The Hunger Games is storming into theaters, so effectively bringing Suzanne Collins' book to life (check out our review), and Movie Fanatic decided to rank the top page-to-screen efforts in history. Then, with over 50 films making the first cut, it occurred to us that we needed to narrow this puppy down. So, without further ado, we present the Top 10 Book Adaptations of the Last 30 Years... and yes, Gary Ross' film makes the cut!

10. The Bourne Identity
Start with Matt Damon as the titular hero and director Doug Liman reinventing the action genre and single-handedly any of the three Bourne films could easy qualify as a fantastic, effective and excellent page-to-screen effort.

9. Jurassic Park
Michael Crichton's thriller Jurassic Park was thought to be unfilmable. But, with technology catching up to the needs that Crichton's story presented and Steven Spielberg signed on as director, a brilliant adaptation was born.

8. The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins and her millions of fans should be more thrilled than ever as director Gary Ross has done the story of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence in the film) great service. And in the process it's become one of the best film adaptations of a book we've ever seen.

The Hunger Games Trailer: Countdown

7. The Shawshank Redemption
There are so many great Stephen King books that were made into movies. We almost went with Stand by Me, The Shining or Carrie, but there is something about The Shawshank Redemption that is pure magic. The performances of Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins were brilliant. Direction by Frank Darabont (who would launch The Walking Dead years later) matched the pacing and story execution set forth by the literary master himself.

6. True Grit
In 2010, the Coen brothers released a remake of a John Wayne classic True Grit. Now, when it was first announced that was their next project, people wondered how they would improve on a film that earned the Duke an Oscar. Well, for one... they went to the source material, Charles Portis' iconic novel, for their screenplay and completely exceeded the first film. Coens shoot... and score!

5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
No other Harry Potter book was as adaptable as Prisoner of Azkaban. Toss in the impeccable work of director Alfonso Cuaron and young actors coming into their own as thespians, and you have a masterpiece of how to take a well known story and make it magic on the silver screen.

4. Blade Runner
1968's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick may have seemed like an unlikely choice to be made into a film. But with the vision of iconic director Ridley Scott, not only did the film land as one of the best books to make into a film of the last 30 years, but it served as the blueprint for one of the best science fiction movies of all time. 

3. The Silence of the Lambs
Grab the fava beans and Chianti to celebrate a convergence of greatness. The Silence of the Lambs is another case of a filmmaker working with a source material and that combination exploding into a pop culture earthquake event. Jonathan Demme earned an Oscar for his work bringing Thomas Harris' novel to the screen. Stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins also earned Oscars for their acting efforts.

2. No Country for Old Men
Well, I guess we have another Coen brothers movie on this list! Ask any fan of the 2005 book that Cormac McCarthy wrote and they will tell you how astounding a job Joel and Ethan Coen did with the screenplay. It is one of McCarthy's richest books and the brothers Coen deserve every one of those Oscars they won for creating one of the best page-to-screen works... ever. 

1. The Lord of the Rings series
Peter Jackson got J.R.R. Tolkien on so many levels. Many have wanted to bring Tolkien's iconic books to the screen, but few possessed the vision of the New Zealand-based helmer. With his homeland as the background, Middle Earth had its landscape. Ian McKellen would star as Gandalf and Viggo Mortensen was Aragorn. The convergence of talent that went to the Kiwi country to film all three movies back-to-back knew their place in history. It is firmly written as the absolute standard for bringing a book series to the big screen.

Honorable mentions: American Psycho, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (either U.S. or Swedish versions), Bridget Jones's Diary, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Brokeback Mountain, Children of Men, Schindler's List, Drive and Fight Club.

The teaser trailer for the page-to-screen adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s The Host is here! This is the first non-Twilight Saga story we’ve gotten from Meyer and it’s a doozy. The story follows the survival of the human spirit during a time of war. Love triumphs, even as the human race falters. Our land has been overrun by an unknown enemy that strikes within us -- literally, inside our bodies. Humans become hosts for these alien invaders. One of our favorite actresses leads the cast, Saoirse Ronan.

