If you guessed that Catching Fire will be reconfigured as a crossover wherein the vampiric Cullens, still looking young and beautiful several hundred years in the future, are forced to participate in the titular Hunger Games, you're wrong. Points for savvy thinking though.
No, instead, The Hunger Games will be ground zero for the Breaking Dawn - Part 2 marketing effort, as teasers for the final Twilight will be attached to the first entry in Lionsgate's nascent franchise. Given the combining of the two companies, the overlapping demographic appeal, and Lionsgate's conscious emulation of Twilight's success, this news comes as a surprise to no one.
So the first Breaking Dawn - Part 2 trailer will be out in the world on March 23rd.
Lionsgate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer made the announcement during a conference call with analysts discussing the company's quarterly financial results, saying "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 trailer will debut exclusively on every Hunger Games print on its opening night for what will be Lionsgate's largest release ever."
Not only is The Hunger Games the biggest release in the company's history, the film is also the most expensive venture it's ever financed. While anticipation for the film already seems high amongst fans of the novel trilogy, this enticement of Twilight fans should further guarantee a strong opening weekend and help its overall commercial performance.
With director Gary Ross confirmed to return, Oscar-winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy is currently working on the screenplay for the first sequel, Catching Fire. A November 2013 release date has already been announced.
As for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, the film is directed by Bill Condon and was shot concurrently with Breaking Dawn - Part 1, which hit theaters in November. The grand finale of the Twilight saga is set to arrive on November 16th of this year.
