Throwback: When Austin Butler Revealed He Auditioned For Peeta Role In The Hunger Games

by

As an ardent fan of The Hunger Games franchise, I can’t help but ponder what could have been if Austin Butler had landed the role of Peeta Mellark. His charm and charisma are undeniable, and it would have been fascinating to see him bring that character to life. However, destiny had other plans, and we were blessed with Josh Hutcherson’s heartwarming portrayal instead.

It’s intriguing to consider if the cast of The Hunger Games might have looked a bit different. In a recent Buzzfeed interview, Austin Butler disclosed that he had once auditioned for a part in the renowned film series but didn’t secure the role. Butler reminisced, “I auditioned for The Hunger Games and I didn’t get it at all,” revealing that he didn’t even receive a callback.

He revealed that he auditioned for the role of Peeta Mellark, the male tribute from District 12 in the 74th annual Hunger Games, which was played by Jennifer Lawrence’s character, Katniss Everdeen. “I don’t believe I received a callback; who is that character, Peeta?”

In response to Josh Hutcherson’s performance, Butler remarked, “Josh certainly excels at what he does.” The trio of Hutcherson, Lawrence, and Hemsworth rose to international fame by portraying their characters in the popular franchise. Meanwhile, Jodie Comer revealed that she auditioned for the movie Mamma Mia! around the same time as her role in Killing Eve.

During discussions about the casting for The Hunger Games, director Gary Ross shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he already had a specific person in mind prior to the auditions. However, the studio insisted on giving everyone an opportunity to read for the role because of the large scale of the franchise. Despite this, Ross found the process acceptable and even enjoyable.

Furthermore, he mentioned that Jennifer Lawrence left everyone in awe, Josh Hutcherson was ideally cast for his part, and it wasn’t until after their audition readings that he discovered Liam Hemsworth wasn’t American. He expressed that all actors were exceptional, and choosing among them proved effortless for him.

In 2015, the final movie in The Hunger Games series was released, but the story didn’t end there. A prequel titled “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” was launched by Lionsgate last year, featuring Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler as young Coriolanus Snow, a character later portrayed by Donald Sutherland in his role as the tyrannical president of Panem.

Recently, Lionsgate unveiled plans for another installment of “The Hunger Games” series titled “The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Reaping.” This upcoming film is a prequel, taking place 24 years before Suzanne Collins’ novel, and follows young Katniss Everdeen in District 12 as she lives with her mother and sister Primrose.

In the Capitol, there’s usually a harvest (reaping) event happening once per district annually. But this year, it has been scheduled to coincide with the pre-Harvest Festival reaping or the Second Quarter Quell – an event that Haymitch Abernathy won in the original adaptations, as portrayed by Woody Harrelson.

“Adam Fogelson, head of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, commented that the Second Quarter Quell remains a significant event in the history of the Games, still relevant even after 25 years from Katniss Everdeen’s time. Just like global fans, we are thrilled about this upcoming revisit to Panem,” he said.

Francis Lawrence is close to finalizing a deal to helm a movie adaptation, with Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson’s Color Force studio taking charge of production. The novel “Sunrise on the Reaping” will be released by Scholastic on March 18, 2025, while Lionsgate has set a cinema release date for November 20, 2026.

Read More

2024-08-02 14:13