The Host Trailer

Look for The Host March 29, 2013.

It’s official: The box office takeover by The Hunger Games has begun. The film, based on the Suzanne Collins book series, opened at midnight showings March 23 and banked over $20 million. This time of year -- heck, any time of year -- a film would kill for that total for a whole weekend. Look for some astonishing numbers from the Jennifer Lawrence-starring film as the days go by.

Since we last reported that over 2,000 showings of the film have sold out, Fandango has announced today that the number has jumped to over 4,000 showings that are completely sold out.

When are you planning to see The Hunger Games?

Wrath of the Titans storms into theaters March 30 and will try to knock off The Hunger Games from the top box office perch. That will be quite a feat, but the 3D spectacle could do it given the power emitted in scenes such as the one below. We’ve got a new clip of Sam Worthington’s Perseus spending time alongside Poseidon (Danny Huston) in what proves to be his final moments.

Wrath of the Titans Clip: I'm Only Half a God

The film also features a stellar cast including Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Bill Nighy.

We’ve convened the Movie Fanatic Round Table panel of experts once again to talk about the crazy week in trailers. Also on the docket, which of the Snow White films are we most looking forward to seeing? Joining Movie Fanatic Managing Editor Joel Amos is Ryan Downey of MTV.com, Roth Jennings of AMC.com, Don Kaye of MSN.com and Gerrad Hall of thesevensees.com. 

1. Crazy week for trailers with no less than The Hunger Games’ Countdown trailer, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, Snow White and the Huntsman, Prometheus, Cabin in the Woods, The Raven, Piranha 3DD, Lockout, Dark Shadows and more… which was your favorite trailer and why?

Roth: A great week for trailers! The list includes some of my most anticipated films of this year so it's difficult for me to narrow it down. I've seen The Hunger Games so I can no longer really look at the marketing materials with the perspective of someone who is looking with fresh eyes/a blank slate. I'm actually fairly excited for it to open so that I can begin discussing it with friends who've yet to see it.

Don: Oh there's no doubt in my mind: The Prometheus trailer left everything else in the dust. Nothing even came remotely close to the scope and vision of that two-and-a-half minutes -- which makes me even more excited to see the other two hours of the movie! But seriously, a number of the films mentioned above still have quite a ways to go before they convince me, and some of the trailers we saw seem to still be finding the right tone for the film they're trying to sell. For Prometheus, the tone, imagery and overall power of the clip -- combined with the fact that this is the kind of movie I've been dreaming about for a while -- won the week.

Gerrad: I don't think I've met anyone yet who doesn't love the trailer for Show White and the Huntsman. With each incarnation of it, the action, the visuals, not to mention the dark tone and intrigue that comes along with it, lure me in more and more. Is Charlize this year's Heath Ledger? I can't wait for June 1st to find out! Kudos to Lionsgate for milking the momentum for The Hunger Games right until the end. Everyone loves a good countdown clock, and this trailer kind of makes me want to venture out to a midnight showing just to witness the excited fans. I have to give an honorable mention to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I was over the vampire craze before it even started, but I have to admit that this new trailer has piqued my interest. And it's about time we see Lincoln for the true badass he really was.

Ryan: It was a crazy week for trailers, indeed! Prometheus got me the most excited. I haven't felt enthusiasm about an Alien related movie since the third (which I enjoyed). I went to a screening of Alien about two years ago in Los Angeles where Ridley Scott spoke about Prometheus a bit. It was absolutely captivating to watch Alien on the big screen again, which totally got me in the "zone" mentally for this prequel. The trailer has raised my expectations even higher. Conversely, I love Johnny Depp, I like Tim Burton and I remember Dark Shadows, but man, that trailer looked worse than the Willy Wonka remake.

