry Games, a new [unofficial] live parody of The Hunger Games that's currently touring the country. We then go on to celebrate the news that Julianne Moore will be playing President Alma Coin in both installments of Mockingjay. Let us know your thoughts on this casting decision by leaving a comment on our website! FYI: We're giving away tickets to the U.S. premiere of Catching Fire! For more details and to find out how to enter, click here.
In Episode 120 of Fireside Chat, we share our thoughts on Coldplay's "Atlas," the first song released from the Catching Fire soundtrack. Please leave a comment on our website and let us know what you think about the song! We also talk about our third bit of Mockingjay casting news: Evan Ross is Messalla! Lastly, we chat about the 20 new Catching Fire character images that were released at The Hunger Games Explorer last Friday. Let us know which one is your favorite!
In Episode 119 of Fireside Chat, we react to not one, but TWO pieces of Mockingjay casting news! Firstly: Natalie Dormer is Cressida! Natalie is best known for playing Margaery Tyrell on the hit HBO series Game of Thrones. Do you approve of this choice? Do you think she'll actually shave her head for the role? And secondly: Stef Dawson has been cast as Annie Cresta! Stef is an up-and-coming Australian actress, and if you’d like to get a taste of her acting, we strongly recommend you check out her showreel. What do you think about Stef? Does she match your mental image of Annie?
In Episode 118 of Fireside Chat, we talk about one of the Catching Fire book-to-film changes that was recently revealed by Entertainment Weekly: Peeta will be able to swim. While Peeta knowing how to swim isn't really a big deal, many fans are upset about a comment Francis Lawrence made to EW when discussing this and other changes: "We made some changes to Peeta's narrative," says Francis Lawrence. "We manned him up a little." Why do Lawrence and those involved in the film franchise think Peeta needs to be "manned up"? How do we feel about this? How do YOU feel about this? Let us know! We also weigh in on the news that Coldplay will be releasing the first song from the Catching Fire soundtrack!
In Episode 117 of Fireside Chat, we go unscripted again! We spend the duration of the show pulling all sorts of listener-submitted topics out of our grab bag (a.k.a. "the topic cornucopia"). Who knows what interesting, funny, and bizarre things we'll end up discussing! Feel free to leave a comment over on our website if you have a topic you'd like to submit! (Update: See below for a list of the topics we pulled from the grab bag!) From Gaby N.: How much money do you think Catching Fire will gross at the box office? Do you think it will end up being the number one film of the year like the Wall Street Journal predicted? - From Satsuma: Would Gale have approved of Coin's proposal to throw Capitol kids into the Hunger Games at the end of Mockingjay? - From Emily D.: If you had a chance to be a Hunger Games character for a day, who would you be? - From Paulina: Do you have any ideas for future Quarter Quells? - From Anna: What do you think Capitol citizens do for the majority of the year, when the Hunger Games aren't happening?
In Episode 116 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off with a very brief recap of some of the Hunger Games-related events at Comic-Con. We then spend the rest of the show doing a second-by-second analysis and discussion of the new Catching Fire trailer, which debuted on Saturday at Comic-Con and online at Yahoo! Movies. Be sure to leave a comment at our website and let us know what you think of the new trailer after you watch it!
In Episode 115 of Fireside Chat, we talk about Lionsgate's new partnership with Subway and whether or not we support it, given the content of the Hunger Games trilogy. We also discuss and analyze the brand new still released in Entertainment Weekly's Comic-Con 2013 preview issue! This new image has given us our very first glimpse of some of the other victors in-character, which is quite exciting. And lastly, we discuss the OTHER new still which was released exclusively at Yahoo! today. Thoughts on Katniss and Peeta’s costumes? What about Effie’s butterfly dress? Let us know what you think of the Subway partnership and the new stills by leaving a comment over on our website! We'll read as many of your comments as possible during the show.
In Episode 114 of Fireside Chat, we talk with the incredibly talented creators of The Katniss Chronicles about Part II of their unofficial audio drama adaptation of the Hunger Games trilogy! We then go on to discuss Catching Fire's presence at Comic-Con and make predictions about the second trailer, which is set to debut at Lionsgate's panel on the 20th. (You could also consider it the first trailer, since what was released in April was technically a "teaser.") If you have a question you'd like to ask the TKC crew OR if you want to share a trailer prediction, head on over to our website and leave a comment!
(If you haven't read Mockingjay, you should probably stop reading this now.) In Episode 113 of Fireside Chat, we continue our series of Mockingjay casting episodes by talking about who we think should play/could play President Alma Coin, the duplicitous leader of District 13. We discuss fan favorites, our personal favorites, and YOUR favorites. Let us know your thoughts on casting Coin by leaving a comment at our web site! We also address Deadline's recent report that Julianne Moore is being considered for the role (this is, of course, a rumor -- until proven otherwise!). Additionally, if there's time, we try to answer the question: Did Katniss have to kill Coin? (Leave your personal response over on our website!)
In Episode 112 of Fireside Chat, we continue our series of Mockingjay casting episodes by talking about who we think should play/could play Annie Cresta and Tigris. We discuss fan favorites, our personal favorites, and YOUR favorites. Let us know who you'd love to see in these roles by leaving a comment on our website. We also speak more generally about both characters and the roles they each play in the trilogy. If you have any specific Annie and Tigris-related topics you'd like us to address, leave a comment and let us know!
In Episode 111 of Fireside Chat, we kick off our Mockingjay casting series by talking all about one of the most important figures in the final installment of the trilogy: Boggs! We discuss fan favorites, our favorites, your favorites, and the qualities that we think our future Boggs should exhibit. Leave a comment on our website and let us know who YOUR "dream Boggs" is and why! Additionally, we play a round of What's in the Backpack? and try to stump our panelists using YOUR submissions!
It's time to go unscripted again! As with all our "Unscripted" episodes, we have no plan or agenda in place for Episode 110. Instead, we spend the whole evening pulling all sorts of listener-submitted topics out of our grab bag. Feel free to leave a comment over on our website or tweet us if you have a topic you'd like to submit for us to add to our "topic cornucopia"! Also, at the start of the show, we chat with the incredibly talented Jessica from Down with the Capitol about the Hunger Games musical she's been developing for the last year or so: From Nightmares to Nightlock. Update: A list of the topics we pulled appears below! - Are you pleased so far with Francis Lawrence's directing (taking into consideration what we've seen so far)? - Were there more Hunger Games with Paylor as president? - Do you think, from the knowledge of survival you garnered from reading the trilogy, that you could survive for three nights in the forest? - How long do you think the Catching Fire movie will be? How much time do you think will be devoted to each "segment" of the film? - Do you think Prim's death was necessary? Or was it just to make the choice easier for Katniss? - Would you rather be able to reread and experience the trilogy again for the "first time," or give that opportunity to others by telling your friends about the trilogy? - Did Snow/the Gamemakers orchestrate Annie's win after Finnick finally agreed to do something for them?
In Episode 109 of Fireside Chat, we dish on the brand new spring issue of Capitol Couture (the title of which is "Chroma Nouveau," hence the name of this episode). We also discuss a very important detail that was revealed on the bottom of the latest Catching Fire poster (major thanks to The Hob for catching it). Lastly, we weigh in on all the latest Mockingjay filming location rumors!
In Episode 108 of Fireside Chat, we weigh in on the news that COVERGIRL has partnered with Lionsgate to launch an advertising campaign and makeup collection inspired by the Capitol. In light of this announcement and the lavish Capitol-themed Catching Fire party at Cannes, many fans have begun to wonder if Lionsgate's "glorification" of the Capitol has gone too far. What do you think?Do things like the COVERGIRL collection, Capitol Couture, and last year's China Glaze nail polish line detract from the important messages contained within the Hunger Games trilogy? Or are they simply fun marketing strategies that we shouldn't worry about? We spend the latter portion of the show discussing the recent outbreak of "Peeta Paranoia" that has taken over large segments of the fandom. Peeta hasn't been very visible in Catching Fire promotions thus far; is this a sign that his role is being significantly reduced for the movies? A lot of people seem to think so. We try to put this worry to rest.
In Episode 107 of Fireside Chat, we interview author and survivalist Creek Stewart about his new book, The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide. We also chat about the new Catching Fire poster, which was unveiled last week via Lionsgate's official Hunger Games Instagram account. To conclude, we discuss Chaff's characterization in The Hunger Games Adventures and the fact that he does not appear to be missing a hand in the game. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the poster and/or Chaff's hand.Leave a comment at our website and we may read it during the show!
In Episode 106 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by chatting with Kimmy from Mockingjay.net and Aldrin of Down with the Capitol about how YOU GUYS can become part of the official Catching Fire book trailer. Watch the video here for more details! We share our own responses to the sentence starters they provide: I love The Hunger Games because... The best thing about Catching Fire is... Everyone should read Catching Fire because... Then we make the most of this period of no news by spending the rest of the evening playing a ton of fun games with our panelists! We play What's in the Backpack? and Reverse It, challenge our panelists with an especially difficult set of Would You Rather scenarios, and also do a round of Catching Fire Pick a Page.
