Earlier today we published our brief interviews with Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutchinson at last night’s Hunger Games premiere. During the evening we also managed to have a much longer chat with the film’s producer Nina Jacobson. With pundits and experts alike predicting a massive opening for the film – possibly in the $150 million in the US alone, it was a great opportunity to find out how she’s reacting.
We also took the chance to speak to her about the minor cuts made to the UK version of the film to qualify for a 12A release, and whether it was the right thing to do creatively, rather than just financially.
On the predicted success of the film
“I’m still marvelling at it. I’m just so thrilled that so many people are so excited to see an adaptation of a book I love so much, and that everybody else seems to be loving too.”
On the sequels being a sure thing
“I don’t believe in a sure thing. If everybody shows up and loves the first movie, we’ll be there with more, but ultimately audiences really decide what makes a franchise, not anybody but them.”
When will you get the go ahead for the next one? Will it be on opening weekend?
“We’re working on the script and we have a release date, so as long as everybody shows up, we should be in good shape.”
On the 7 second cut to the UK version
“The changes are very modest, and ultimately the book is published by scholastic for twelve and up, and it was important to us to make a movie that – you know, the kids who first discovered this book turned it into a phenomenon, it’s since crossed over, but it all started with these young people who loved the book so much, so it was important to us to make a movie they could see. It was written for them, it was made, certainly to be enjoyed by everybody, but we never wanted to make a version they couldn’t be a part of”
On her connection to the books
“I love the books as much as any fan. When I read them I couldn’t stop thinking about them, I couldn’t imagine not being the person who got to produce them. I found it unbearable that anybody else might get to be that person; I was able to win over Suzanne and earn her trust, and so I felt that we really needed to find a filmmaker in Gary Ross who was fundamentally a character-based storyteller.
“ I think the power of these books is in Katniss and in her point of view, and the way in which she grounds everything and makes it feel like it’s happening to you, and she’s so human, she’s so authentic. With Gary it felt like we had a director who would always tell the story in a way that was coming from the characters, and not happening to them. When we found Jen and Liam we had, along with our adult cast, people who could bring life to these characters, and the dimensionality they deserve.”