Joel: Even though I’ve seen the film twice and know it inside and out, there’s something truly haunting about that The Hunger Games countdown trailer. I agree with Gerrad, the chill-inducing effect of a countdown, especially one that produces the cast literally running for their lives, is unmatchable. That being said, Prometheus stole the week for me. It simultaneously blew my expectations out of the water, showed me the film was not what I thought it was, and compelled me to delve further into the film’s viral campaign. Good job.

Prometheus Trailer 2

2. Which was the most effective in getting audiences excited about the property?

Roth: I thought that the Snow White and the Huntsman trailer did an excellent job of building anticipation for the film (particularly the extended preview). I love Joss Whedon and was a big horror fanatic as a kid so I really look forward to seeing Cabin in the Woods. But for me, this is the year of Prometheus.

Don: Based on the buzz and reaction at WonderCon, I would have to go with Prometheus. I don't think any other trailer got quite that kind of reaction in the ballroom at the Anaheim Convention Center, although I think Battleship and The Hobbit were both vying for second place.

Gerrad: Considering that we've seen previous versions of trailers recently released, the debut of material from Prometheus I think really has audiences talking. I watched it three times to try to make sense of what I was seeing -- and not in a bad way. I think it accomplishes exactly what a trailer should in terms of laying the groundwork of the story but also teasing you just enough that you're partially confused but want to know more.

Ryan: Obviously the enthusiasm is high for The Hunger Games. Of course, as my friend and film critic Dave White pointed out in a Facebook post recently, you've got fans of the books complaining about this or that being changed and then you have hipsters and cinephiles pointing out that Battle Royale did it better. I personally don't really have a dog in that fight. Piranha 3DD looks like it's more or less the same movie as the last one, but with a few twists; could be great fun again.

Joel: Prometheus scored on so many levels. They also released a more character-driven trailer internationally the day after, and with the two combined, those that were excited about the film are now drooling with anticipation.

Snow White and the Huntsman Trailer 3

3. Which of those movies are you most excited to see and why?

Roth: I am a huge admirer of Scott's early science fiction work. It's true that it is limited, which in some ways, makes the impact all the more significant. Prometheus has the potential to deliver everything I love about sci-fi: A philosophical/theological element, a socio-political reflection on our current world that is made more palatable with the distance that sci-fi creates and an entryway into an unknown, textured alternate reality inhabited with richly drawn characters who are all the more relatable in their distinctions from the people we believe ourselves to be.

Don: Again, Prometheus. The combination of science fiction and horror hits a special sweet spot for me, especially when you mix large-scale, sort of cosmic sci-fi with the dread and unsettling fear of true horror. It's been a while since we've seen a truly terrifying yet visionary sci-fi/horror hybrid.

Gerrad: The Raven and Chernobyl Diaries both look like great thrillers. The Cabin in the Woods will definitely have my palms sweating. Piranha 3DD looks, well, a bit fishy... pools are the only place I like to swim and now I'll have this trailer to create more water-based anxiety. Dark Shadows ... hmmm, I want to see more. I'm sticking with Snow White and the Huntsman on this one. I think it's going to be one of the best movies of the summer. And if it isn't, then Universal Pictures has created a fantastic marketing campaign and buzz!

Ryan: Right now, Prometheus. I'm so bored with movies that look like video games. It's rare when an Inception type film comes along that has such a strong story, great acting and adept blending of real stunts with CGI and I'm hoping Prometheus turns out to be something along those lines, versus yet another snooze-fest with no stakes and zero connectivity.

Joel: Obviously Prometheus, but out of the others… Snow White and the Huntsman. The idea that this is not our grandmother’s Snow White is compelling, but Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen is pure gold. Look for her to literally chew the scenery on that one!

Cabin in the Woods TV Trailer

4. Between Mirror Mirror and what we’ve gleaned from Snow White and the Huntsman trailers, which Snow White movie has your vote?

