Austin Butler has surprised his fans with a revelation during a recent interview with BuzzFeed. The actor, known for his roles in Disney Channel and Nickelodeon projects, confessed that he auditioned for the coveted role of Peeta Mellark in the first movie of The Hunger Games.
“I auditioned and didn’t get it at all,” Butler said. The character was finally played by Josh Hutchersonwho along with Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworthstarred in the four films that made up the original saga and that became a global phenomenon between 2012 and 2015.
“I don’t think they even called me back, but Hutcherson got it done, and it was great,” he added. In that period, the Oscar nominee was most recognized for his appearances in youth series such as Zoey 101, icarly and Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure. Although he lost the opportunity to be part of the franchise, not everything was negative, since almost at the same time he was selected to participate in the prequel series Sex and the City, The Carrie Diaries.
The interview was conducted regarding the actor’s new project, The club of the banditsThe film follows a motorcycle club called the Vandals, led by the charismatic Johnny (Tom Hardy).
Butler plays Benny, a young man who joins the gang, seduced by the sense of freedom and camaraderie of this lifestyle. However, upon entering into the group’s conflictive activities, he discovers the dark aspects that come with being part of this world.
The feature film directed by Jeff Nichols It is inspired by the photo book The Bikeriders, published in 1968 by Danny Lyon, which shows an intimate look at the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club. Far from romanticizing or demonizing them, the author portrays the Outlaws as complex individuals, with their own rules, codes and sense of community.
Both the book and the new film address themes such as masculinity, camaraderie, violence and marginalization.
On the other hand, the franchise of The Hunger Games continues to expand. Recently, Lionsgate announced the development of a new prequel film based on Suzanne Collins’ upcoming novel, Dawn at the harvest (Sunrise on the Reaping). The book is due out in 2025 and the film adaptation will hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
Francis Lawrencewho has directed all the films in the saga since On fire In 2012, he is in talks to work once again on the new installment, in collaboration with screenwriter Michael Arndt and producer Nina Jacobson.
The story will focus on events that occurred 24 years before the original saga and four decades after The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesThe plot will begin at the harvest of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the second Quarter Quell or second Vassalage of the 25. It was in this Combat, in which Haymitch Abernathy, played in the original saga by Woody Harrelson competed for the first time. He would later become a mentor to protagonists Katniss and Peeta in issue 74.
Since its launch, the franchise The Hunger Games has raised more than $3.3 billion worldwide. Among his films, the aforementioned On fire was the most successful, raking in $865 million at the box office. The prequel released last year, starring Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth, generated $337 million worldwide, proving that interest in the title has not faded.
