Boasting the box office spotlight before the “The Avengers” behemoth came along, “The Hunger Games” nonetheless found a worthy adaptation in director Gary Ross' hands, mixing a stellar performance by Jennifer Lawrence with an effectively gripping tone throughout. After an IMAX victory lap following its general release, Lionsgate is eager to keep the money train rolling, announcing that the two-disc Blu-ray/DVD and digital download versions of the film will be released this summer.
What's most notable about the Blu-ray release (via THR) is an eight-part documentary titled “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games,” which delves comprehensively into the various stages of production required to bring the book to life. Adding up to a total of three hours, other features include separate interviews with Ross and actor Donald Sutherland, an examination of the book's influence on pop culture, and a look into the awkwardly conceived “Game Control Room” present in the film. All details listed above are present on both Blu-ray and DVD, but the Blu-ray will boast one extra feature, “Preparing for the Games: A Director's Process,” which follows Ross' progression of bringing three scenes from the book to film.
But that's not all the good news "The Hunger Games" has this week. The RIAA (via BSC Kids) has given the official soundtrack, featuring Arcade Fire, Taylor Swift, Neko Case, Maroon 5 and more, certified gold status, having sold more than 500,000 copies. Not bad at all, and we'd wager this means another starry lineup of acts will be corralled for "Catching Fire" to continue the successful blueprint laid out here.
"The Hunger Games" can be viewed in your home theater starting on August 18th.