Roth: Snow White and the Huntsman has entirely eclipsed Mirror Mirror as far as I'm concerned. First the aesthetic of The Huntsman is so much more engaging. It presents that world in a way that we've never seen before, but even in its most fantastical elements it resonates as grounded and believable. It is also stunning to look at. Additionally, I've interviewed both Tarsem Singh and Rupert Sanders and it becomes clear rather quickly that (as talented as he is) the former is truly only interested in delivering a visual experience. Sanders it seems seeks to deliver an emotional and psychic experience via a heightened visual reality which for me, is the preferred approach. I happen to love fairytales and I am looking forward to seeing this one done justice.

Don: Snow White and the Huntsman takes it easily. I've seen Mirror Mirror and while I can't go into detail at this point about the movie (I think there's still an embargo on), the approach that Snow White and the Huntsman is taking is much more appealing to me. Again, that's not a knock on Mirror Mirror or its quality (or lack thereof) -- it's just personal taste. SWATH looks like dark fantasy with some real teeth to it, while Mirror Mirror is taking a much more sort of heightened fairy tale approach.

Gerrad: If I was a ten-year-old girl, I'd have to go with Mirror Mirror. From the costumes, the visual style, the incredibly likable Lily Collins and the fun dwarves, it is the epitome of a Princess story and should be a hit with younger audiences. But since I'm not a ten-year-old girl, Snow White and the Huntsman completely gets my vote. I can't wait to see Charlize Theron join the ranks of Glenn Close, Kathy Bates and Sharon Stone as best female movie villains.

Ryan: It's all about the Evil Queen, to me, and Charlize Theron is such better casting! And Snow White and the Huntsman seems to be very Lord of the Rings feeling, versus the more overt campiness of Snow White. With that being said, I'll be at least somewhat excited to see them both. But Huntsman seems to be the odds on favorite, right?

Joel: Love Tarsem Singh and his visionary films. But, have to give this one to Snow White and the Huntsman. It’s just more my speed and Mirror Mirror is truly a film for families. In many ways, they should not be compared other than the fact that they share the same heroine.

Mirror Mirror TV Teaser

5. For you, what was the biggest news to come out of last weekend’s WonderCon?

Roth: I can't think of much news out of WonderCon, mostly new videos and images... But perhaps I missed something in my loopy weekend!

Don: That the Anaheim Convention Center is not really a great locale for the show, especially with volleyball and cheerleader competitions happening down the hall....I don't seem to recall any really huge news coming out of the show, just some big premieres for all those new trailers. Did I miss something?

Ryan: So much news about The Amazing Spider-Man! Personally, I think another (yawn) origin story is pointless and unnecessary (is there anybody who cares about Spider-Man who doesn't know the very basics?), but, with that being said, it's got a great director and a strong cast, so... Here's hoping!

Joel: What struck me the most was honestly the unbridled excitement for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Fans were looped around the convention center hallway three times waiting to get into that presentation. To think that that many people would be that excited to see a movie about a president from the 1800s who slays vampires… is astounding and speaks to a nerve that Seth Grahame-Smith has struck.

The Hunger Games has finally landed in theaters to rave reviews and box office success. So, what comes next for the franchise and its players?

Catching Fire
The next chapter in the Suzanne Collins book series begins filming in July. Gary Ross is back as director, but this time out the script will be written by Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire). The big three, Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth as Gale, are all signed for the entire series. No release date has been set, but if we were to bet… we’d say this time, next year.

The Cast
Jennifer Lawrence will next be seen in House at the End of the Street. The horror flick lands in February. We know there will be a sequel to X-Men: First Class, but what form the actress’ participation will take is yet to be determined. She is also signed on to The Silver Linings Playbook, due later this year.

Josh Hutcherson, after scoring in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island with Dwayne Johnson, will be filming the sequel Journey 3 at some point in the future. He is also due to be seen in the remake of Red Dawn, where he plays Robert. Look for Red Dawn November 2.