It's time for another unscripted episode of Hunger Games Fireside Chat! We have no set plan in place for Episode 105. We do, however, have a "topic cornucopia" teeming with listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, etc. Update: A list of the topics we pulled appears below. - Banan: When is the new trailer coming out?- Satsuma: Did the Capitol doctors choose not to save Peeta's leg in order to punish him?- Do you think Peeta was the same after he recovered from being hijacked? - Matilda: What happened to Beetee, Johanna, Enobaria, Annie, etc., after Coin's assassination?- Crackpot Theory: Gale only existed in Katniss's mind.- What if Peeta had been killed at the Cornucopia?- Nicole: What if Gale had been reaped instead of Peeta?- Ashley B.: In the book, [Finnick's death] was so rushed. What if in the movie they made him die in a different way or took out his death altogether?- Crackpot Theory (from Lola): Did District 13 bomb District 8 in order to make a good propo?- Maura: How did Plutarch, who in Mockingjay is on the side of the rebellion and working with District 13, become the new Head Gamemaker?- Gregory: What inspired Suzanne Collins to base the arena off of a clock?- Crackpot Theory: Cinna is alive.
In Episode 104 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the latest news concerning the filming dates and locations for the two Mockingjay films (Atlanta? Boston? Los Angeles?). We also chat about the stills released at The Hunger Games Explorer that were NOT featured in the teaser trailer: Katniss hugging Prim; Plutarch in Snow's office. Next, we share our thoughts on the possibility of Catching Fire footage being shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May. In celebration of the Catching Fire teaser trailer's one-week anniversary, we conclude by challenging our panelists and listeners with a round of Ridiculously Difficult Teaser Trailer Trivia!
In Episode 103 of Fireside Chat, we spend the show doing a second-by-second, frame-by-frame analysis of the very first Catching Fire teaser trailer! The teaser is set to debut this Sunday night at the MTV Movie Awards, so make sure you tune in to see it! It will also be released online at The Hunger Games Explorer. Please leave a comment over at our website after you've watched the teaser and let us know what you think!
In Episode 102 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the news that the first Catching Fire teaser trailer will debut on Sunday, April 14, at the MTV Movie Awards. Why is it being called a teaser when it's purportedly two and a half minutes long? We also weigh in on and analyze the 10-second preview of the teaser that MTV released last Wednesday. Additionally, we try and guess what The Hunger Games Explorer might be. To wrap things up, we do a round of Catching Fire Pick a Page! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the teaser tease, so leave a comment on our website by clicking here!
In Episode 101 of Fireside Chat, we finish answering the questions you submitted last week about us, the show, etc. We also briefly chat about our 100 Things to Do Before Catching Fire video and the 100th Episode Celebration Giveaway that we're currently running. We go on to discuss some random "news-but-not-really-news" items: Rebel Wilson's possible Mockingjay role, Willow Shields' pronunciation of Johanna's name, the appearance of Victor's Village in The Hunger Games Adventures, and the possibility of Jennifer Lawrence being included on the TIME 100 list. (ANNOUNCEMENT: At some point on Tuesday afternoon, the Capitol hacked into our Fireside Chat databases and erased the last 30 minutes of this episode because they believed our Rebel Wilson discussion was actually about a rebel named Wilson. We have not yet found a way to recover the lost audio, so our conversations about Jennifer Lawrence's TIME 100 nomination and the representation of Victor's Village in The Hunger Games Adventures are, sadly, lost forever.)
In Episode 100 of Fireside Chat, we celebrate our 100th episode and the one-year anniversary of the first film's theatrical release. We look back at some of our favorite Fireside Chat moments and guests, answer YOUR questions, play a fun Jeopardy-style trivia game that pits our panelists against each other, and reexamine our feelings about the movie now that we've had a year to properly digest it. If you'd like to submit a question about the show, about us, or about our panelists, click here and leave a comment on our promo.
It's finally time for another Fireside Recs episode! Since casting for the Divergent movie is finally beginning to wrap up, we figured Veronica Roth's YA dystopian series would make a fitting choice for this week's discussion! We spend the first half of Episode 99 talking about Divergent: why some of us like it/why some of us don't, why it's so popular amongst fans of The Hunger Games, what we think about the casting choices for the film adaptation, etc. Ashley from Divergent Lexicon will be joining us for this discussion, and we're very excited to have her! The rest of the show focuses on the IMDb topic that we had to postpone a couple of weeks ago. Remember when we found Trexler Hoverhound and other similarly mysterious characters on the Hunger Games IMDb page? Now it's time to take a look at Catching Fire's IMDb entry! Who is "Gamekeeper Disciple"? What about "District 4 Family Member"? Does the presence of a "District 11 Rioter" mean we're going to see another D11 riot scene? While these roles are all clearly background/extra roles added to the page by the actors themselves, they may shed some light on what we can expect to see in November. (Thanks to Satsuma for this suggestion!)
In Episode 98 of Fireside Chat, we spend the entirety of the show discussing the new Capitol Portraits! Nine more portraits featuring Haymitch, Cinna, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Finnick, Johanna, Beetee, and President Snow were unveiled by various media outlets last week. Lionsgate actually gave us the opportunity to exclusively release Beetee's portrait along with the other Capitol Tastemakers, which was a pretty incredible -- and nerve-wracking -- experience! Our discussion focuses on: our first look at Jeffrey Wright and Jena Malone in character as Beetee and Johanna, respectively; Trish Summerville's costumes; Katniss's wedding dress (the dress was confirmed to be the wedding dress by Trish Summerville in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter); what the choice of featured characters may reveal about Catching Fire marketing (and the film itself); the significance of the roses. As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment at our website [briefly] telling us what you think of the portraits. Be sure to vote in our poll as well!
In Episode 97 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by talking about the first Capitol Portraits! On February 26, Capitol Couture posted a mysterious image of a chair on their new Instagram account with the following caption: Always Elegant. Always Prompt. Join us on March 4. #LadiesFirst On At 1pm ET today, Lionsgate unveiled a "Capitol portrait" of a very pink Effie Trinket seated in the teal chair along with a tease for a second portrait. The second portrait, which was released by Fandango at 6pm ET, features Caesar Flickerman seated in an ornate yellow chair. We discuss both! Next, we share our teaser predictions. What do we think we'll see in the teaser? What do we want to see in the teaser? When do we think the teaser will be released? Leave a comment on our website with YOUR teaser wish lists!
In Episode 96 of Fireside Chat, we start things off by quickly recapping last night's Oscars ceremony and congratulating Jennifer Lawrence on her Oscar win! Next, we're joined by Fong Sam, organizer of Haxbee Inc. and Blacksparrow Auctions' Hunger Games Costume Exhibit & Auction! The exhibit starts touring the country on March 1st, and we let you know where and how you can see it! We also chat with Fong about the auction and whether or not fans on a budget will be able to participate. For our main topic, we discuss the two beautiful Victory Tour posters that Lionsgate released on Friday! The debut of these posters officially marked the start of Catching Fire publicity, and we're more than a little excited! Leave a comment on our site and let us know what you think of the posters. Which one is your favorite? How do they compare to the early marketing materials we saw with The Hunger Games? We try to share as many of your comments as possible! Lastly, it looks like Capitol Couture will be returning soon! The website -- CapitolCouture.PN -- was recently updated and it looks like something is on the way. What sorts of things do we think Capitol Couture will feature this year?
In Episode 95 of Fireside Chat, we go "Unscripted"! We haven't done a fully unscripted show since Halloween, so we're very excited to have some unpredictable and off-the-cuff fun. As with all our "Unscripted" shows, we have no set plan or agenda in place for Episode 95. We do, however, have a grab bag full of listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and Cave/Marry/Kills. We choose topics from the grab bag (or "topic cornucopia") at random and discuss, debate, and speculate! Update: Below you'll find a list of all the topics we pulled out of the grab bag! Thanks to everyone who has submitted topics over the last year or so. - From Allison: Did District 13 become a "valid" district again after the rebellion? Did it stay underground? - From Tess: Do you think that they'd celebrate Halloween in the districts? Or would it be a purely Capitol affair? And if so, what costumes do you think they'd have? Dead tributes or victors maybe (for in the Capitol)? (This led to a discussion on holidays and religion in Panem.) - Crackpot Theory from Stephanie: Seneca Crane and Johanna Mason were romantically involved. - Survival Challenge: Which of the following can kill you? (a) frostbite (b) sunburn (c) hypothermia - From Ysa: What if Haymitch and Plutarch were able to save both Peeta and Katniss from the arena? - If you could ask Suzanne Collins ONE question about the series, what would it be? - Cave, Marry, Kill: Plutarch Heavensbee, Seneca Crane, Beetee
In Episode 94 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by talking about the decision to cut Bonnie, Twill, and Darius from the film adaptation of Catching Fire, a change that Francis Lawrence revealed in his interview in Entertainment Weekly's 2013 preview issue. We also talk about Francis Lawrence's recent interview with MTV, in which he talked about casting Finnick, "honing Haymitch," and filming the arena scenes. In Welcome to District 12's latest Mockingjay Mock-up, they explore ways in which the series epilogue might be translated from page to screen. They also address the possibility that the epilogue might not be included at all! We share our thoughts on the matter. If there's time remaining, we'll go grab baggin'. Update: We pulled a topic out of our grab bag that was submitted by Tess! Her question: Would you rather compete in the 74th or 75th arena?
