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Weekend Movie Preview: July 18, 2014

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It's a busy time for new movies this time out for the weekend movie preview. There are five films opening in theaters and they run the gamut. 

We've got horror-thriller with the sequel to The PurgeThe Purge: Anarchy, comedy with Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz making a Sex Tape, Disney returns to the world of Planes with Planes: Fire & Rescue, Zach Braff finally releases a follow-up to Garden State with his Wish I Was Here and Brit Marling investigates the secret to our eyes, in I Origins.

Let's break it down.

The Purge Anarchy: The Purge was a surprise success in 2013 and the fantastic idea is truly represented in the sequel. The idea that all crime is legal for one night a year was limited by its locked-in-a-house premise in the first film. Now, with the action on the streets of Los Angeles, this fantastic story idea can breathe, as we reported in our The Purge: Anarchy review.

A Purger Does His Thing
What's with the masks on The Purge? I mean, if murder and mayhem is legal, why you hiding behind a mask tough guy?!

Frank Grillo stars as a man who is on a mission of vengeance. Someone killed his son and got away with it, so he is armed to the "T" and ready to kill. Then, he comes across some people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But, lucky for them, Grillo's character has a lot of heart. And our adventure of survival begins. 

Sex Tape: Diaz and Segel reunite in a comedy that is not quite as good as their first pairing, Bad Teacher​. They play a couple whose sex life has gone down the drain so they decide to tape themselves having sex to spice things up. When the tape gets uploaded to iPads that they have given friends and family, their journey to get them back begins.

Cameron Seduces Jason
Cameron Diaz seduces Jason Segel in a still from Sex Tape.

As our Sex Tape review points out, there is a lot of comic talent here that is not utilized fully, including supporting players Ellie Kemper, Rob Corddry and Rob Lowe. 

Planes Fire & Rescue: Dusty (Dane Cook) had a dream of moving beyond his crop-dusting world and becoming a world class air racer. He achieved that dream in Planes,and now he and Disney are back in a film that is even better than the first. 

Dusty has to train to become an airplane firefighter to help his home airport, and the message of self sacrifice is one that should resonate so well with kids. And parents won't mind taking their kiddies to this one because of the onscreen thrills, humor and heart. As stated in our Planes: Fire & Rescue review, the addition of voice actors Ed Harris and Julie Bowen only further raises the game of this budding franchise. 

Wish I Was Here: Braff took 10 years to do his follow-up to Garden State,and we wish we could say it was worth the wait. What he has given us is a story about a father and a son, but the son is too self-involved to see his world crumbling around him. Braff also doesn't use his players as well as he did in his first effort, most notably Kate Hudson as his wife. For more, check out our Wish I Was Here review.

I Origins: What a premise and what a movie. A scientist (Michael Pitt) is searching for an evolutionary connection in the human eye that could prove that there is no way that religion played any part in our creation. Brit Marling stars as his lab partner and the two embark on a journey that is explosive on so many levels. As reported in our I Origins review, this is one of the most thought-provoking movies of the entire summer. 

Feel like staying in this weekend? Several titles have landed on digital download recently that can be seen when you watch Rio 2 online or watch The Raid 2 online..


Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Re-Team for By the Sea

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It’s been years since Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt starred in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The real life couple, who met on the set of that action flick, have been looking for the right project to reunite onscreen and they found it in their own home with the Jolie-penned By the Sea.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith Poster

Jolie is going to follow up her directing effort Unbroken with another that will feature her and her longtime love.

There is not much known in terms of plot for By the Sea, other than it is a “character-driven drama.”

The film will be released by Universal, and Donna Langley, the Chairman of Universal Pictures, could not be more thrilled.

"Angelina continues to showcase her extraordinary storytelling abilities in front of and behind the camera and we are thrilled to extend our relationship with her on By the Sea. Angelina and Brad represent two of Hollywood's brightest talents and we are excited to be a part of their collaboration on this powerful piece," Langley said in a statement.

Jolie is also overjoyed at the prospect as well, judging by her statements. "I am very happy to continue my relationship with Donna and the entire Universal team as I finish Unbroken and begin work on By the Sea. They have created a very special place for storytellers,” Jolie said in a statement.

“I look forward to the continued passion and support they have provided to me as a filmmaker."

Check out Pitt and Jolie’s first teaming and watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith online

The Notebook Star James Garner Dead at 86: A True Maverick!

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James Garner, beloved star of TV and the big screen, has passed away at the age of 86. Although he was best known for his work on TV’s The Rockford Files and in his early days, the western Maverick, he was also a huge presence on film.

