[Image from mtv.com]
This isn’t meant to pit the three franchises and their fans against each other. I’m a fan of all three series; I look forward to hearing casting news for the Hunger Games and the next Breaking Dawn installment. It’s simply a commentary that these three major franchises all have something in common now, other than a common demographic.This article does contain mentions of a major plot point in Mockingjay.
Earlier this week, Lionsgate announced that the final film installment of the Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, would be split into two parts. While this news may make some fans excited, some questioned if there was enough content in Mockingjay to even split into two. You could argue either side of this, but if the way Breaking Dawn was handled is to be an indicator, this movie is going to drag for two hours.
The final installments of the Harry Potter films were split into two parts, Deathly Hallows, pts. 1 and 2. As far as I know, that occurrence was the first of its kind. For the Harry Potter films (and for argument’s sake, Breaking Dawn), it made sense. The events that took place in Deathly Hallows, pt.1 was a descension into darkness. Lord Voldemort’s acquisition of the Elder Wand proved to be a major plot point in the second half of the film, as viewers began to understand the correlation between Horcruxes and Hallows. Even Breaking Dawn, pt. 1, which felt lengthier than it needed to be, has a plausible reasoning for its split; Breaking Dawn, pt. 1 focuses on the end of Bella’s humanity, whereas pt. 2 will focus on her new life as a vampire.
So where does Mockingjay fall into this? It’s hard to guess where the split will occur. Some have speculated that the split may occur after Katniss and Peeta’s reunion after the Quarter Quell. The importance of “Real or Not Real” could hold more weight in the films, as it’s clear that the marketing for the Hunger Games wants to try to compete with Twilight; The Team Peeta and Team Gale camps would have a field day with the split being there.
The problem with movies being split in half is that there just may not be enough content to fill 4 hours. That was my problem with Breaking Dawn; it was a decent enough movie as far as Twilight goes, but it dragged on. Perhaps Mockingjay will be able to prove me wrong, but as of right now, I’m underwhelmed and not impressed.