In Episode 93 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by sharing some of your comments about the Entertainment Weekly cover and Catching Fire stills. Ellie from Down with the Capitol fills us in on her experience as an audience member during Jennifer Lawrence's episode of Saturday Night Live. She also makes a special announcement about Victory Tour 2013. We then discuss the news that Jennifer Lawrence shared in a recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph: There's still more Catching Fire filming to be done! Principal photography will apparently continue and then officially wrap sometime in March. We also talk about the surprising announcement that On Location Vacations made on Friday, January 25, about Catching Fire filming for two days in Ringwood State Park, NJ. Why New Jersey? And why now? We share our thoughts! In light of several recent discussions surrounding the release of the Entertainment Weekly cover, we attempt to answer the question: Why is Finnick such an important character? We also speculate about how Effie's character might be changed for the films. At 10:45pm ET, we are joined by Valerie Estelle Frankel, author of Katniss the Cattail: An Unauthorized Guide to Names and Symbols in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. If you have any questions for Valerie, leave a comment on our website.
In Episode 92 of Fireside Chat, we freak out over Entertainment Weekly's 2013 preview issue, which hit stands on the 11th and gave us our very first glimpse at Catching Fire. The issue features a "first look" Catching Fire cover, seven exclusive stills/photos from the film and set, and an extensive article that includes interviews with the cast and creators. We talk about ALL OF THIS. Other topics include a brief recap of the 2013 People's Choice Awards and our thoughts on this year's Oscar nominations and why The Hunger Games didn't receive any. We would love to hear your thoughts on the EW cover, the stills, and the accompanying article, so please tweet us or leave a comment on our site sharing your opinions.
In Episode 91 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by weighing in on the recently revealed "official" location of District 3 (pictured here). As we've discussed on past shows, the makers of The Hunger Games Adventures -- the franchise's official Facebook game -- have been slowly unlocking each district on an "official" map of Panem. What do you think about the location of District 3? Are you beginning to question the validity of this "official" map? Let us know your thoughts! We next look ahead to the Year that Catches Fire, sharing the moments we're most looking forward to in 2013 -- aside from the theatrical release of Catching Fire, of course. As we hinted on last week's show, we also spend a bit of time comparing The Hunger Games to Les Misérables. If you've observed any parallels between the two, let us know.
Well, we've made it to the end of another year. And what a year it's been! Our first episode of 2012 was called "The Year of The Hunger Games," and that definitely ended up being a pretty accurate moniker. It's hard to believe everything that's happened over the last 360-something days! We kick off Episode 90 -- our last episode of 2012 -- by celebrating the end of Catching Fire filming. Woohoo! Adam and Savanna then share their Top 5 Hunger Games Moments of 2012 and play some short clips from past episodes that correspond to each of those moments. Our panelists will also share some of their top moments of 2012. (Reminder: Don't forget to enter our The Hunger Games 12 Days of Christmas giveaway!)
In Episode 89 of Fireside Chat, we start out by discussing The Hunt, a new Hunger Games-style reality show that has been ordered by the CW. EW has summarized the show as follows: "In 'The Hunt,' 12 teams of two are dropped into the wilderness without food, water or shelter. They must compete in a game where they'll rely on their physicality, survival skills and hunting skills to endure the harsh conditions and 'capture' one another." What do you think? Is this a bad idea? Are you horrified and/or disturbed? Or do you think it sounds like a fun concept? We then do a round of Catching Fire Pick a Page, so get your books ready! We spend the rest of the show pulling topics out of our grab bag. Update: All the topics we pulled out of our grab bag are listed below! Did Katniss and Peeta name their children in a Harry Potter manner after their dead loved ones? (from Matilda) Would you rather face off against Cato or wrestle Thresh? (from McKenna K.) Crackpot Theory: Johanna and Finnick were dating before the Quarter Quell. (from McKenna K.)
It's time for another installment of Fireside Recs! In Episode 88 of Fireside Chat, we talk all about J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, since the movie opens in the U.S. on the 14th. We also briefly chat about Josh Hutcherson's fake head injury, which you can see in some new photos from Hawaii that popped up online last week (we're linking to them at our website, if you'd like to go check them out). Lastly, in light of the news that both "Safe & Sound" and "Abraham's Daughter" have been nominated for Grammy Awards, we chat a bit about the Catching Fire soundtrack. Do we think they'll do another companion-style album this time around? What do we think the tone of that album might be like? What artists would we like to see featured?
In Episode 87 of Fireside Chat, after briefly weighing in on the news that the arena scenes will be filmed in IMAX, we will spend the rest of the show discussing all of the new Catching Fire set photos that sent the fandom into a frenzy this week. As you know, Catching Fire is now filming in Hawaii and will be there until December 22-ish. (FYI: We're currently linking to all the set photos on our website for those of you who haven't seen them.) Some things we focus on include the arena outfits, the weapons, Jena Malone's hair, the missing mockingjay pin, and other little details that you'll spot if you look closely at all the pictures! If you haven't already, leave a comment on our website letting us know what you think about the photos. What things stood out to you? Do you feel more excited after seeing Jennifer, Josh, Sam, Lynn, and Jena in character? Any complaints? Any questions?
In Episode 86 of Fireside Chat, we spend the first half of the show talking about the Catching Fire motion poster, which was unveiled by Lionsgate last Tuesday! At 10:30pm, we chat with author V. Arrow about her new guide to the trilogy, The Panem Companion. Leah Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of Smart Pop Books, also joins us. For more information about The Panem Companion, please visit our website at HGFiresideChat.com. We finish with a couple of grab bag topics, time permitting. (Update: We pulled out one topic from Katie Ross which asked us why we think Haymitch didn't want Katniss and Peeta to know about the planned arena escape.)
In Episode 85 of Fireside Chat, we spend the first half of the show talking about the Catching Fire logo and tagline, both of which were revealed before midnight showings of Breaking Dawn - Part 2 on Thursday night/Friday morning. For those of you who haven't yet seen it, the tagline is: Every revolution begins with a spark. The rest of the show will be filled with grab bag action, since we won't be doing an "Unscripted" episode this month. Update: We pulled the following topics out of our grab bag: - Cave/Marry/Kill: Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Katniss Everdeen (from Tess) - "In the first Games, when Peeta is running with the Careers, they kill the girl who started the fire below Katniss's tree. But her cannon doesn't sound, so they send Peeta back to finish her. Do you think he killed her? And if so, how?" (from Emily 414)
In Episode 84 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by touching on an interesting bit of news that broke last week: The new X-Men movie, which was due to start filming in January, has now pushed production back to April. Will this give Catching Fire some more breathing room? Does this mean that Gary Ross could have directed Catching Fire? Will this interfere with the filming of the Mockingjay movies? We also weigh in on a recent article published by io9.com: "Could The Hunger Games Get Published Today"? We then launch our new series, Fireside Recs, and discuss Ally Condie's Matched trilogy.
In Episode 83 of Fireside Chat, we spend the first part of the show talking about the unexpected news that broke last Thursday: Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence will also be directing both Mockingjay films! We then move on to a variety of political topics since Election Day is this Tuesday for those of us who live in the United States. Based on their views and ours, who would make a better president of Panem: Obama or Romney? And who would be a better president of the U.S.: Snow or Coin? How do we think elections are conducted in Panem? To wrap things up, Ellie from Down with the Capitol clears up some confusion surrounding the changes that have been made to Victory Tour 2013, and we finally give Lyme some airtime.