Liam Hemsworth has completed filming The Expendables 2, due this August, as well as AWOL, which lists its release date as “sometime in 2012.” He is also cast in Empire State opposite Dwayne Johnson. Hutcherson and Hemsworth can talk about working with Johnson while they film Catching Fire this summer.

The Hunger Games Box Office
People compare the series to The Twilight Saga and we can see that. But, where the Stephenie Meyer series appealed to a specific fan base, The Hunger Games has a fanatic group that is represented by all ages and gender. In Movie Fanatic’s opinion, we think the film has the potential to double what Twilight movies make. In fact, that may be too conservative of a guess. The story of Katniss and her Hunger Games adventure could be on its way to joining the billion dollar movie club.

President Snow himself, Donald Sutherland, is talking to Movie Fanatic about The Hunger Games, and specifically, how enamored he is with Jennifer Lawrence’s talent. “She’s so brilliant. God, it’s quite breathtaking,” Sutherland said. He even suggested to the actress that she should alter her moniker to mirror an iconic actor. “I said to Jennifer, ‘You really should change your name. You should call yourself Jennifer Lawrence Olivier.’ What comfort you get watching her. You get the same kind of comfort you get when you sit watching, years ago, Marlon Brando’s films. I’d be way up in the back of the cinema watching and you had such comfort because you knew that no matter what, right or wrong, you were going to be in the hands of someone who would take you into a fantasy that was just lovely. And she does that.”

When it came to finding the personal drive that his character has to send kids into a battle to the death, he was reminded of a certain U.S. president. “LBJ, how many kids did you kill today? It’s not that difficult to come to a position where you have to make choices and people die as a result of your choices,” Sutherland recalled.

The legendary actor had not read the Suzanne Collins books (What are the Top 10 Book Adaptations?), but when he received the Gary Ross-written script, he was awestruck. “I haven’t seen a script that made me feel like Battle of Algiers or Paths of Glory or Spartacus. I haven’t seen a script that I thought could motivate or catalyze a generation of young people who have been, I guess politely, dormant, that I thought could maybe be inspired by the example of Katniss Everdeen,” Sutherland said. “She (Collins) has written a terrific allegory for our state, the state of this union, and maybe they will stand up and recognize. Occupy Wall Street recognized the fact that they live in a particular kind of political structure that needs some change and maybe they’ll do it with this movie.”

What also struck the veteran actor was the even keel that Ross possessed working as the film’s director. Given the demands of a book series that so many have inhaled, the pressure had to be immense. “This book has sold 30 million copies, so it’s a movie in 30 million imaginations. And what Gary Ross has done with this film that he has made, he has perfectly replicated the movie in all those imaginations. It’ll be seamless,” Sutherland said. “They have read the book, they will see this movie and they won’t actually see the difference. He’s done a fantastic job, really extraordinary.”

The Hunger Games Spot: Event

When Sutherland read the story, the powerful intellect President Snow possessed rose to the top for him. “He has that kind of adept facility to see through all the complexities of governing,” he said.

But, the actor believes that President Snow knows that a threat to his reign is coming. Snow doesn’t know what form it will take until Katniss Everdeen walks into that arena. “He’s waiting for someone. You know, he wasn’t there at the beginning. He didn’t design this government. Hunger Games is not a part of his government -- he was two years old when that started. But he’s waiting for someone to come out of the woods, some revolutionary. When he sees that it’s Katniss Everdeen, this genius of a Joan of Arc girl, he knows it has started. That business where she picks up those berries is an act of genius.”

In director Tarsem Singh’s visionary Mirror Mirror, Snow White’s dwarfs are not what you would expect. They’re not simply whistling on their way to work. Singh’s seven dwarfs are warrior bandits who take in Snow White and train her to take on Julia Roberts' Evil Queen. Relativity Media has released a video featurette that introduces us to the seven wonders of Mirror Mirror.

