Hollywood Crush › Hunger Games

As you know, the Hollywood Crush team has been holding "The Hunger Games" director Gary Ross hostage at our secret underground lair (or, y'know, chatting with him over Skype), in order to get lots of inside skinny on next year's most hotly anticipated book-to-big-screen project. And this time around, we asked Gary about one of the most critical elements of adapting this book for film: getting the right perspective, so that it packs an emotional punch beyond that of a mere, mindless action flick. And once again, Gary proved that he's got an understanding of the book right on a par with its most die-hard fans.

"That's one of the fun things about it," he said. "There are times when you're viscerally inside [Jennifer Lawrence's] shoes, and that's the main experience."

But wait! There's more! Because in addition to being right inside Katniss' head, we're also going to get the experience of being a Panem resident, watching the Games on our own dystopian television.

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Tags Gary Ross, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Video

Now that we've had a few days to chew on "The Hunger Games" sneak peek debuted during the MTV Video Music Awards, we're ready to turn our attention to what's next on the menu. Namely, a full-length "Hunger Games" trailer!

Odds are many of you have already formulated trailer wish lists the size of Panem, detailing every little odd and end you'd die to see in the next piece of promotion for the dystopian drama. And you better believe Hollywood Crush has done the same! Feast on our five must-see scenes after the jump!

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Tags Elizabeth Banks, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Video, Woody Harrelson

Once you've convinced the director of "The Hunger Games" to do a video chat commentary on the film's just-released sneak peek, you don't just let him do his thing and walk away. Nooooo! You tie him to a chair and threaten him with a badger keep the chatline open and beg, with your best pretty-pretty-please charm, for just a few more answers to your burning questions about the film.

Or, I mean, that's what we did after Gary Ross so kindly offered his analysis-via-webcam of the "Hunger Games" first look. And because Gary is not only an immensely talented human being but also the nicest guy ever, he obliged us with a quick Q&A session about all things "HG." Check out his choice quotes...

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Tags Gary Ross, Hunger Games, Video

Why yes, we have been watching (and re-watching) the first sneak peek of "The Hunger Games" all morning long—and yes, we are going to wring every last ounce of fangirl analysis out of it before the day is done. Especially when it comes with a running commentary, insidery info and an exclusive glimpse into the artistic mind of the man, the myth, the legend, director Gary Ross! Video-chatting at us from the set of "The Hunger Games" (where, he's quick to point out, filming is nowhere near finished), Gary provided some directorial insights into what we're seeing—and hearing—as Jennifer Lawrence crashes through the forest in the opening moments of the teaser.

"I think, as everyone knows, Gale is an enormous part of Katniss' life," he explained, pausing the action just before the moment when Gale (Liam Hemsworth) begins speaking in voiceover. "He's not as big a part of the first book. But he's very present, and very important...he's in her head, he's in her life, he's something that echoes with her throughout the Games."

Not only that, but it's plainly clear that Gary is quite the "HG" fangirl (fanguy? fanman?) himself. Fans should be relieved to hear that he knows the books inside and out, and he's devoted not only to realizing Suzanne Collins' vision of a dystopian future, but to capturing the power of her narrative as well.

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Tags Gary Ross, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Video

Our "Hunger" has finally been sated...for now.

MTV debuted the first-ever look at footage from the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins' dystopian series "The Hunger Games" during last night's Video Music Awards, and we couldn't have been more excited to see Jennifer Lawrence in full-on bow-and-arrow-wielding mode as District 12 tribute Katniss Everdeen. But, you know, that's just our opinion, so we tapped the experts for their knee-jerk reaction to the exclusive sneak peek. And let's just say they think the odds are definitely in the film's favor.

"That was epic," enthused Samus Belle of Sparks Will Fly. "I'm so excited. Especially seeing Jennifer Lawrence running through the whole arena, she looked like a hunter. She just captured Katniss onscreen."

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Tags Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Video, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs

We've nibbled on tiny morsels all week, but now it's time for the main course: the full "Hunger Games" EXCLUSIVE sneak peek, which debuted on tonight's MTV Video Music Awards! Click play on the video below to watch the entire clip in all its blazing glory.

The footage opens rather ambiguously on a wooded area—Is it the forest outside of District 12 where heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) hunted with friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth)? Or the arena hosting the televised death match? Our questions are answered quickly as Katniss blazes into frame, running at a break neck pace in her Hunger Games uniform, complete with orange back pack. But Gale isn't far from her mind, as his words keep her surging forward: "Okay, listen. You're stronger than they are. They just want a good show. That's all they want. You know how to hunt. Show them how good you are."

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Tags Gary Ross, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs

Okay, so we know that Lionsgate did a perfectly fine job casting actual actors like Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson in "The Hunger Games," but considering that the MTV Video Music Awards are thisclose and that the flick's first footage will make its debut during said ceremony, we thought it would be fun to cast the flick using—you guessed it!—some of the biggest nominees from the night.

So, here we go with "The Hunger Games: Pop-Star Edition"!

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Tags Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs, Wiz Khalifa

One day. That's all that's left until the first "Hunger Games" footage premieres at the MTV Video Music Awards, airing Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

We've been doing anything and everything the past week to pass the time, and today we've decided to take a trip way back to 2010, when we still thought "The Hunger Games" would only be adapted into three movies and figured Jennifer Lawrence was off the table for the role of Katniss Everdeen because she didn't have brown hair. How naïve!

"The Hunger Games" turned out to be a bit different than we first thought it would be when it was optioned back in 2009. After the jump, we review a few movie rumors that didn't have the odds in their favor. Though they didn't come true, these misleading stories kept us guessing until they were disproved.

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Tags Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, John C. Reilly, John Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs, Woody Harrelson

You've seen the VMA promo. And examined the teaser photo 20 bajillion times. And now here's your chance to get another look at the much-anticipated exclusive sneak peek of "The Hunger Games," airing during this Sunday's Video Music Awards!

In the clip above, we get a brief glimpse of heroine Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence) blazing through the arena woods, in full Hunger Games uniform. What's she running from exactly? Well, you'll just have to tune in Sunday to find out for sure.

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Tags Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs

We've been quite literally waiting days for this, and now that it's here, we don't quite know what to say. It's a teaser photo. It's "The Hunger Games." It's... it's... HOLYOMG YOU GUYS, IT'S KATNISS IN DANGER!!!! AAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!

*Cough.*

Er, sorry. Lost control for a second, there! But as always, nonstop high-pitched squealing conveys what mere words cannot: Namely, that we've got an exclusive sneak peek at a still from the hotly-anticipated dystopian action-drama, and it is glorious.

Our video lead-in has Jennifer Lawrence in voiceover, discussing the extensive training she's gone through in order to fill the role of the hunting, gathering, arrow-slinging heroine Katniss Everdeen—training which looks to have paid off, as the teaser photo shows Jennifer bolting through blurry greenery, at an all-out sprint, with a grimace on her face. It's pretty intense!

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Tags Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence, Video, Video Music Awards, Video Music Awards 2011, VMAs