Happy Halloween (a few days in advance)! It's time for our monthly "Unscripted" episode! We have no set plan or agenda in place for Episode 82. Instead, we spend the evening pulling listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and Cave/Marry/Kills out of our trusty grab bag. We choose topics from the grab bag (or “topic cornucopia”) at random and discuss, debate, and speculate! You're always welcome to send us a topic for the grab bag by emailing us or leaving us a comment at our website (HGFiresideChat.com). Update: All the topics we pulled out of the grab bag are listed below! - Which Catching Fire tributes would you most like to have with you if you had to spend the night in a haunted house? (from Vaultmaster) - What would the Mellark bakery sell during Halloween? (from Tess) - Many people think that if Katniss didn't go into the Games, she would have eventually married Gale. Do you agree? Or were Gale and Katniss never suited for a romantic relationship? More importantly, would Katniss have been able to overcome her stated fear/aversion of marriage and kids with Gale? (from Satsuma) - Were the Districts and the Capitol renamed [after the rebellion]? (from Matilda) - What if: Cato and Clove were the star-crossed lovers? (from McKenna)
In Episode 81 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by weighing in on the news that Elizabeth Banks broke last week on her blog: Danny Strong is officially in as screenwriter for both Mockingjay films and has already begun work on them! Next, we discuss all the latest Catching Fire set photos (links can be found in the promo for Episode 81 at our website). We also talk about the differences we've already observed between this production and that of The Hunger Games. To conclude, we take a look at Vulture's recently published list of the Top 25 Most Devoted Fan Bases. The Hunger Games fandom was ranked #7. Do we agree with this ranking and their breakdown of the fandom? Is the average demographic really "[f]emale, teen, or teen at heart"? We discuss!
In Episode 80 of Fireside Chat, we spend most of the show chatting about all the new Catching Fire set photos that popped up online over the last week (as well as some older ones that we forgot to discuss on Episode 79). Links to all of the photos -- which reveal the new Peacekeeper uniforms, some Capitol vehicles, the District 6 reaping, and more -- can be found in the Episode 80 promo at HGFiresideChat.com. We also give you an update on Victory Tour 2013 and go grab baggin'!
In Episode 79 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by chatting about the latest filming-related updates: the newest set photos and extras casting calls, etc. We then discuss Jo Willems, the new cinematographer, and Danny Strong, who will -- allegedly -- be writing the scripts for both Mockingjay films (this is still a rumor at this point). To conclude, we make some "New Movie Observations" and talk about the sad Hob lady and Peeta's walking stick.
On Episode 78 of Fireside Chat, we spend most of the show talking about last week's MAJOR news: Lionsgate finally revealed the rest of the Catching Fire cast! We now know who will be playing Blight, Woof, Cecelia, the morphlings, and all the other unnamed victors. We also talk about the fact that the much-hyped Mystery Woman is actually Mrs. Everdeen. Do we think this was Lionsgate's original plan? Was the fandom foolish to get so overly excited about the unnamed female silhouette? To conclude, we play a movie-themed edition of The Sound of Hunger!
It's that time again! We weren't able to do an "Unscripted" episode last month due to the barrage of Catching Fire news, so this is well overdue. We have no set plan or agenda in place for Episode 77. We do, however, have a grab bag full of listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and Cave/Marry/Kills. We choose topics from the grab bag (or "topic cornucopia") at random and discuss, debate, and speculate! Update: The topics we pulled out of the bag are listed below! - What is/was between Haymitch and Effie? A love-hate relationship? Acceptance? Just love? Only hate? (submitted by Matilda) - Do you think Peeta isn't Mrs. Mellark's son? The books say that Peeta has two older brothers and doesn't mention Mrs. Mellark abusing them at all, because perhaps they are her only two blood sons? (submitted by Noelle) - What are the strategies that you feel Lionsgate is going to need to use to keep us all "connected" to this franchise over winter/spring of 2013? (submitted by Michael F.) - "I never really thought about it in the books until a previous post suggested Buttercup was a muttation. What if Buttercup was a mutt sent by D13 to find the perfect person to start a rebellion?" - Cave, Marry, Kill: Bonnie, Katniss, and Seneca Crane's Beard (submitted by McKenna K.)
In Episode 76 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by discussing the location of District 4, which was revealed last week through The Hunger GamesAdventures, the official social game for the Hunger Games franchise. Did YOU think District 4 would be located in the [former] Pacific Northwest? We certainly didn't! Next, we talk all about the set photos that exploded onto the Internet this past week, showing us that (a) Sam Claflin's hair is now bronze, (b) Jeffrey Wright is reading Mockingjay, and (c) this movie really is being made! To conclude, we pick some fascinating and amusing topics out of our grab bag and make a very "adventurous" phone call...
Happy Third Quarter Quell episode to us! In Episode 75 of Fireside Chat, we start off by talking about last week's "electrifying" news: We have a Beetee! After two weeks of no casting news whatsoever, we learned on Friday that acclaimed actor Jeffrey Wright (Source Code, Casino Royale, Syriana) will be playing our beloved Volts. Next, we help Ellie from Down with the Capitol make an exciting announcement that is sure to rock the Hunger Games fandom! To conclude, we pull fun and interesting questions and topics out of our trusty grab bag.
In Episode 74 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by chatting about all the latest filming-related news: who's in Atlanta, when principle photography might start, what secrets the extras casting calls may reveal, etc. We also weigh in on Trish Summerville, who has replaced Judianna Makovsky as costume designer. How do we feel about this? Many have said that the costumes in The Hunger Games were a weak point. Do we agree? How might the costumes for Catching Fire change with a new designer on board? On a similar note, we recently learned that jeweler Dana Schneider, who created the mockingjay pin for the first film, will be crafting "pieces of jewelry for two other main characters." Who do we think these two characters are, and what pieces of jewelry will they be wearing? Lastly, we talk all about the exclusive Target, Walmart, and iTunes DVD/Blu-ray special features. To conclude, we pull a few fun topics out of our grab bag!
In Episode 73 of Fireside Chat, we open the show by addressing last Wednesday's EPIC (but not entirely unexpected) news: Sam Claflin was cast as Finnick Odair! Finally, after over a MONTH of rumors and speculation, it's now official! Finnick Watch 2012 has officially ended and Hunger Games history has been made. We share our opinions of Sam and this casting decision and also talk about what fan reactions have been like thus far. After getting all of our Sam/Finnick feelings out, we revisit the non-exclusive DVD/Blu-ray special features and discuss them all in-depth now that everyone has had a chance to watch them. NEXT week, on Episode 74, we'll take a look at the special features that can only be found on the Target, Walmart, and iTunes editions of the movie. We cap off the show by pulling a few fun topics and questions out of our topic cornucopia!
In Episode 72 of Fireside Chat, we begin by discussing Stephanie Leigh Schlund, our Cashmere! This announcement came last Tuesday and was -- tragically! -- the last bit of casting news we received all week. Next, we share our midnight DVD release party experiences since several of our panelists were able to interview some of the cast members at their Walmart appearances. Adam was lucky enough to interview Amandla Stenberg at Toys 'R' Us in Times Square on Saturday, so we talk about that, too! We spend the rest of the show talking about the Hunger Games DVD itself. Our main focus is all of the incredible special features, so make sure you watch them before you listen! That said, we only talk about the "standard" special features found on every DVD/Blu-ray: Game Maker, The World is Watching, Letters from the Rose Garden, Controlling the Games, A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell, Propaganda Film, and Marketing Gallery.
In Episode 71 of Fireside Chat, before getting into the meat of this week's show, we begin with a brief news roundup and chat about Jennifer Lawrence's pay raise and the revelation that both Mockingjay films will be shot back-to-back. We also give you a quick, spoiler-free DVD preview since we were lucky enough to get an advance copy (if you haven't yet read Savanna's special features review, check it out on our website). We spend the rest of the show weighing in on all of the casting news from the last week: Meta Golding as Enobaria, Bruno Gunn as Brutus, Alan Ritchson as Gloss, E. Roger Mitchell as Chaff, and Maria Howell as Seeder. It's raining tributes! Hallelujah, it's raining tributes!
In Episode 70 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by talking about Lynn Cohen, our Mags! This casting announcement came last Thursday (8/2), and we're pretty darn excited about it. We also spend some time discussing the latest news concerning filming locations and schedules. (In a recent interview with Ryan Seacrest, Josh Hutcherson not only confirmed that they will indeed be filming in Atlanta, but also that he'd be flying to Atlanta to start shooting in about two weeks.) We also address the Oahu rumor and The Idiom, which may or may not be the working title for Catching Fire (get ready for some extras casting information!). Lastly, we weigh in on the "steamy" Crackpot Theory and impossible Cave, Marry, Kill that we skipped last week!
In Episode 69 of Fireside Chat, we begin the show by discussing and analyzing the first official map of Panem, which was released through the Facebook game The Hunger Games Adventures. Additionally, in honor and in celebration of the London 2012 Summer Olympics (which officially opened this past Friday), we challenge ourselves and our panelists to assign Olympic events to our favorite Hunger Games characters.
