I just squeed harder than Effie Trinket on Reaping Day, because Lionsgate has released the first official posters from Catching Fire—and boy are they pretty and eerie all at once.
Something that Catching Fire and Mockingjay explore really well is Katniss Everdeen’s evolution from Hunger Games victor to “the Mockingjay,” the symbol of the resistance. We get the first taste of that here, with these faux-propaganda posters of Katniss and Peeta Mellark looking like the perfect little engaged couple.
Spoilers for the series ahead!
Sure, we’ve already seen the set pics of the actors (old and new) filming their Arena fight scenes. But with this poster announcing the 74th Hunger Games Victory Tour, Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence have gotten back into character in the coolest way.
Before Katniss shoots her “propos” (propaganda TV spots) in the third movie, she’s still stuck as the Capitol’s tool. The whole point of the 75th Hunger Games—which also marks the third Quarter Quell since the Games began—is to kill off Katniss and Peeta by reaping all victors from past Games to basically tear them apart in the Arena.
But before then, the lovebirds have to act as if they’re actually gaga for each other—because as President Snow warns Katniss, he’ll make her suffer if she acts like her plan to commit suicide in the Arena was anything but a lovesick impulse. However, Peeta ups the ante by proposing to Katniss during their pre-Games interviews. And that’s when the real shenanigans start.
I’m really digging Katniss’ gown here. I doubt it’s her actual wedding dress, but it still communicates that virginal-bride deal she’s striving for. And anyone who’s read the books will recognize the creepiness of Katniss carrying roses, since Catching Fire is when we we learn why President Snow always wears a rose on his lapel.
But the second poster may be even eerier:
What are they standing next to? The Cornucopia from the new Arena? A Capitol building? Either way, by showing both the close-up of the young lovers and then the same shot with them tiny really emphasizes how little control they actually have.
I’ve said it before: I think Francis Lawrence’s prior experience shooting music videos and music documentaries will really aid his direction of Catching Fire. He already gets the notion of celebrity, as well as the “reality” of having your lives filmed. I’m really excited to see what he does with Katniss and Peeta’s reality-TV-worthy engagement. Raise your hand if you can’t wait to see the accompanying propaganda poster about Katniss’ fake pregnancy!
Catching Fire hits theaters November 22, 2013, so the fans were starting to freak out with no trailer yet. This is the very best way to sate our appetites for the time being.
Photos: Lionsgate
Natalie Zutter is a playwright, foodie, and the co-creator of Leftovers, a webcomic about food trucks in the zombie apocalypse. Her writing has appeared on BlackBook, Ology, and Crushable, where she discusses celebrity culture alongside internet memes (or vice versa). Weekly you can find her calling in to the Hunger Games Fireside Chat podcast, reviewing new releases at Movie Mezzanine, and on Twitter.