The Notebook James Garner Gena Rowlands

Millions of movie fans will probably most remember him for his touching portrayal of a devoted husband in The Notebook.

Before that, in 2000, he paired with Tommy Lee Jones and Clint Eastwood and shot into orbit in Space Cowboys, and also enjoyed a late career renaissance onscreen opposite Jack Lemmon in 1996’s My Fellow Americans.

We adored his passing the torch role in Mel Gibson’s Maverick which took his ‘50s TV classic and brought it to the silver screen in 1994.

Garner passed away at the age of 86 from natural causes and was one of the most lovable men in Hollywood. He will be deeply missed.

Why not watch The Notebook online and witness one of the man’s greatest works. 

James Garner
The star of screen and TV, James Garner, will be missed. He was 86.

Fifty Shades of Grey Teaser Trailer: Revealed!

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The teaser for the first Fifty Shades of Grey trailer has arrived, and in some ways in the most unusual of spots.

Thanks to Beyonce and her Instagram account, we have this ultra quick look at a few hands and legs that clearly belong to Jamie Dornan’s Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia Steele.

The teaser is meant to get you all sorts of hot and bothered to watch the debut of the Fifty Shades of Grey trailer on Thursday, July 24.

Clearly Beyonce got the honor of debuting the tease because she’s scored the coveted spot of recording the theme for the film.

Fifty Shades of Grey hits the screen February 13, 2015 and also stars Jennifer Ehle, Luke Grimes, Marcia Gay Harden, Rita Ora and Eloise Mumford. 

Jamie Dornan Stares!
Give you one guess who Jamie Dornan is staring at in this first still from Fifty Shades of Grey?

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Purges The Purge Anarchy: Weekend Box Office Report

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Three new films opened wide this past weekend, but none of them were any kind of match for those apes. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes repeated as box office champ with an impressive second week total of $36 million. That brings the Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel’s total gross to $138.9 million.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Photo Still

The Purge: Anarchy led the way, in terms of the new releases, as The Purge sequel banked $28.4 million in its first week of release. The first film, which can be seen when you watch The Purge online, banked $34 million in its debut. The Purge: Anarchy was followed in third by another sequel, Planes: Fire & Rescue with its debut of $18 million.

The second pairing of Jason Segel and Cameron Diaz, after Bad Teacher, did not fare quite as well as their first as Sex Tape debuted in fourth place with an even $15 million.

Closing out the top five was Transformers: Age of Extinction with a fourth week haul of $10 million. So far, the Michael Bay-helmed fourth Transformers movie has made $227 million.

Box office top 10:
1. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, $36 million
2. The Purge: Anarchy, $28.4 million
3. Planes: Fire & Rescue, $18 million
4. Sex Tape, $15 million
5. Transformers: Age of Extinction, $10 million
6. Tammy, $7.6 million
7. 22 Jump Street, $4.7 million
8. How to Train Your Dragon 2, $3.8 million
9. Maleficent, $3.3 million
10. Earth to Echo, $3.26 million

Click through and check out our favorite Dawn of the Planet of the Apes quotes in honor of the film's big second weekend victory. 

A good man... like you.

Malcolm: Who was that in the video?
Caesar: A good man... like you.

Jason Clarke reminds Caesar of James Franco. And that is a very good thing.

Star Wars Episode VII: J.J. Abrams Unveils X-Wing Fighter in Force For Change Video

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It’s supremely impressive that J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode VII have used the chance to appear in Abrams’ Star Wars film with their Force For Change charity and raised over $1 million. But, they are not done. Abrams has released a new video, and in it, he reveals an X-Wing fighter. He’s also interrupted by a pilot ready to take off and a rogue robot! To quote Abrams' company name, Bad Robot, bad!

"We are so grateful for the support that the fans from over 119 countries have shown for Force for Change. As we close this final week, we've added an additional prize that allows the fans the opportunity to see the movie early as a thank you for supporting such a great cause as UNICEF's innovative, lifesaving work for children," Abrams said in the video.

The funds go to UNICEF’s Innovation Labs and will be distributed to their 14 locations to further push for cures to the diseases that most affect the youngest out there.

There are still a few days (it ends July 25) to donate and the expanded prize for one lucky winner will be: 

  • Airfare and accommodations to London for one winner and a guest
  • Behind-the-scenes access on the closed set of Star Wars: Episode VII as VIP guests of J.J. Abrams
  • Winner will have the opportunity to meet members of the Star Wars: Episode VII cast
  • Winner and their guest will then be transformed by makeup and costume teams into a Star Wars character and filmed for a scene in Star Wars: Episode VII

Head over to StarWars.com/forceforchange to donate, and with each $10 donation, you will be entered in the contest. And if you win, be sure to help Harrison Ford with that broken leg!