In Episode 68 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by recapping the 2012 Teen Choice Awards, which aired on Sunday night. How did The Hunger Games fare? Next, we welcome the amazing Amanda Plummer to the cast! We learned last Tuesday that Amanda will be playing Wiress, and we couldn't be more excited about this news! (We also briefly discuss Jena Malone, who we learned has been OFFICIALLY cast as Johanna -- see Episode 66 for a full discussion of Jena). We then turn our attention to Sam Claflin, who is rumored to have been offered the role of Finnick Odair. Who is Sam Claflin, and why are so many fans divided when it comes to the possibility of him playing Finnick? Lastly, we chat with YouTuber extraordinaire CassJayTuck about her love of the series and a certain lovesick baker that has taken up residence in her home.
In Episode 67 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off with a Comic-Con recap from Natasha, an admin at TheFandom.net. Next, we talk all about our new Head Gamemaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman! What will he bring to the character of Plutarch Heavensbee? Do we think the role of Plutarch might be changed for the film? And what might Plutarch LOOK like (hair, costume, etc.)? Also, since we now know the release dates for Mockingjay: Part 1 and Mockingjay: Part 2, we talk about where they might split the book and why splitting it was such a smart decision.
In Episode 66 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off by discussing the news that broke last Tuesday: Jena Malone has been offered the role of Johanna Mason! We then chat about Philip Seymour Hoffman -- our Plutarch Heavensbee! Lionsgate made it official earlier today (Monday, 7/9/12), and we couldn't be more thrilled! We then speculate about Lionsgate's new Catching Fire casting page, located at www.catchingfirecasting.com. Assuming the Mystery Man below Snow is Plutarch, who is the Mystery Woman at the bottom of the page!? We conclude by talking to a recent Hunger Games convert about why he changed his tune, and we also do some Comic-Con forecasting.
In Episode 65 of Fireside Chat, we briefly discuss the latest Catching Fire casting rumors (Hunter Parrish as Finnick??) and chat about paparazzi photos before launching into an hour-ish of UNSCRIPTED awesomeness! As with all our "Unscripted" episodes, we spend the evening digging into a grab bag full of listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and Cave/Marry/Kills.
In Episode 64 of Fireside Chat, Sheila from HG Girl on Fire joins us to share her experience at the Fiction 2 Film convention in Chicago. We chat about Zoe Aggeliki and Mia Wasikowska, two rumored Johanna contenders that have been generating a LOT of buzz (good and bad) over the last few days. We also discuss the rumor that actor and professional wrestler Kevin Nash is in talks for a role in Catching Fire. (AND, did you hear that Lil' Romeo apparently met with Lionsgate about possibly joining the franchise?) (Oh yeah -- and there's the whole Jena Malone thing, too!) To round out the show, we do Catching Fire Pick a Page and explore a listener-submitted Crackpot Theory about the population of Panem.
In Episode 63 of Fireside Chat, we kick things off with a round-up of the latest movie-related news (including the most recent casting rumors! Hooray!). We also recap and wrap up the HEATED Snow vs. Coin debate that closed out Episode 62 last week. And even though it's a bit too late to appeal to Francis Lawrence, we present a wish list of Catching Fire scenes that absolutely MUST make it into the movie. To conclude, we intro a new segment called Casting Nightmares (warning: listen at your own risk, as this segment may actually give you nightmares).
It's time for another "Unscripted" episode! We have no set plan or agenda in place for Episode 62. We do, however, have a grab bag full of listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and Cave/Marry/Kills. We choose topics from the grab bag (or "topic cornucopia") at random and discuss, debate, and speculate!
In Episode 61 of Fireside Chat, we kick off the show by recapping the 2012 MTV Movie Awards and celebrating what was a decidedly victorious night for The Hunger Games! Next, we take a look at all of the crazy Finnick-related rumors that have been floating around the Internet for the last few weeks and set a few records straight. We also discuss possible filming locations for Catching Fire. To conclude, we investigate an incredibly cool listener-submitted Crackpot Theory: Is the Capitol actually located in Canada!?
In Episode 60 of Fireside Chat, we round up the latest movie-related news and discuss the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release as well as the Catching Fire title change. We then continue our Catching Fire casting series with a look at the rest of the Third Quarter Quell participants. Who do we think should play Enobaria, Chaff, Mags, and Gloss? Listen and find out!
In Episode 59 of Fireside Chat, we continue our Catching Fire casting series by discussing new Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee and who we -- and you -- think should play him on the big screen. We also do another round of Pick a Page and discuss a randomly selected page from Catching Fire, so get your books ready! To conclude, we embarrass ourselves with a Gamemaker-themed round of Cave, Marry, Kill.
In Episode 58 of Fireside Chat, we continue our Catching Fire casting series by talking all about District 3 victors Beetee and Wiress. We discuss the qualities our future Nuts and Volts need to possess, talk about fan favorites like Michael Emerson, and share some of OUR top picks for the roles. We also share some listener favorites! Additionally, we do a round of Pick a Page and discuss a randomly selected page from Catching Fire. To conclude, we explore some Beetee and Wiress-related Crackpot Theories: Were Beetee and Wiress in a romantic relationship? Did Beetee have something to do with Katniss and Peeta's chariot costumes in The Hunger Games?
In Episode 57 of Fireside Chat, we continue our Catching Fire casting series by talking all about District 7 victor Johanna Mason! We discuss fan favorites like Naya Rivera and Kristen Bell and also share some of OUR top picks. We also discuss the qualities that we think our future Johanna MUST possess. Additionally, we do another round of Pick a Page and discuss a randomly selected page from Catching Fire. We conclude by sharing our thoughts on a VERY interesting Johanna-related Crackpot Theory!
In Episode 56 of Fireside Chat, we kick off our Catching Fire casting series by talking all about the famous Finnick Odair! We discuss fan favorites, our favorites, your favorites, and the qualities that we think our future Finnick MUST possess. Additionally, we bring back Pick a Page and chat about a ranomly selected page from Catching Fire. To conclude, we debate the validity of a Finnick-centric Crackpot Theory. Want a sugar cube?
In Episode 55 of Fireside Chat, we share some brief announcements before focusing our discussion on Francis Lawrence, our new director! Last Thursday (4/19/12), it was announced that Lawrence -- best known for directing Water for Elephants and I Am Legend -- had been chosen by Lionsgate to direct Catching Fire. We weigh in on his past directing work and talk about how the franchise might change with him at the helm. We also share Part 2 of our interview with Caroline Carpenter, author of Guide to The Hunger Games. Part 1 can be heard on Episode 54.
In Episode 54 of Fireside Chat, we talk all about director Gary Ross's now finalized departure from the franchise. We also discuss potential replacements, including Alfonso Cuaron, David Cronenberg, and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, all of whom are supposedly on Lionsgate's "director short list" (according to the L.A. Times). We finish up with Part 1 of a pre-recorded interview with Caroline Carpenter, author of Guide to The Hunger Games, an unofficial companion to the trilogy.
In Episode 53 of Fireside Chat, we begin the show with a roundup of the latest movie-related news, including: our discovery of Trexler Hoverhound's identity, a box office update, a Saturday Night Live recap, the Katniss Barbie, and our thoughts on the muttation concept art released by Ian Joyner of Joyner Designs. We then discuss director Gary Ross and the impact his potential departure could have on the franchise. After introducing Real vs. Not Real, a funny and fascinating new segment that pits actors against the characters they play, we conclude with more listener-submitted Crackpot Theories!
In Episode 52 of Fireside Chat, we celebrate our one year anniversary by playing some clips from our pilot episode, which first aired on April 4, 2011! We spend the rest of the episode talking in-depth about James Newton Howard's original score as well as the soundtrack/companion album (Songs from District 12 and Beyond) now that we've all had the opportunity to listen to it in its entirety. We also chat a bit about the Hunger Games Adventures Facebook game, since it's now available to the public. We conclude by sharing the rest of Grace and Rachel's awesome Crackpot Theories!
Welcome, welcome to the first show of the post-movie era! We kick off the show by looking at the massive success of The Hunger Games at the box office this weekend. It broke quite a few records, and we think it's safe to say that Catching Fire is pretty much a "definite go" now. Representatives from fan sites and other experts join us to fully discuss and analyze the movie, from the changes, additions, and acting to the music and cinematography. We also briefly discuss our midnight showing experiences, since some of us unfortunately ended up with audiences that -- while comprised of people who obviously loved the books -- seemed to not "get" or fully understand The Hunger Games on a deeper level.
The Harry Potter Alliance’s Imagine Better Project and Oxfam are taking over our airwaves tonight to talk about the GROW Campaign, the root causes of hunger, what you can do to help, and their plans to get #notagame trending on Twitter tomorrow night. This is all part of Hunger is Not a Game, which you should hopefully all know about by now! Please visit http://www.thehpalliance.org/grow and sign the GROW Pledge today! Adam and Savanna will be there, as will representatives from the Harry Potter Alliance (like creator and executive director Andrew Slack) and Oxfam.
