‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Comic-Con trailer released!
The second trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has debuted at San Diego Comic-Con this afternoon after being introduced by Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) , Josh Hutcherson (Peter), and Liam Hemsworth (Gale).
It looks awesome! The visual special effects look like they’ve improved too. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be out in cinemas this November!
‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ New Cover Unveiled
Scholastic unveiled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’s new cover at San Diego Comic-Con. The illustrator, Kazu Kibuishi, attended the Scholastic party to celebrate his design. This might be the best one yet! Check it out below:
The Harry Potter hardbacks will retain their original art designed by Mary GrandPre. It is only the paperbacks that are receiving the new covers. They hit bookstores on August 27.
You can check out the previously released covers right here! Only one more to go now – Deathly Hallows! Which we should see pretty soon.
New Features Announced for Pottermore
Pottermore has announced that new features will be coming to the site once the final chapters of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is released in the coming weeks. Two of those new features include the ability to comment on Moments, chapters, and J.K. Rowling’s entries, and Book Pages.
“You will not only have the ability to comment on Moments, but each book, each chapter, and each exclusive content entry from J.K. Rowling, so you can discuss your feelings and ideas about the Harry Potter stories and interact with the Pottermore community,” writes Pottermore on their Insider blog.
In addition, Pottermore will launch “Book Pages” which each share very basic information about the seven Harry Potter books. You will be able to leave comments about each book as well.
Comments have always been integrated into Pottermore at the end of each Chapter but as users get house points for each comment it is difficult to see how implementing comments elsewhere through the site will encourage readers to have a discussion. I wish that Pottermore would focus on the millions of Harry Potter fans rather than just new readers of the books, but at least they’re trying to improve the website! Do you still use Pottermore?
‘Game of Thrones’ Author George R.R. Martin Comments on Red Viper Casting
Author of the Game of Thrones series, George R.R. Martin, has written a blog post addressing the news that Pedro Pascal will be playing the Red Viper in Game of Thrones season 4.
It was recently revealed that actor Pedro Pascal has been chosen to play the significant role of the Red Viper, more formally known as Prince Oberyn Martell, in the next season of Game of Thrones.
Answering a question on his blog, author George R.R. Martin comments on the casting choice, admitting that while he was not present for Pascal’s audition, he believes the actor will do an excellent job:
“I’ve always pictured the ‘salty Dornish’ as being more Mediterranean than African in appearance,” he writes. “Dark hair and eyes, olive skin.”
Martin goes on to discuss the ways in which Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff work to diversify the cast, pointing out that while several characters of colour have been killed off, the characters Xaro Xhoan Daxos and Salladhor Saan (who are white in the book series) are portrayed by black actors.
Finally, Martin shares his hope that this trend will continue in future seasons, “when and if” Oberyn’s bastard daughters (who are known as the Sand Snakes) are cast.
“I expect we will see the same diversity as in the books, ranging from Tyene (blond and blue-eyed) to Sarella (light brown skin, as her mother was a Summer Islander),” he writes.
The full comment from Martin can be read below (Beware of mild book spoilers):
I wasn’t present for Pedro Pascal’s audition, but I understand that he really killed it with his reading. And since his casting was announced, the producer of another TV show on which he appeared recently has written me to say how terrific Pascal is, and to congratulate us on the casting. So I suspect that he will turn out to be a wonderful Red Viper.
I do know that David and Dan and HBO do favor having a racially and ethnically diverse cast on the series. It is true that we’ve lost several black characters who appear in the novels (Chataya and Alayaya, Jalabhar Xho, Strong Belwas), but to balance that, characters like Salladhor Saan and Xaro Xhoan Daxos, both white in the books, have been played by black actors. Missandei as well, though in the books the Naathi are golden-skinned, not white.
As for the Dornishmen, well, though by and large I reject one to one analogies, I’ve always pictured the “salty Dornish” as being more Mediterranean than African in appearance; Greek, Spanish, Italian, Portugese, etc. Dark hair and eyes, olive skin. Pedro Pascal is Chilean. (Check out Amok’s version of the Red Viper, that’s how I saw him. Or Magali Villenueve’s beautiful and sexy portrait of Princess Arianne).
When and if the show introduces Prince Oberyn’s daughters, the Sand Snakes, I expect we will see the same diversity as in the books, ranging from Tyene (blond and blue-eyed) to Sarella (light brown skin, as her mother was a Summer Islander). And I expect that the crew of the CINNAMON WIND will all be cast with black actors… assuming, of course, that Sam’s voyage remains in the story.
