'Hunger Games' Premiere: Director Gary Ross Explains Why There's No Nudity in My Movie
On his way into "The Hunger Games" premiere Monday, director Gary Ross offered a simple explanation for the lack of nudity in Lionsgate's highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel.
“There's no nudity in the book, so there's no nudity in the movie,” Ross said.
He admitted he was still working on the film up until very recently.
“I tweaked a couple of things in the color timing a couple of days ago,” he said.
Also read: 'Hunger Games' Premiere Draws Stars, Fans
With the franchise just now building steam as it rolls out, there's no definitive confirmation whether the studio will adapt it into three movies (one for each novel in the series) or try to stretch it further the way Summit did with "Twilight" and Warner Bros. did with "Harry Potter" novels.
“You know, that's a larger conversation that involves more people than me,” Ross told TheWrap.
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer was loathe to compare the fledgling franchise to either "Twilight," now under the same umbrella with the company's acquisition of Summit, or Warners.
“I don't compare projects, but we're super excited about the movie," Feltheimer told TheWrap. "We got to have three more, right?”
He declined to offer a specific box-office projection, but said “I feel great. We got a great movie. I think it's going to be OK.”
Tracking indicates the film will open to at least $95 million in its opening weekend, with a $100 million weekend possible.
Lionsgate COO and newly-titled president of Motion Picture Group Steve Beeks said he was fielding so many requests for tickets to the premiere that “It got to a point where you kind of actually have to hide.”
Beeks' added responsibilities were announced the same day that Lionsgate-Summit announced it was laying off about 80 people.
Also read: Lionsgate-Summit Laying Off 80, Signs Long-Term Deal With COO Steve Beeks
“I'd say there was some interesting timing. It was tough. It was tough frankly,” Beeks told TheWrap before seeing the film in its finished version for the first time.
“It's a great company," he said. "I'm pretty excited to be a part of it, especially over the next few years."
Woody Harrelson's long stroll on the black carpet marked his second “premiere” in 48 hours. His starring role in HBO's “Game Change” debuted over the weekend.
The film's popularity drew several non-affiliated celebs who either came to support friends, like Miley Cyrus, Kelly Osbourne and Kevin McHale, or to be the one who walks across the street and signs autographs for fans, spends about an hour on the carpet, and admits they had not read any of the books.
Here's looking at you, pop singer Cody Simpson.
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