In Episode 50 (hooray!) of Fireside Chat, we spend most of the show talking about our experiences attending the World Premiere of The Hunger Games in Los Angeles. We chat about the Hob, the actors we met, the premiere itself, and our reactions to the film. We also discuss the impending worldwide release of the movie, current box office predictions/reviews, midnight showing DOs and DON’Ts, costumes, and more! Come celebrate our 50th birthday with us -- gee, we're old!
In Episode 49 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the recently released clip featuring Katniss surprising the Gamemakers by shooting an arrow through an apple in their roasted pig's mouth. We also chat about #HungerGames24 and the production notes that Lionsgate recently uploaded to their publicity page (a massive document that includes, among other things, a list of cast members in order of appearance and a full list of the songs that will be appearing IN the film). Courtney from Welcome to District 12 shares her experience at the L.A. Mall Tour stop and we finish sharing the fantastic Crackpot Theories submitted by listeners Grace and Rachel. We are also joined by an incredibly special guest: Andrew Slack, the creator, co-founder, and executive director of the Harry Potter Alliance. He fills us in on the HPA's latest endeavor (which both Adam and Savanna have helped develop): a Hunger Games-related campaign called Hunger is Not a Game.
In Episode 48 of Fireside Chat, we're joined by two of the creative minds behind Star Squad, a new Hunger Games fan film project: Caroline Framke (co-writer) and Brendan Bradley (director/actor). What exactly is Star Squad and how can you get involved? Listen and find out! We also do a round-up of all the latest Hunger Games movie news (midnight tickets, camping, and National Mall Tours -- oh, my!) and discuss People's exclusive new still of Peeta and his amazing camouflaged arm. Aaand, we'll probably work in a reaction to the new TV spot featuring the "bread scene." After weighing in on the finalized rating (PG-13) and running time (142 minutes), we share a crazy list of Crackpot Theories that some listeners sent us in honor of our 45th episode a few weeks ago.
In Episode 47 of Fireside Chat, we talk about the new scenes featured in the latest TV spots (Katniss shooting the apple, the Gamemakers in the control room, etc.) and the finalized (hopefully) track list for 'The Hunger Games': Songs from District 12 and Beyond. We also share our thoughts on the miniature figurines that hit Walgreen's shelves this week and celebrate President's Day with a fun, President Snow-themed game. Start brushing up on your presidential trivia!
In Episode 46 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the "Safe & Sound" music video, which is set to debut on MTV two hours before our live show. We also share our thoughts on the Capitol ads that popped up online this week (Cinna's "Liquid Skyliner," Seneca Crane's mustache and beard trimmer, and Caesar Flickerman's whitening toothpaste) and the recently released Tribute Guide and Official Illustrated Movie Companion. Welcome to District 12's Courtney will tell us what it was like to meet Josh Hutcherson last week. Lastly, to celebrate Valentine's Day, we weigh in on the potential of some extremely strange romantic pairings.
In Episode 45 of Fireside Chat, we celebrate the release of the second theatrical trailer, which took us all by surprise when it debuted online at Yahoo! Movies this past Thursday. Representatives from the top Hunger Games fan sites and other experts join us for a second-by-second analysis and discussion of the trailer -- if you liked our first Trailer Bash, you won't want to miss this one! We also chat briefly about NECA and Hot Topic's recently unveiled Hunger Games merchandise and the much-anticipated world premiere of the film in L.A. on March 12th. To conclude, we do an interview round-up and share our favorite moments from the numerous cast interviews that were published this week.
In Episode 44 of Fireside Chat, after briefly chatting about the March 2012 issue of Empire magazine that's chock full of Hunger Games awesomeness, we speak with Dr. Jen Scott Curwood of the University of Sydney about the role that The Hunger Games has played in her research on literature, literacy, and online spaces. We then discuss Capitol Couture and The Hunger Games' chances at next year's Oscars. To conclude, we react to the strangest Crackpot Theory we've ever heard (hint: it's Madge-related).
In Episode 43 of Fireside Chat -- a special 43-minute, Saturday night edition of the show -- we weigh in on the "new new" still of Katniss and Peeta in their chariot outfits, discuss the final poster featuring Katniss aiming an arrow, and chat about WizKids' upcoming line of collectible figurines/action figures and new games (the District 12 strategy game and Jabberjay trading card game). We also play one round of "The Sound of Hunger" and challenge our panelists to "guess the district" based on the sounds they hear.
The storm is here! In Episode 42 of Fireside Chat, we kick off the show by recapping/discussing ALL of the amazing news from this past week: the new still of Effie, Haymitch, and Katniss that was released by The Daily Blam on Sunday, Lionsgate's $412.5 million purchase of Summit, Suzanne Collins' executive producer status, and the unveiling of CapitolCouture.pn (what do we think about Lionsgate's beauty-centric marketing tactics?). We then do an interview round-up and share our favorite moments from the MANY cast interviews that have been popping up online. On a similar note, we also talk about Gary Ross's INCREDIBLE interview with the L.A. Times Hero Complex, in which he explains the lengths he went to in order to direct The Hunger Games.
In Episode 41 of Fireside Chat, we kick off the show with a few brief announcements, some quick Lionsgate/Summit merger updates, and a short discussion of AFM's picketing of Lionsgate. We then do one round of Pick a Page (since it's been awhile) and -- because this has been such a slow news week -- spend the rest of the evening digging into our infamous topic cornucopia, which is absolutely overflowing with all sorts of conversation topics, Crackpot Theories, Cave/Marry/Kill line-ups, and more! (Here are the topics we drew during the live show: (1) Crackpot Theory: Foxface and Thresh were in an alliance (2) Question: If you all were in the Hunger Games, who do you think would win? (3) Cave, Marry, Kill: Beetee, Darius, Seneca Crane)
In Episode 40 of Fireside Chat -- our first episode of 2012 -- we celebrate the new year by taking a look back: In addition to discussing our Top 5 Hunger Games Moments from 2011, we play short clips from old episodes that correspond to the memorable events on our list. We also share the Top 5 Most Ridiculous Hunger Games Moments of 2011 (as chosen by us) and look ahead to what many have already dubbed "The Year of The Hunger Games." Happy New Year!
In Episode 39 of Fireside Chat, we begin by discussing "Safe & Sound," a song that country singer Taylor Swift wrote and recorded with The Civil Wars that will be appearing on one of the Hunger Games soundtrack albums. We also briefly address the news that indie bands Arcade Fire and The Decemberists will also be contributing songs to this "companion album." We spend the latter half of the show talking to some VERY special guests: the mayors that YOU elected to represent you and your districts on TheCapitol.PN. In addition to answering fan-submitted questions in a fun Q&A session, the mayors go head-to-head in an epic "Battle of the Mayors." You won't want to miss this!
In Episode 38 of Fireside Chat, we discuss Thursday's #HungerGames100 puzzle hunt and analyze the incredible new movie poster that was revealed after all 100 pieces -- which had been scattered across the web -- were assembled. We also talk about the trailer music mystery (which has now been solved!) and our "100 Things to Do Before The Hunger Games Opens" video. We share our thoughts on Mainstay Productions' second Finnick and Annie short and explore a couple of listener-submitted Crackpot Theories: "President Snow and Coin were together (in a relationship)" and "If Annie and Peeta had died, Finnick and Katniss would have ended up together."
In Episode 37 of Fireside Chat, we talk about the line of Capitol-inspired nail polish that China Glaze will be releasing in conjunction with the film and discuss TheFABlife.com's recent interview with Scholastic editor David Levithan about the dystopian trend in YA literature. Why is this dark genre so popular right now and what does that say about our society? We also chat about Mainstay Pro's first Finnick and Annie short with the help of Shylah Addante, who wrote the screenplays for the series.
In Episode 36 of Fireside Chat, we share our thoughts on what was probably the biggest news story of the week: the potential merger of Lionsgate and Summit. If it happens, how will this merger affect the future of the Hunger Games film franchise? In light of tonight's BREAKING NEWS, we talk about James Newton Howard, who will be replacing Danny Elfman as the film's composer. At 10:30 or so, we interview the brilliant creators of The Katniss Chronicles, an unofficial audio drama based on The Hunger Games. We conclude with a couple of Crackpot Theories: The Hunger Games actually happened in the 1800s but the government today is covering it up; Mags was actually speaking Spanish when she was "babbling" in Catching Fire.
In Episode 35 of Fireside Chat, in addition to our regular line-up of fan site representatives and other Hunger Games experts, we're joined by four amazing guest panelists: the Schmoes Know guys (noted film critics who cater their reviews to us "regular folk"), Sarah Brannen (children's author and illustrator) and Tim Koleto (up and coming figure skater and passionate Hunger Games fan). We kick off the show by discussing the new still of Haymitch, Cinna, and Peeta that was released in the latest issue of People magazine (and announce the winners of Down with the Capitol's caption contest). We also weigh in on the news that Lionsgate is courting Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire) to write the screenplay for Catching Fire. We spend the rest of the show "grab bagging" it and pulling all sorts of exciting subjects -- from Crackpot Theories and Cave, Marry, Kills to What Ifs? and listener-submitted questions -- out of our topic cornucopia. We conclude by sharing a listener-submitted poem and talking about what Hunger Games-related stuff we -- and our listeners -- are thankful for this year.
