Now that the Oscars are out of the way, it’s time to set aside the high-brow entertainment and sample some movie junk food. Fantasy, horror and sci-fi are the cinema du jour of this post, thanks to new images from The Hunger Games, Riddick and Byzantium. Donald Sutherland rules the first image in his role as President Snow from The Hunger Games, and the glimpse at his villain contributes to the star-studded tapestry the movie has become. Sutherland may not be the most exciting reveal, but he definitely adds to the awesome array of talent like Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz, Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci supporting star Jennifer Lawrence. [Cinema Blend]
On a less anticipated note, we’re also adding two new Riddick images to the ones we unveiled earlier this month. The new shots courtesy of Vin Diesel‘s Facebook page show the actor reprising his role as the title character in the franchise’s third film both on set and behind-the-scenes, but neither reveal anything new. I really enjoyed the original, Pitch Black, but never bothered with the second outing, and the new images and plot description do little to lure me into seeing the new one. See below:
Synopsis:
“The infamous Riddick has been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet that appears to be lifeless. Soon, however, he finds himself fighting for survival against alien predators more lethal than any human he’s encountered. The only way off is for Riddick to activate an emergency beacon and alert mercenaries who rapidly descend to the planet in search of their bounty.
The first ship to arrive carries a new breed of merc, more lethal and violent, while the second is captained by a man whose pursuit of Riddick is more personal. With time running out and a storm on the horizon that no one could survive, his hunters won’t leave the planet without Riddick’s head as their trophy.”
Last but not least is the vampire film Byzantium starring Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan (who appeared in another still we highlighted earlier this month). Everything about it sounds extra moody – it’s directed by Neil Jordan, the man behind the neo-noir thriller The Crying Game and other dark works, and it follows two mysterious women who take up residence in a dilapidated seaside town. It falls in line with another upcoming female-centric bloodsucker flick, The Moth Diaries, and I believe both signal a much-needed retreat from the silliness of Twilight and back to the sinister, overtly sexual nature of the genre. I also adored Ronan in Hanna, so I’m curious to see how she approaches this new role. See image courtesy of Bleeding Cool and plot synopsis below:
Synopsis:
Eleanor and Clara, two mysterious and penniless young women, flee the scene of a violent crime and arrive in a run-down coastal resort. They try to find money and refuge along the tawdry seafront and in the dilapidated hotels.
Clara, ever-practical, sells her body. She soon meets shy and lonely Noel, who provides a roof over their heads in his seedy guesthouse, Byzantium. Clara, always looking towards the future, turns it into a ‘pop-up’ brothel.
Meanwhile Eleanor, the eternal schoolgirl, meets Frank, a kindred spirit who unwittingly prompts her to tell the truth about her life. She tells him that Clara is her mother; yet Clara is only a few years older. She says that she was born in 1804; yet she is just sixteen. She confesses that she must drink human blood to stay alive – and so must her mother. In the small, quiet town, people start to die.
The past that the girls have been running from for so long, finally catches up with them – with astonishing consequences.
The Hunger Games hits theater on March 23. Release dates have yet to be announced for Riddick and Byzantium.