Jennifer Lawrence and 'Mockingjay' cast take final Comic-Con bow

[July 10, 2015]  By Piya Sinha-Roy

SAN DIEGO, Calif (Reuters) - "Make no mistake, the game is coming to its end," President Snow tells Katniss Everdeen in the first official "Mockingjay - Part 2" trailer, released on Thursday, as Jennifer Lawrence led "The Hunger Games" stars in their final Comic-Con bow.

"Mockingjay - Part 2," due in theaters on Nov. 20, will conclude the popular dystopian young adult "Hunger Games" film franchise that follows heroine Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) as she leads a revolution against oppressive leader President Snow.

The trailer shows sweeping scenes of the Capitol of Panem burning as Katniss brings war to the city and glimpses of all her relationships, from her sister Prim, who started her on the journey, to Plutarch, played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"What I like about these movies is that they take the entire world, and they condense it into this one continent, and they take all of these issues and one girl, who took it in her hands," said Lawrence.
 

Movie studio LionsGate has showcased "The Hunger Games" franchise prominently at San Diego's Comic-Con over the last four years, drumming up buzz among the convention's 100,000-plus fans of films and pop culture.

It has also led the way in making trailer releases events in themselves, teasing glimpses and asking fans to take part in activities for early access to the panels.

On Thursday, drummers dressed in white banged up a storm walking through the crowd of 6,000-plus people ahead of the film's leading cast members, director and producer.

Lawrence, 24, and co-stars Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and Willow Shields said filming the last installment of the four-part franchise was emotional.

"The changes that happened in my life from doing these movies are so permanent that I don't think I'll ever really say goodbye, it'll always be a part of me," said Lawrence.

"The Hunger Games" franchise, which has taken some $2.2 billion at the global box office since 2012, helped make Lawrence one of Hollywood's most sought-after actresses. She won an Oscar for 2012 comedy "Silver Linings Playbook."

(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Jill Serjeant and Cynthia Osterman)

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