With an Academy Award nomination and appearances in two major franchises (The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class) under her belt, there was never any doubt that Jennifer Lawrence was one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. Now, the 21-year-old actress is getting paid like it.
The Hunger Games soared to success on the strength of Lawrence’s outstanding performance as 16-year-old warrior Katniss Everdeen, but the young starlet earned a comparatively low salary ($500,000) when compared to the movie’s huge box office returns (more than $680 million).
According to new reports, though, Lawrence is looking at a substantial raise for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as THR reports that Lawrence is negotiating a whopping $10 million contract for her role in the sequel. Assuming that the second movie does as well or better than the first (which is a pretty good assumption), Lawrence stands to make even more money through additional bonuses. Besides Lawrence, Hunger Games stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are also getting pay bumps (though not nearly as substantial).
While $10 million may seem like a tremendous amount of money, it’s hard to argue that Lawrence doesn’t deserve the payday. When you consider the overall success of The Hunger Games, Lawrence is actually the most profitable action heroine of all time (hat tip to Box Office Mojo). Plus, the actress has more than proven her dramatic chops (see: aforementioned Academy Award nomination).
In other Hunger Games news, Woody Harrelson recently told CBS News that Catching Fire starts shooting next month in Atlanta and Hawaii. Presumably, the Hawaii set will be used to showcase the second film’s Hunger Games arena, which features a lush and deadly tropical forest.
The Hunger Games was not just a financial success, but also a critical triumph, earning a very strong 85% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. If its cast is any indication, Catching Fire will be similarly successful. In addition to Lawrence, the sequel has added Academy Award-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, Amanda Plummer, and veteran character actress Lynn Cohen.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire comes out November 22, 2013.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, CBS News
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The second book was better than the first book imo, so this film should be great. Just as long as they don’t rush it like the first film
I looking forward to this one! Catching Fire is my favorite of the three books! Honestly I don’t understand why they aren’t dividing this one up into two pieces instead of Mockingjay. It seem to me like there is almost a dividing point in Catching Fire where you could split it into two halves. I don’t really think the third one needs it.
I just watched Hunger Games yesterday. What is the premise for this? Surely Katniss isn’t selected for the games a second time. Don’t worry about spoiling it for me but I’m just curious.
I read all three books. Your assumptions are good. Katniss will be elected for next games. Why? That guy Snow is planning a revenge. Why? Because Katniss and Peeta both survived. Practically Katniss forced them to let them live. Snow didn’t like that so he’s gonna put Katniss in an arena.
MikeonTV – are you joking or what?
Oh never mind my bad, I didnt know they had the synopsis at the bottom
How is Scarlett Johannson getting double the pay, for the avengers sequel, over the main character of an about as popular film franchise. That’s crazy.
Because The Avengers earned $1.5 bil. worldwide and she was the female lead?
Nothing against Scarlett but take her out of the Avengers and no one would have noticed.
Good for her.
She deserves it.
In her few years of acting she’s done a much better job than what most other female actresses that have done in their entire careers… IMO.
Scarlett Johannsan does not deserve double her pay. Black Widow is a crappy character that could have been pulled off by an unknown actress. Some people deserves their pay, but some are just wasted money. Robert Downy Jr. acting & Joss Whedon directing pretty much carried the Avengers to the status that it’s in now.
Jennifer Lawrence is soooo HOT!! Oh, And she can act! She deserved to win that Academy Award for Winter’s Bone, but a nomination will do for now.
So, I think you deserve that $$$
i hate that
It was a nice surprise to see The Hunger Games earlier this year. Often hyped films never live up to their promise but it pulled it off for me.
Jennifer Lawrence made it for me and carried the whole film effortlessly. I look forward to seeing the next film in the series.
Good for her…
Her career has gotten off to a great start. I absolutely loved Winters Bone and I really enjoyed XMFC and the film she did with David O’Russell looks like a must see also. I haven’t seen THG yet but I plan to once it hits Blu-ray.
I just hope that she doesn’t end up doing a bunch of bad rom/coms like most actresses her age end up doing.
Damn, what a jump in pay! She deserves it: she was Ree in Winter’s Bone, Mystique in First Class, and now Katniss. She’s doing well
The hunger games was a pretty crappy film imo
After all, how could any clutch that’s made from 100 percent recycled material possibly be fabulous?.
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