Hunger Games Fireside Chat Podcast

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 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!