Han Solo Must Have a Huge Part
We've heard that Harrison Ford's Han Solo has an enormous part in the seventh Star Wars movie. Ford would not have signed on to J.J. Abrams' film if that was not the case.

Guardians of the Galaxy Extended Clip: Prison Break!

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An extended Guardians of the Galaxy clip has arrived and it could not be a better choice to show how these five misfits come together and become the title group.

We first see Peter Quill, aka Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (voice of Vin Diesel) and Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper) as a collective when they’re arrested in a way that you won’t hear here -- no spoilers!

They are promptly taken to a high security prison where they are grouped together and forced to share space. It is there that they hatch a plan to break out of prison and begin their journey to be the Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Since that first Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, through the most recent release of the Guardians of the Galaxy character posters, Marvel has handled the roll-out and introduction of their new group of superheroes with the gold standard that is indicative of their entire operation.

And although we cannot say much (embargo!), we have seen Guardians of the Galaxy and cannot wait for the entire world to discover this Marvel of a movie on August 1.

The Ronan Poster
Ronan the Accuser gets his own character poster!

Godzilla DVD: Release Date & Bonus Features Announced

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The force of nature that is Godzilla is coming soon to various home video platforms! Warner Bros. announced today that Godzilla will be storming onto DVD, Blu-Ray and digital formats on September 16.

Godzilla DVD

As teased in the Godzilla trailer, the film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Ken Watanabe, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins and David Strathairn. The film follows what happens when an ancient beast is awakened, but why?

Godzilla triumphantly was brought to life by Gareth Edwards (recently announced director of a Star Wars spin-off) from a screenplay by Max Borenstein. As you can tell from our theatrical Godzilla review, this is one fine film that fans of the classic movie monster should be thrilled with.

When it comes to the bonus features, here’s what you can look forward to:

  • MONARCH: Declassified - Discover explosive new evidence not contained in the film that unravels the massive cover-up to keep Godzilla’s existence a secret.
  • Operation: Lucky Dragon
  • MONARCH: The M.U.T.O. File
  • The Godzilla Revelation
  • The Legendary Godzilla - Go behind the scenes with filmmakers and cast for an even deeper look at the larger than life monsters in the film.
  • Godzilla: Force of Nature
  • A Whole New Level Of Destruction
  • Into The Void: The H.A.L.O. Jump
  • Ancient Enemy: The M.U.T.O.s

Among these bonus features, our most anticipated has to be Into the Void, The H.A.L.O. Jump and The Godzilla Revelation -- both should delve into two realms of the film that made it so truly special.

Godzilla Takes a Walk
Godzilla appears to be calmly moving through the City in this latest pic from Godzilla!

Jurassic World: Comic-Con Poster Released!

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Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow released a Jurassic World Comic-Con poster on his Twitter account today, teasing the film’s arrival at the annual San Diego pop culture fest this coming week.

The poster is from artist Mark Englert, and we take this to mean that Jurassic World will be making its presence felt at Comic-Con. Count on Movie Fanatic to bring you all the details… and perhaps a teaser?! Please!

Jurassic World opens in 3D, IMAX theaters and standard formats on June 12, 2015.

Watch Jurassic Park online to see how this story got started as Jurassic World is set to take place 20 years after the first film as the park is running smoothly, for now!

Jurassic World Comic-Con Poster
The Comic-Con poster for Jurassic World is here!

11 Most Iconic Comic-Con Moments: From The Avengers to Twilight Taking Over!

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With Comic-Con beginning in just days and Movie Fanatic heading to San Diego to bring our readers every little bit of news, footage, trailers, interviews and anything else we can dig up -- we decided to look back and let you know what have been the biggest Comic-Con moments in the fest's decades-long history. 

Watch 300 online and that movie's famous debut was one of our 11 moments that shook San Diego like a Southern California earthquake. 

When Christopher Nolan announced that the Joker would be his villain for the movie that can be seen when you watch The Dark Knight online, Jokers being everywhere in 2007 is another moment that makes our list!

And although Star Wars quotes are some of the most famous in the history of film, would you believe that a 1976 presentation at Comic-Con was to a room that was only half full?!

Click through and check out our 11 most iconic Comic-Con moments of all time!

1970: Comic-Con Begins
Founders of the first Comic-Con open their doors and hope that 75 people will show. Years later, it's hundreds of thousands that show up!

Sabotage Exclusive Giveaway: Win Arnold Schwarzenegger's Latest Blu-Ray!

