The Hunger Games series is drawing to a close on the big screen, as Mockingly Part 2 heads into theaters this fall. In anticipation of the approaching film, the cast, director and producer were here at Comic-Con to talk about the final installment. Among the topics discussed at the Hunger Games press conference was Katniss’ role in the revolution. In the end, being the Mockingjay really isn’t enough for Katniss. She wants to take action.
Hunger Games producer Nina Jacobson explained Katniss’ mindset as it relates to her role in the revolution that’s playing out in Panem. As Jacobson explains it, it’s one thing to be a poster child, it’s another to do what needs to be done…
There’s a difference between being a war hero and being a symbol of a revolution. And Katniss is inherently a character who wants to take action and to do what needs to be done. And doesn’t always want to be a sound bite or a poster child. So I think she might be willing to give up being the Mockingjay, but not give up being revolutionary.
Jennifer Lawrence spoke of her character’s changing mindset over the course of the Hunger Games series, beginning when her main goal was to save her sister Prim, and then to save herself and Peeta. Lawrence explains that that was all rooted in a sense of survival, and that there was no believable hope of a revolution early on in the story.
Waking up in district 13 changed things. Losing Peeta changed things. I believe that she kind of grows in her position and takes control of her own destiny.
Those who’ve read the Hunger Games books and/or have seen the movies understand how important Katniss has been for this revolution, but she’s undoubtedly more than just a symbol. The story is told from her perspective, so we've come to know her more for the person she is and not just how she’s perceived by the people in the Capitol and those fighting against it. It’s interesting to note the distinction between symbol and participant, and from the sound of it, Katniss would prefer to be the latter.
Beyond Katniss’ destiny, war will play a key part in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2. As director Francis Lawrence explained it, the final film will emphasize the consequences and complexities of war. And from what Nina Jacobson added to that, it sounds like the media — and more specifically, who’s controlling it — will have a big part in how things play out…
The Capitol has complete control over the media in the first movie, and Katniss begins to break that with Peeta at the end of the first movie. Over the course of this revolution, who is in charge of the media and what they do with it becomes enormously important to the outcome. And it is only through the pursuit of truth and defiance of the system that our characters ultimately do create change. But it doesn’t come easily.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 arrives in theaters November 20, 2015. If you missed it, check out the video that shows the introduction to the panel at Comic-Con, as well as the new trailer for the film here.