In Episode 34 of Fireside Chat, we speak to someone who has NEVER read The Hunger Games and get his feedback on the new theatrical trailer. In light of the release of Breaking Dawn - Part 1 this weekend, we examine the Twilight phenomenon as it relates to The Hunger Games: Why does the public/the media constantly compare the two series, when they're so totally different? Will The Hunger Games surpass Twilight in ticket sales and popularity? Lastly, we'll interview the hilarious authors of The Hunger But Mainly Death Games and The Younger Games, two recently published parodies that beg the question: Is it appropriate to spoof something like The Hunger Games?
In Episode 33 of Fireside Chat, we celebrate a momentous event that we have spent endless months waiting for: the world premiere of the full-length Hunger Games trailer! Representatives from all of the top fan sites join us for a full discussion and second-by-second analysis of the trailer the night of its debut on Good Morning America. You won't want to miss this historic episode!
In Episode 32 of Fireside Chat, we weigh in on the cast photos and interviews in the December 2011 issue of Vanity Fair and also react to Woody Harrelson's recent interview about his "unconventional" interpretation of Haymitch. Many seem to think that he's reinventing the character and breaking canon; what do you think? We also interview Emily Ansara Baines, author of The Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook. We conclude the show with a sneak preview of Panem World and discuss The Lottery, a short story by Shirley Jackson with some similarities to The Hunger Games.
In Episode 31 of Fireside Chat, we look at the latest movie-related news as well as bring you Panem October and TheCapitol.PN updates with the help of some special guests... We also interview Kristen Zimmer, creator of the Hunger Games Electronica Project, and talk to her about Redux: Music of Panem Remixed (a collaboration with Sam Cushion, who also joins us). The focus of the episode is a discussion of "real life" Hunger Games, from Mayan football and Roman gladiatoral games to an old Fox reality show with a pretty twisted concept. We conclude with Pick a Page.
In this special Friday night edition of Fireside Chat, we discuss, analyze, contemplate, and gush about the Hunger Games character posters that were released to the public on Thursday, October 29, 2011. What do we think about Effie's garish look? How do we feel about Haymitch's long blond hair? Listen and find out!
In Episode 30 of Fireside Chat, we discuss all the latest Hunger Games-related news (or lack thereof), including Jackie Emerson and Dayo Okeniyi's Sunday afternoon livestream with fans. We also weigh in on a recent article at Victor's Village about casting and the "race card." Inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement, we talk about economic disparity in Panem as compared to present-day economic inequality in the United States. We conclude with a new game called The Sound of Hunger.
In Episode 29 of Fireside Chat, we comb through the rumor mill and chat about possible trailer theories, the Josh Hutcherson interview delays, as well as Glen Hansard and his possible contribution to the Hunger Games soundtrack. We also finally have a big conversation about TheCapitol.PN and share our opinions of the seals, the DIPs, the experience so far, and the site's effectiveness as a marketing tool. After discussing transportation in Panem, we end the show with Pick a Page and an incredible surprise that you definitely won't want to miss!
In Episode 28 of Fireside Chat, we kick off the show by talking to Amie of HG Girl on Fire about her miraculous run-in with longtime crush Josh Hutcherson. Next, we discuss the latest Panem October-related news and weigh in on Woody Harrelson's self-described "comedic approach" to Haymitch. We also discuss the District 5 seal at TheCapitol.PN and the fact that it hints at the presence of nuclear power in Panem. On a similar note, we wonder why District 13 had been developing nuclear weapons before the Dark Days. We conclude with Pick a Page and Cave, Marry, Kill.
In Episode 27 of Fireside Chat, we weigh in on the recent CNN article that caused a large portion of the fandom to groan in frustration. We also share some exciting Buttercup-related news, introduce a new segment called Survival Tips, and do another round of Pick a Page and Cave, Marry, Kill. Additionally, we discuss this weekend's Panem October launch and the latest phases of TheCapitol.PN.
In Episode 26 of Fireside Chat, we share our Top 10 Hunger Games Pick-Up Lines, explore another Haymitch-related Crackpot Theory (was he just pretending to be drunk!?), and introduce a new segment called Pick a Page! We also speculate on what the timeline leading up to the film's premiere will look like, given that the release date is now less than six months away. Lastly, we bring you an exclusive, live interview with Rowan, the enigmatic Head Gamemaker of Panem October. While we have heard from Rowan in several written interviews, his voice and true identity have -- until now -- remained a mystery. Join us as he breaks his silence for the first time.
To commemorate our 25th episode, we bring you the first ever HUNGER GAMES FIRESIDE CHAT: UNSCRIPTED. We have absolutely no plan or agenda for Episode 25. We do, however, have a grab bag full of listener-submitted questions, discussion topics, Crackpot Theories, What Ifs?, Would You Rathers?, and even a few Cave, Marry, Kills. We choose topics from the grab bag at random and discuss, debate, and speculate!
In Episode 24 of Fireside Chat, we remember 9/11 and celebrate both the end of filming and the one-year birthdays/anniversaries of fan sites Down with the Capitol and The Hob. We also talk about some of the mysterious roles that have popped up at the IMDb listing for The Hunger Games and interview two brilliant Rockingjay artists: Blue of Hello, the Future! and Rebekah Hawker. We conclude the show with a fun fan-submitted segment combining The Hunger Games and football.
In Episode 23 of Fireside Chat, we weigh in on the three director commentary videos that were posted online this week, thanks to a Skype interview that MTV had with Gary Ross. We also analyze the Mockingjay Call with the help of musician Patrick Wells (Sound Called Music) and compare it to three other well-known movie themes. We also briefly chat about TheCapitol.PN and Steven Soderbergh (who recently explained why exactly he served as second unit director for The Hunger Games). We spend the rest of the episode speaking with educator Tracee Orman about her Hunger Games lessons and also discussing Panem's education system (of which we obviously know very little).
What better way to mark the day after the MTV Video Music Awards than with a SECOND-BY-SECOND analysis of the FIRST Hunger Games teaser trailer and a full discussion of the Gary Ross video? Get your magnifying glasses and pause buttons ready and join us as we dissect every frame of footage... We'll also chat with Amie Marie, who attended the VMAs, and Jenn, who will give us a Hunger Games Collab update and share some of the week's top Hunger Games Confessions.
In Episode 21 of Fireside Chat, Sara Gundell (The Hunger Games Examiner) joins us to share some incredibly exciting news that no Hunger Games fan will want to miss! We also chat with the creator of The Hunger Games Collab on YouTube, discuss the latest filming-related news, get overly excited about Jennifer Lawrence's recording of "Rue's Lullaby" ("coming out soon," according to T. Bone Burnett!), and comment on the Peacekeeper uniforms (as seen in the still of Gale at the Reaping). Lastly -- but perhaps most importantly -- we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the release of Mockingjay by revealing some of our pre-Mockingjay theories, sharing our favorite Mockingjay moments, and more (a special round of CMK might be involved).
To celebrate our 20th episode of Fireside Chat (and Jennifer Lawrence's birthday), we bring you Round 2 in our Ultimate "Team Peeta vs. Team Gale vs. Team Katniss" Showdown. This time, we take a close look at the concept of "teams" and why it's okay to acknowledge the presence of a love triangle in The Hunger Games. Supporters of Peeta and Gale go head to head and explain why their preferred District 12 boy is the best fit for Katniss. We also ask a question that not many people dare to ask: Is Katniss what's best for Peeta? Additionally, proponents of Team Katniss join the fray and argue that this is one heroine who doesn't need a hero. (Before the debate, we discuss Tyra Banks' new novel, Modelland, which seems to share a lot of similarities with The Hunger Games...)
In Episode 19 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the latest Hunger Games movie-related news from the past week: the announcement that Steven Soderbergh will be second unit director on the film, Billboard's news about the score and soundtrack albums, our first glimpse of Capitol extras in costume, and the latest stills of Jennifer and Josh as Katniss and Peeta! We also obsess over the color of Katniss's backpack, FINALLY address the "Prim's name was plated in the Reaping by rebels" Crackpot Theory and give away one more mini-poster!
In Episode 18 of Fireside Chat, hosts Adam and Savanna are joined by fan site representatives and other Hunger Games experts to analyze the "men of The Hunger Games" edition of Entertainment Weekly. The 8/5/11 issue, which hit newstands this Friday, features the first official in-character photos of Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. We also discuss the rest of the latest book- and movie-related news, including Slate's article naming Suzanne Collins one of the "Most Innovative and Practical Thinkers of 2011." We end by exploring the Crackpot Theories that we didn't get to last week and embarrassing ourselves yet again with another round of Cave, Marry, Kill. Oh yeah, and three more lucky listeners have a chance to win mini-posters!