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Since returning to Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger has chosen quite wisely when it comes to his film roles. Further proof of that is his latest, Sabotage. While we wait for the late summer release of The Expendables 3, we’ve got a chance for two of our readers to score a copy of the Blu-Ray for Sabotage.

Sabotage DVD

As teased in our Sabotage exclusive trailer, Schwarzenegger stars as the leader of an elite DEA group that has crossed the globe putting the worst of the worst behind bars. After a huge drug bust that is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, he and his team may have just pissed off the wrong drug lord.

They start dying, one-by-one, and Schwarzenegger has to figure out who is behind it before they are all dead.

Sabotage features a stellar cast including Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway and Mireille Enos. It is from the writer of those Training Day quotes and the writer-director of End of Watch.

Be sure to enter our Sabotage contest below, and watch End of Watch online to get an idea of the treat you’re in for with the Sabotage Blu-Ray when it lands July 22.

Use the widget below to enter on Facebook or Twitter. There are three unique ways to enter, and by entering all three ways you can increase your chance at winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Arnold Puts Bad Guys Away
Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in action in Sabotage.

The Expendables 3 Get Colorful With Comic-Con Posters!

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The Expendables 3 is heading to Comic-Con and to celebrate Sylvester Stallone and his crew making it to San Diego, Lionsgate has released a fantastic series of new (colorful) character posters!

As teased in The Expendables 3 trailer, Stallone has brought back some veterans of previous movies, including Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews and Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

But this time out, the crew has added some new blood, including Harrison Ford, Antonio Banderas, Kellan Lutz and Kelsey Grammer. We even have UFC champ Ronda Rousey, introduced in this The Expendables 3 TV spot!

And we all know they're all a bunch of colorful cats, so how fitting that these vibrant posters premiere.

The Expendables 3 lands in theaters August 15, and stay with Movie Fanatic through all of our Comic-Con coverage and look for some insight from the cast of this third chapter in the action franchise. 

And to see how it all got started, watch The Expendables online

Harrison Ford is Ready for Flight
Harrison Ford plays a pilot and an old friend of The Expendables crew in The Expendables 3.

Magic in the Moonlight Exclusive: Jacki Weaver Dishes Woody Allen Magic

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Jacki Weaver sure found a great role to follow up her Oscar-nominated turn in Silver Linings Playbook. And the fact that it came in a movie written and directed by someone -- Woody Allen -- she never even dared dreamed of working with, all the better.

“I’d been a Woody Allen fan for decades,” Weaver told us in our exclusive video interview. “As a teenager I used to plagiarize his stand-up routines!”  

"For most actors he is a genius and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and I had him on a pedestal,” Weaver said.

“It was never on my agenda to work with him. I just never thought it was possible. When he asked me to come to his office and asked me to be in his movie, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I can’t say it was a dream come true because I didn’t dare to dream such a thing.”

As teased in the Magic in the Moonlight trailer, Weaver plays a wealthy woman living in the South of France who has employed Emma Stone’s mystic to help her get in touch with her dead husband. Meanwhile, Colin Firth plays a world-renowned magician who is an expert at debunking supernatural frauds.

Weaver also talks the joy of those séance scenes with the entire cast and talks about all the boys showing off… “especially Firthy.”

Watch Blue Jasmine online to check out Allen’s latest (and Oscar-winning) film and watch Silver Linings Playbook online to catch Weaver at her best! 

Guardians of the Galaxy Clip: Ever Seen an Aaskvarian?

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Hot on the heels of that Guardians of the Galaxy extended clip that showed how our heroes band together to bust out of prison, we have a new clip that shows their most unlikely of beginnings. 

The scene establishes that Drax (Dave Bautista) has lost his family at the hands of Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). And he knows his new cell mate Gamora (Zoe Saldana) has been known to do Ronan's bidding. 

Chris Pratt's Peter Quill, aka Star Lord, steps in and tries to diffuse the situation and in so doing establishes the very origins of the Guardians of the Galaxy

Look for the latest superhero flick from Marvel Studios in theaters August 1 and our interviews and exclusives from the entire cast the week before release! 

The Ronan Poster
Ronan the Accuser gets his own character poster!

Goosebumps Photos: R.L. Stine's Creatures Come Alive

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Fresh off the first Goosebumps photo of Jack Black as R.L. Stine, today we have a trio of stills that feature not only another look at Black, but also a couple of spooky shoots that show what happens when the famed author’s creations come to life.

Goosebumps is set to debut August 7, 2015 and follows the most brilliant of ways to bring Stine’s books to the big screen.

Black plays Stine and when his creatures from his book series come to life, who better to know exactly how to stop them before they cause some real terror!

