In a somewhat surprising revelation, “Hunger Games” won’t be making an appearance at next month’s Comic-Con in San Diego.
The much-anticipated Lionsgate adaptation of the first book in Suzanne Collins’ best-selling trilogy is skipping the popular annual event which often acts as a coming out gala for studio genre fare primarily aimed at the fanboys and fangirls who pack into Hall H (with 6,000 capacity) and then tweet reactions to everything they see.
Lionsgate brass contend that “Hunger Games'” hectic North Carolina shoot, coupled with cast scheduling conflicts, make setting up an all-star panel an impossibility.
It’s not the only high-profile film to be absent from this year’s festivities — “The Dark Knight Rises,” “John Carter” and the upcoming Super man reboot, “Man of Steel,” are all assumed to be skipping the Con.
“Hunger Games” stars Jennifer Lawrence (as leading lady Katniss Everdeen), Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland. It’s being directed by Gary Ross (“Seabiscuit”). The film is scheduled to open in March 2012.