Mirror Mirror: Meet the Dwarves

The bandit warriors are played by Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Joe Gnoffo, Danny Woodburn, Sebastian Saraceno, Martin Klebba, and Ronald Lee Clark. They are joined by Lily Collins as Snow White, Armie Harmer as the Prince and Roberts as that Evil Queen. Look for the film when it lands March 30.

The weekend movie preview this week is truly all about one film: The Hunger Games. This could speak volumes about what Hollywood execs believe are the box office chances of the Suzanne Collins page-to-screen effort. Even when Breaking Dawn Part 1 hit theaters, there were a few other movies premiering that November day to try to scoop up the rest of the movie-going public’s interest. Today, March 23, there is no other film opening wide in America other than The Hunger Games. But, there is plenty out at the movies, so if you go to see the blockbuster released today and it’s sold out, we’ve got some good suggestions for a substitute.

The Hunger Games: The date that has been circled on every Hunger Games fan’s calendar is finally here. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Peeta’s (Josh Hutcherson) story has arrived. Katniss lives in District 12 in a post-revolutionary apocalyptic-looking time where an annual event is held each year pitting 24 12 to 18-year-olds in a fight to the death. See, as punishment for a revolution that happened seven decades ago, the Districts have to select a girl and a boy to send to the Capitol for the titular event. As we state in our The Hunger Games review, director Gary Ross nails it.

The Hunger Games TV Spot

In limited release:

The Raid Redemption: This is an action movie unlike any you’ve ever seen. Ramo (Iko Uwais) is an elite special forces fighter in Indonesia who is drawn into an all-out attack on a brutal crime lord. The movie features some of the most insanely choreographed fight sequences captured on film.

The Raid: Redemption Trailer

Musical Chairs: Part of the film covers the world of ballroom dancing, but when one of our leads has a tragic accident, she is confined to a wheelchair. Thus, we are introduced to the world of wheelchair ballroom dancing and all its grace. It is a touching, heartfelt film that is full of grace. The film is directed by Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan) with both power and emotional pull.

Musical Chairs Trailer

Already in theaters that you must see:

21 Jump Street: The big screen reboot of the 1980s TV classic is a don’t-miss on the silver screen. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are police partners who create laughs, thrills and spills along the way. Check out our 21 Jump Street review for more.

21 Jump Street Red Band Trailer 2

Jeff, Who Lives at Home: Ed Helms and Jason Segel score as brothers who are at very different times in their lives. It is from the filmmaking brotherhood of Jay and Mark Duplass (Cyrus) and as we state in our Jeff, Who Lives at Home review, it's one of the year’s best… so far.

Jeff Who Lives at Home Trailer

Casa de mi Padre: Love Will Ferrell? Then you will love his all Spanish language comedy about a rancher who has to summon the strength to save his father’s ranch. Visit my Casa de mi Padre review for more on this instant classic.

Casa de mi Padre Full Length Trailer

We’ve got more Charlize Theron in a recently released TV spot for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. Between the Wonder Con trailer, the international trailer and the viral video from Weyland Industries, this has been a busy week for the film.

Prometheus TV Spot 2

The first sci-fi film for Scott since Blade Runner features an all-star cast including Theron, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Noomi Rapace. The film premieres June 8 and was the overall winner in our Movie Fanatic Round Table discussion of the week’s bounty of trailers.

Dakota Hood proudly represented District 10 while Tara Macken headed into The Hunger Games as a product of District 4. Both are now visiting with Movie Fanatic for an exclusive chat about the year’s most anticipated movie, now that it has finally arrived on screens everywhere.

“It was what I expected and it wasn’t what I expected at the same time,” Hood said of watching the film for the first time. “I thought it was even better than what it was going to be like. So I wasn’t expecting anything of what it was. I still can’t believe that that was our finished project. I’m so excited for the fans to see it. I’m hopeful that they’ll still be dedicated fans after they see it because we worked so hard. I loved it. Take me out of it and I still would have loved it. I thought it was a great movie.”