In Episode 17 of Fireside Chat, we discuss the latest Hunger Games-related news, including what went on at Comic-Con, the upcoming Unauthorized Guide to the Series by Lois Gresh, and more. In light of the UN's recent declaration of famine in Somalia, we talk with The Hob about their partnership with WhyHunger, and Shylah of Down with the Captiol fills us in on her Hunger is Not a Game initiative. We then discuss the Battle Royale "controversy" and those that claim Suzanne Collins borrowed material from the novel and/or movie (we think this is absurd and explain why). We also give YOU an opportunity to win an official Hunger Games mini-poster!
In Episode 16 of Fireside Chat, in addition to our regular panel of fan site representatives and other Hunger Games experts, we are joined by Kit Bowen of TheMovieKit.com as we take a look at the opening weekend box office stats for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. How does the success of the Harry Potter franchise compare to other young adult-oriented film franchises (Twilight, etc.), and what does it mean for The Hunger Games? We also revisit the Battle of the Epilogues (Harry Potter vs. The Hunger Games), as it was cut short last week, and bring you another round of Cave, Marry, Kill. And, as always, we discuss the latest Hunger Games-related news, focusing this week on the first official movie poster, Comic-Con, and Montgomery High School's goal to have all incoming 9th graders read The Hunger Games.
Down with...the Ministry? With the premiere of Deathly Hallows: Part 2 only days away, and unable to ignore our hardcore love for Harry Potter, we devote Episode 15 of Fireside Chat to a celebration of both the Boy Who Lived and the Girl Who Was on Fire. If the Hunger Games characters were students at Hogwarts, which Houses would they be in? Which series would win in a Battle of the Epilogues? We explore these topics and more!
Happy Panem Independence Day! Episode 14 of Fireside Chat is dedicated to a celebration of the new, free Panem! In addition to revealing the top three anthems in our Panem Anthem contest, we talk about how Panem might celebrate their independence, wonder if the world of The Hunger Games could ever really exist, and ask ourselves: WHAT IF everyone had sided with Coin and agreed to more Hunger Games with the Capitol's children? We also delve into some of our craziest Crackpot Theories yet and introduce a new segment that will leave you rolling in the aisles...
In Episode 13 of Fireside Chat, hosts Adam and Savanna are joined by representatives from some of the top fan sites on the web and other Hunger Games experts. After discussing the latest movie-related news, we chat with Matt Bukaty and Edward Underhill, the creative minds behind The Hunger Games Music Project, and Saph, who runs HungerGamesRPG.com and owns the most coveted Twitter username in the Hunger Games fandom. We cap off the episode with another round of Crackpot Theories: Could a zombie apocalypse have led to the creation of Panem? Was Prim actually Mr. Mellark's daughter!?
In Episode 12 of Fireside Chat, we are joined by our regular panel of Hunger Games experts and fan site representatives, as well as guest panelist Jennifer Canzoneri, Marketing Manager for Smart Pop Books (publisher of The Girl Who Was on Fire). Discussion topics include the promotional poster for the film that was revealed at the Licensing International Expo, the Scholastic gift edition and movie tie-ins, the truth behind the John C. Reilly rumor, T. Bone Burnett and Danny Elfman's [possible] involvement in the film's music, and the sudden disappearance of Panem October. We may even throw in a round of Crackpot Theories to cap things off...
In Episode 11 of Fireside Chat, we bring you Round 1 in our Ultimate "Team Peeta vs. Team Gale vs. Team Katniss" Showdown. Supporters of Peeta and Gale go head to head and explain why their preferred District 12 boy is the best fit for Katniss. Additionally, proponents of Team Katniss and fans opposed to the very idea of "teams" (THIS ISN'T TWILIGHT!) join the fray and argue that this is one heroine who doesn't need a hero.
In this special Friday night edition of Fireside Chat, we discuss all the latest film-related news, including the casting of Donald Sutherland as President Snow and the controversial decision to split the trilogy into four movies rather than three.
To celebrate Episode 10, we host a special Music Night featuring Hunger Games-inspired music from a diverse array of incredibly talented singers and musicians: Sam Cushion, Rachel Macwhirter, District 13, Steph Anderson (of Tonks and the Aurors), Kaysy Ostrom, Alex Boyd, and Alex Carpenter (of The Remus Lupins)! In addition, we chat with several Wizard Rockers about the evolution of Wrock and the future of Tribute Rock (Trock?). Along with representatives from The Hob and Down with the Capitol, our panel of experts includes Sara Gundell of the Hunger Games Examiner, Lisa Marie of HungerGamesMovie.org, and Ariel Birdoff of Madam Pince and the Librarians.
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, we host a special 9pm Friday night episode of Fireside Chat featuring Hunger Games fans and Hunger Games fan site administrators from all around the world. We get to the heart of why this story is so universally adored and find out what the Hunger Games craze is like in the Philippines, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, England, and other countries!
In Episode 8 of Fireside Chat, in addition to representatives from some of the top fan sites on the web, our expert panel includes Natalie Zutter, Associate Editor at Crushable.com, Kat Rosenfield of MTV's Hollywood Crush blog, and Ariel Birdoff, children's publishing expert and lead singer of Madam Pince and the Librarians. We kick off the show with a discussion of the latest movie news, dissecting the now-famous Entertainment Weekly cover and weighing in on all the recent casting decisions. We are then joined by sports writer and Hunger Games enthusiast Susan Shan and It's Kind of a Funny Story author Ned Vizzini, whose essay "Reality Hunger" appears in The Girl Who Was on Fire. We conclude with a discussion about Lenny Kravitz as Cinna after reacting in real-time ("Oh my god!" "Are you joking!?" "WHAT!!!???") to the surprising announcement.
In Episode 7 of Fireside Chat, in addition to our regular panel of experts, we are joined by Phil Wallace, founder of Picktainment.com, and Xavier Austrone, Executive Director of Wizarding Life Networks. Our special guests include Crystal Watanabe, author of FictionalFood.net, Hunger Games superfan Lucas Strong (and some of his friends), and Delly Cartwright herself, straight from District 12. We conclude with our Crackpot Theories segment, in which we discuss, among other things, the possibility that Foxface knowingly killed herself.
In Episode 6 of Fireside Chat, we chat about the possibility of prequels and video games before being joined by Kate Wheeler, an incredible fan artist whose Hunger Games-inspired art has been featured on MTV's Hollywood Crush blog. We cap off the episode with our postponed discussion of the genre of The Hunger Games.
In Episode 5 of Fireside Chat, we interview Leah Wilson, editor of The Girl Who Was on Fire, Kim Shelby, the creative mind behind two brilliant Hunger Games trailers, and Betsy Bird, children's librarian at the New York Public library. We also discuss: Is celebrating Osama bin Laden's death equivalent to Coin's desire to institute another Hunger Games? In addition to our regular panel, we are joined by Natalie Zutter of Crushable, children's publishing expert Ariel Birdoff, and literary blogger Kimberly Denny-Ryder.
In Episode 4 of Fireside Chat, we are joined by Lenzi Hart and Kelly Croy, two middle school teachers who have incorporated The Hunger Games into their classrooms in unique, inspirational ways. We also talk with Sarah Darer Littman, an award-winning young adult author, about her contribution to The Girl Who Was on Fire: "The Politics of Mockingjay."
In this special Friday night edition of Fireside Chat, we sort through the whirlwind of recent casting news and take a closer look -- roundtable discussion style -- at the actors chosen to portray Thresh, Rue, Prim, Glimmer, and Marvel. (And maybe Effie.)
In Episode 3 of Fireside Chat, we dish on the latest movie news and daydream about marrying potential Haymitches Robert Downey, Jr., and Hugh Laurie. (Adam uses this time to examine the steamy photos of Jennifer Lawrence in GQ.) We also chat with Sam Cushion, composer of an unofficial Hunger Games score (see www.districttribute.com) and Adrienne Kress, author of "The Inevitable Decline of Decadence," one of the essays in The Girl Who Was on Fire. Lastly, we get the scoop on the open casting calls in North Carolina from three Hunger Games hopefuls who were in attendance.
In Episode 2 of Fireside Chat, we're joined by Kat Rosenfield (of MTV's Hollywood Crush blog), Ariel Birdoff (children's publishing expert and lead singer of Madam Pince and the Librarians), and Jerome Preisler (a New York Times best-selling author). We also interview Jennifer Canzoneri, Marketing Manager for Smart Pop Books, publisher of The Girl Who Was on Fire, an anthology of Hunger Games-related essays.
In our debut episode of Fireside Chat, we weigh in on the recent casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. In addition to our regular panel of fan site representatives, we're joined by the eloquent and erudite Jennie Duke, an Australian literary critic, and Meg and V., amateur cartographers who created this map of Panem.