The Hunger Games will be PG-13
The story of The Hunger Games follows sixteen-year-old (and not yet cast) Katniss Everdeen, a young women coming of age in a post-apocalyptic landscape where she must fight to the death in an annual televised competition that pits boys and girls from different districts against each other. The book is quite violent, and could, if filmed as written, garner an R rating. But Ross won't let that happen:
"It's not going to be an R-rated movie because I want the 12- and 13- and 14-year-old-fans to be able to go see it. This book means too much to too many teenagers for it not to be PG-13. It's their story and they deserve to be able to access it completely. And I don't think it needs to be more extreme than that. I don't need to have a huge prosthetic budget or make this movie incredibly bloody in order for it to be just as compelling, just as scary, and just as riveting. (It's not) an overly graphic book. Even things like the Tracker Jacker sequence, while horrific, it's the ideas that Suzanne has created that are so harrowing."
About being compared to Twilight, Gary said this:
"I think anybody who's read the two books knows that they are as different as night and day, with very little in common other than the youthfulness of their protagonists. I mean, Holden Caulfield is young too! But as a producer you can't help but be thrilled that people are comparing something that you're working on to something that so many people love.
The Hunger Games was released March 23rd, 2012 and stars Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Lawrence, Willow Shields, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Paula Malcomson. The film is directed by Gary Ross.
Comments (23)
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Skye
id be so disappointed if they decide to shoot for PG-13. The movie would then lack the maturity that the older audience wants, and will have serious consequences. Its not the kids that will buy the movie but the adult.
10 months agoby @skyeFlag
Drewski37
i kinda liked the eragon movie just because i played dungeon and dragons when i was younger....
1 year agoby @drewski37Flag
Sansuiau
I don't know how you can say a PG-13 rating is all for the money when an R rating would effectively guarantee the movie could not be seen by the very teens the book was written for.
1 year agoby @sansuiauFlag
KaoNoshi
What I find interesting is that these books, while very violent, are perfectly fine for a 13-15 year old to read but not see on screen. I my option books can be much more detailed and graphic in the mind of the person reading it than anything they can do on screen. If a teenager can walk into a bookstore and buy the Hunger Games then they should be able to see the same thing in theaters.
1 year agoby @kaonoshiFlag
Wichy
It's just sad that it is all about the money and not about faithfulness to the book. Yes, it appeals to teens but there are also others who want to see this get the rating it deserves: an R. There is plenty of violence in the book that constitutes an R-rating. If it doesn't get it than I don't know if I will have faith in it. Hunger Games has became one of my favorite books as well as Collin's other two in the series. I just hope he wants to remain faithful.
1 year agoby @wichitagalzlFlag
Mutant
One last thing, there is a rumor of a sequel to Eragon. (eyes roll) it might not happen since the first film tanked.
1 year agoby @zenderFlag
Mutant
McCartney, you should see it but it's not faithful. You have to keep in mind that the director knew nothing about the book or the cycle. So don't expect it to be like LOTR.
I enjoyed it, but I felt it was rushed and it needs to be redone.
As of this, I've never heard of it but it sounds intriguing
1 year agoby @zenderFlag
Justhim_sir
Maybe he could make 2 version of it, one for theaters and one to put on a unrated version dvds for the hardcore fans.
1 year agoby @justhim-sirFlag
Major Tom
I pretty much had the same dilemma with Eragon. I felt it deserved at least PG-13, if not a straight up R. I still have yet to see Eragon, but I've been warned not to.
1 year agoby @movie-nutFlag
Cartman
@ed-wood - agreed,..
1 year agoby @c-a-r-t-m-a-nFlag
Drewski37
another 10 bucks ill be saving to put in my gas tank, its never gonna sell.....
1 year agoby @drewski37Flag
ed_wood
Again lets compromise the story for more money and a teen audience.
1 year agoby @ed-woodFlag
Summit10
its a violent story going to be toned down?!?! stupid Director... all for the money as always!!!
1 year agoby @summit10Flag
smajor7
"This book means too much to too many people," if Gary Ross knows that then he should know that it should be rated R, the material IS violent .. it's about teenagers fighting to the death for crying out loud! Yeah there are a lot of metaphors etc but I don't see how it can be close to the book without an R rating. This is the one series I will be extremely pissed about if it sucks.
1 year agoby @smajor7Flag
PUNISHER
I hate this, when its a book for teenagers they keep the content suitable for teens to see it in the theaters. But for franchises like Alien they have NO problem making what should be an r rated film into a pg13. Teens arent the only moviegoers *ssholes!! F*cking Hollywood.
1 year agoby @cerealkillerFlag
ZanyZap
I understand his point. I read the first book in the series; it was interesting, albeit predictable.
1 year agoby @zanyzapFlag
Daveactor7
I hate this. Gary Ross-if you want to keep the fans then make it the way the book shows each scene. This is just dumb.
1 year agoby @daveactor7Flag
Dan
Well, I know to stay away from these movies now. Thanks.
1 year agoby @dan1Flag
Jakn
Is this an animated film?
1 year agoby @jaknFlag
IlikePie202
it will make more money this way
1 year agoby @Ilikepie202Flag
Nburgmei
I've been torn about this series of movies since I first heard they were being made. The book is young adult and should naturally cater to the young adult (PG-13) audience. However, the source material is in every way R-rated. It's not a hard R, but I'm skeptical of any director's ability to water it down. We all know what happens when director's take R-material and try to make PG-13 out of it.
If he's going for PG-13 let's hope he does one hell of a job with the story.
1 year agoby @nburgmeiFlag
Bane. Ferguson
i have passed by this book, and saw that Stephen Kings name was on the front cover praising it, i was going to buy it, and thought again, if the director is in doubts about that rating, and the fans, well that does show this has got a huge following
1 year agoby @Zak-FFlag
Wichy
Well, I was hoping for R-rated. I am a huge fan of the series and it deals with a lot of adult themes that are suited for an R-rating. I just hope that it stays true to the characters and the violence. The violence and cruelty was a big part of the books, so I hope there is something enjoyable for a PG-13 rating.
1 year agoby @wichitagalzlFlag