For Macken, the key to the book and film’s success lies in the fact that it is a rarity today in pop culture. “It follows the story of a female protagonist. At least in my experience I haven’t read that many books where the main character is a strong female. There are not that many role models that I particularly had growing up or that I can look up to,” she said. “This character is pretty inspiring, knowing that the focus was about her and her trying to feed her family against all odds.”

Hood thinks readers, and thus film fans, are Hunger Games crazy for one specific reason: The prose of author Suzanne Collins. “She is an amazing author. That’s what so special about Hunger Games is this book ranges from eight-year-olds reading it and I know a grandma reading it,” Hood said and laughed.

“Everyone’s reading it! Everyone can relate to the story of Katniss and everyone can feel for Katniss and feel for every single one of the tributes going in, sacrificing themselves and representing the district. Everyone can really feel for the characters so I think that when you’re reading the books you really fall in love with each one of the characters. And as each one of them goes, you kind of feel for that as well. So for each tribute it’s a different kind of feeling. Suzanne Collins did it in a perfect way. Again, she’s an amazing author. She relates to everyone and everyone can relate to this book.”

The two up-and-coming actresses will never forget the filming of the movie, nor the premiere. “The whole night was such a whirlwind. It was so much fun and so magical,” Hood said. “I finally got to see it. That was the best part of the whole night because I finally got to see the project with the whole cast and everyone that I worked with.”

The Hunger Games Super Bowl Trailer

Macken treasured the evening because it allowed her to reconnect with director Gary Ross and thank him for his astounding leadership. “It was really cool to work with somebody who has such creative integrity. He’s so good at making everyone feel comfortable on set and welcome so that everyone can bring their best effort for the project. For the most part, the cast is composed of very young actors and he didn’t make anyone feel like they weren’t meant to be there or anything,” Macken said. “It was really cool to see him there.”

Both actresses are hoping to keep the momentum going after The Hunger Games hits. They are also still pinching themselves that they were even a part of the universe that Collins created. “I’m still to this day like, ‘Is that really what I did last summer? Did I really film a huge Lionsgate movie? Did I really get to meet all those people?’ It was so amazing,” Hood said. “It’s an unforgettable experience.”

Bruce Willis is Joe Colton in G.I. Joe: Retaliation and the man is ready to rock in a still from the sequel to G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra.

The photo debuted on the film’s Facebook page and is from the Jon Chu helmed actioner. You notice Adrianne Palicki (90210) in the background of the photo, armed and dangerous.

Opening June 29, the flick also features Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum.

The Hunger Games has done it, scored the third highest opening weekend in box office history. The Jennifer Lawrence-starring film earned $155 million in its first few days of release. It may be in third place all-time with its opening, but it can claim one box office record: It is the highest grossing opening weekend of all time for a film that was not a sequel!

Hunger Games fans came out in force to check out the solidly reviewed film and put it behind only Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 ($169.2 million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million) on the all-time opening weekend box office list.

To say Lionsgate is thrilled is an understatement. "When we went to bed Saturday night, we thought it would be $135 to $140 million, just because the numbers usually drop by 45 to 55-percent later in the weekend," said David Spitz, executive vice president of distribution at Lionsgate. "But, the numbers kept holding! For us, it’s a game-changer."

The rest of the top 10 was far off the leader -- with last week’s box office champ 21 Jump Street scoring second. That film made $23.1 million and was followed by The Lorax in third with $13.1 million, bringing its total revenue to an impressive $177.3 million.

Movie Fanatic called it when we wrote on Friday that The Hunger Games would surpass all the Twilight films with its far broader appeal. But even we were surprised by the $155 million haul. Next week sees Mirror Mirror, Goon and Wrath of the Titans arriving on screens. Will they even make a dent in the machine that is THG?

Box office top 10:

1. The Hunger Games, $155 million
2. 21 Jump Street, $21.3 million
3. Dr. Seuss' the Lorax, $13.1 million
4. John Carter, $5 million
5. Act of Valor, $2.1 million
6. Project X, $2 million
7. A Thousand Words, $1.9 million
8. October Baby, $1.7 million
9. Safe House, $1.39 million
10. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, $1.37 million

She was utterly ordinary for 18 years, but now Bella Swan has finally found that she can shine.