We can’t wait to see what Black and director Rob Letterman have to show us at this week’s Comic-Con from the film that also stars Dylan Minnette and Odeya Rush (The Giver).

Goosebumps Cast Gets Goosebumps
Jack Black and the cast of Goosebumps share a scare.

Mad Max Fury Road: Tom Hardy Hits the Road

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The Road Warrior is back, aka Mad Max, and this time out, the iconic character is portrayed by Tom Hardy.

The man who was Bane in The Dark Knight Rises looks incredible in those first Mad Max: Fury Road photos and we’ve got a few more (in honor of the film coming to Comic-Con) that show off director Roger Miller’s choice to take over for Mel Gibson as he launches his franchise into a new century.

Miller has been behind every Mad Max movie since the first one went from being a little Australian adventure flick to a bona fide cultural phenomenon.

The latest Mad Max thrills feature Hardy joined by an impressive cast, including Oscar winner Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, plus Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and opens everywhere May 15, 2014.

Mad Max Hits the Road
Tom Hardy is such a fantastic choice to take over for Mel Gibson in the role of Mad Max... I mean, just look at him!

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 Is Back On: Captain Jack Returns in 2017

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Pirates of the Caribbean 5 was given a title, Dead Men Tell No Tales, hired directors in Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg and then… it was delayed. But now, fans of Captain Jack, we have good news. 

Pirates of the Caribbean 5 is back on and it has secured a future release date all to its own -- July 28, 2017.

Johnny Depp is Captain Jack Sparrow

Jerry Bruckheimer has delivered on his promise to bring another Johnny Depp as Captain Jack story to the big screen and with the Kon-Tiki directors at the helm, we are actually quite excited.

The adventures of Jack Sparrow have earned over $3.7 billion at the box office globally and it looks like they will be adding another huge chunk of change to that total in the summer of 2017.

In the meantime, check out how it all got started and watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl online

X-Men Days of Future Past: DVD Release Date Revealed!

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Fox has announced their plans for the X-Men: Days of Future Past DVD release and it will come in two editions. Fans can get the regular ole DVD and Blu-Ray or the special collector’s edition.

X-Men: Days of Future Past DVD

As we previously reported, Bryan Singer is working on an X-Men: Days of Future Past director’s edition for the home video release that will feature more footage, including more of Anna Paquin’s Rogue.

Look for the X-Men: Days of Future Past DVD and Blu-Ray on October 14, but fans can get it earlier on September 23 as it will debut then digitally.

The special collector's edition will feature even more bonus materials, but also… a Magneto helmet!

More details to come in terms of bonus features. Stay tuned! Until then, you can see the previous X-Men film when you watch X-Men: First Class online.

17 Comic-Con Preview Highlights: What to Look Forward To!

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Movie Fanatic is heading to Comic-Con! We’ve got our schedule all mapped out and we’re ready to bring you all the news that arises from the biggest pop culture and movie event of the entire year.

The biggest news ought to arrive Saturday night as we hear firsthand from Marvel Studios' head Kevin Feige as to the famed superhero studio’s plans. One thing is for sure, you will hear much on the sequel to the movie you can see when you watch The Avengers online.

The other “biggest” news ought to come from Warner Bros. as we catch up with details on The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, the sequel to the film that can be seen when you watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug online, and the eagerly anticipated new Mad Max film, Mad Max: Fury Road

And we would be remiss not to mention how excited we are to catch up with the cast of the movie that recently released that all-too-awesome Maze Runner trailer!

So, without further ado… click through and check out our 17 Comic-Con preview highlights!

The Maze Runner
The highly anticipated YA novel from James Dashner comes to life with Dylan O’Brien starring. We’ll bring you details about the big flick with our chats with O’Brien, as well as co-stars Kaya Scodelario and Will Poulter.

Mockingjay Part 1 Comic-Con Poster: We Are At War!

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It appears that a full on battle is about to descend on Panem as Lionsgate has released the official Comic-Con poster for Mockingjay Part 1.

The one-sheet was created by street artist WK Interact and celebrates the arrival of the first part of the final chapter of The Hunger Games series. The film doesn’t arrive until November 21 and anticipation could not be higher to see how Katniss Everdeen and her fellow dissenters fare in their effort to make change in Panem.

We’re intrigued by the President Snow Unity Address and cannot wait until we get our first teaser or trailer. And we’re guessing as The Hunger Games world descends on Comic-Con, that we will actually get at least one of those.

To get ready for the big November release, watch Catching Fire online.

Mockingjay Part 1 Comic-Con Poster
The Mockingjay is invading Comic-Con!
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