Brenton Thwaites to Play Jonas in ‘The Giver’
Brenton Thwaites has been cast as Jonas in the upcoming adaptation of The Giver! According to Deadline, Thwaites beat out several other upcoming actors for the lead role of Jonas. Thwaites will be starring opposite Jeff Bridges, who is also producing the film.
Jonas is chosen to be the next Receiver of Memory in his seemingly Utopian society. He bonds with the current Receiver played by Bridges. Throughout the story Jonas discovers the lies and deception his society is built on.
Philip Noyce will direct the adaptation of Lois Lowry’s 1993 dystopian children’s novel. The movie is set to start filming in South Africa this fall. The screenplay was adapted by Vadim Perelman with a rewrite by Michael Mitnick.
Brenton Thwaites is an Australian actor who is best known for his work as Stu Henderson on soap opera Home and Away. He has also just finished several projects, including Son of a Gun and The Signal. He was also cast as the Prince in Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning.
Clearly the characters in The Giver film will be older than they are portrayed in the book (11 years old). Do you think this will change the message and essence of the film’s portrayal of the book?
First footage from ‘Divergent’ will be shown at Comic-Con with Cast and Author in attendance!
New details from Summit reveal that Divergent will be at Comic-Con International in San Diego. We’ll be getting our first footage from the film at a panel with almost all of the main cast members to be in attendance and signing autographs for visitors on the floor!
DIVERGENT Hall H Panel – The studio’s panel on Thursday, July 18th will feature the first footage ever seen of the futuristic thriller and a Q&A with DIVERGENT’S filmmakers and cast, including novelist Veronica Roth, director Neil Burger, and cast members Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Maggie Q, Ansel Elgort, Mekhi Phifer, Ben Lamb, Ben Lloyd-Hughes and Christian Madsen.
Convention Floor Booth – Summit Entertainment’s booth located within the Grand Hall will highlight DIVERGENT. Exclusive premium promotional items will be distributed to the attendees walking the convention floor and cast members will sign autographs for booth visitors.
Based on Veronica Roth’s New York Times bestselling novel, Divergent is a thrilling action adventure set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is “divergent” and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all divergents, she must find out what makes being different so dangerous before it’s too late.
Directed by Neil Burger from a script by Vanessa Taylor. Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher are producing the project via their Red Wagon Entertainment banner along with Pouya Shahbazian. Red Wagon’s Rachel Shane is executive producing. The film will be released domestically on March 21, 2014.
Thanks Page to Premiere for the info!
New HIGH-RES ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ Cover
At least we have the high-res version of the new cover for the Order of the Phoenix. Here we see Harry riding a thestral to the ministry of magic.
The entire Scholastic set with all new covers designed by Kazu Kibuishi will be available on August 27, 2013 as part of the 15th Anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
If you missed them check out the covers for the following Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
New ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ Cover
We have found the new cover for the Order of the Phoenix on the Scholastic Shop website! Unfortunately as it hasn’t been officially “released” it’s only a small image. But it looks great!
The entire Scholastic set with all new covers designed by Kazu Kibuishi will be available on August 27, 2013 as part of the 15th Anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
If you missed them check out the covers for the following Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
New ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ Paperback Cover
Scholastic has released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’s new paperback cover, and it features Harry versus the Hungarian Horntail.
The cover was designed by Kazu Kibuishi. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was originally published July 8, 2000. It was the first time a Harry Potter book was published in the United States and United Kingdom on the same day.
Mary GrandPre’s original cover for the United States version of the fourth Harry Potter book featured Harry in front of the Goblet of Fire. But the British Bloomsbury version by Giles Greenfield, also depicts the First Task of the Triwizard Championship, with Harry on his Firebolt being chased by a Hungarian Horntail. Whose depiction looks better?
Prisoner of Azkaban’s cover was released on Thursday and depicted Harry sending a Patronus at dementors on the Black Lake. Chamber of Secrets‘ shows Harry and Ron arriving at The Burrow. Sorcerer’s Stone’s depicts Harry and Hagrid arriving at Diagon Alley.
The new Harry Potter book covers will hit store shelves on August 27 in the United States. The hardback copies of the Harry Potter books will not receive the new designs.
Scholastic will be pushing out the remaining new Harry Potter covers over the next few weeks. We have three left to go, plus the artwork for the box set’s case.
So far I think the Chamber of Secrets cover is my favorite! What’s yours? Let us know in the comments below!
Young Adult Book Reviewer 