Indeed, we've already shown you a photo of Kristen Stewart's Twilight Saga character as a vampire, but that's nothing compared to the looks we now have in the first official trailer for Breaking Dawn: Part 2.

It was released this morning and it features Jacob and Edward reacting to this eerie transformation, with the latter expressing shock/awe over how he and his wife are now the same temperature. We close on Bella stalking a deer, clearly a changed woman from the awkward, unsure teenager we've watched grow up over the first three installments of this franchise.

Watch now and let the countdown to November 16 begin!

Breaking Dawn Part 2 Movie Trailer

Kristen Stewart fans must be in a tizzy today, what with the premiere of the Breaking Dawn Part 2 trailer and now the arrival of a Snow White and the Huntsman teaser. The latest TV spot from the film that features Stewart as the iconic fairy tale maiden has arrived. The video actually is more of the Charlize Theron as the Evil Queen show than Stewart’s, but that seems to be what we are to expect from the new take on the fairy tale that lands in theaters June 1.

Snow White and the Huntsman TV Spot

We get more of an idea of the feel of Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows in the film’s first TV spot. For one, there is quite a bit of humor. Johnny Depp’s Barnabas Collins awakes from a two century long slumber in the world of the early 1970’s. Discos are big and where once horses were his mode of transportation -- he now learns we use a “Chevy.” And our favorite part of the trailer has to be when he attacks the TV trying to get rid of the God-awful music coming from it!

Dark Shadows TV Spot

The film from Tim Burton arrives May 11.

Noticeably absent from this year’s Wonder Con was Marvel’s The Avengers. The Anaheim Convention Center was pulsating with news on The Amazing Spider-Man, Prometheus and Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. The Joss Whedon written and directed superhero conclave that arrives May 4 will already by out when Comic Con arrives this summer. Could these fan fest absences be because the movie literally sells itself? You bet! That and the gradual teases Marvel parent Disney has released as the days inch closer to release date. Just today, Movie Fanatic received five new images featuring Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr. and the evil Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

Production is up and running on the big screen arrival of a classic musical, Les Miserables. The film’s two stars were out shooting scenes in England and we’ve got our first impressions of the casting of Russell Crowe as Javert and Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean.

Universal Studios has also just released its synopsis for the film directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) that arrives December 14:

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Miserables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption–a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

Ready to go behind-the-scenes of one of 2012’s most anticipated movies? The Avengers have partnered with Norton and presented an unprecedented featurette that shows off new footage of the film as well as writer-director Joss Whedon’s thoughts on bringing the franchise to life.

The Avengers: Behind the Scenes

The film lands May 4 and as we see by the above video, serious thought went into how to keep the film congruent with the Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and Captain America worlds that were established in those films, while still branching out and creating a new world that audiences will surely be visiting again in the future.

Katy Perry is making the jump from pop superstar to queen of the 3D concert movie with Katy Perry: Part of Me. The Grammy winning artist is offering her fans a chance to walk the red carpet with her when the film premieres this summer. Considering the film is from the same studio that brought us Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, count on this movie scoring with the singer's hardcore fans.

Paramount Insurge Pictures and Twitter have combined forces to offer her fans multiple opportunities to shape the film as it is being put together. Head to Perry’s Twitter page and follow the musician and you will be shown exclusive content from the upcoming film as well as be registered for that premiere prize.

"Katy Perry: Part of Me is a really fun and engaging movie that celebrates every aspect of Katy’s life including her relationship with fans,” said Amy Powell, President of Paramount Insurge Pictures. “What better way to kick start the filmmaking process than by inviting her millions of fans on Twitter into her world.”

Check out a video of Katy dishing the “Golden Ticket!”

Katy Perry Part of Me Premiere Golden Ticket