Following in the footsteps of previous YA juggernauts "Harry Potter" and "The Twilight Saga," the third novel of Suzanne Collins' best-selling "Hunger Games" series, "Mockingjay," will be split in two for its cinematic re-telling.
It had long been speculated that "Mockingjay" would become a pair of films, though Lionsgate officially confirmed the rumors Tuesday, scheduling Thanksgiving-adjacent release dates for "Part 1" (November 21, 2014) and "Part 2" (November 20, 2015).
This news raised plenty of questions among Panem watchers, most notably about where the volume should be split. Our friends over at NextMovie had several suggestions for the perfect cliffhangery cut, but I think there is a more fundamental question here: Is there really enough material to warrant two films? My answer: No... and yes. Let's break it down:
Also — and this is point is more a matter of quality rather than quantity — while there are multiple places "Mockingjay" could be split, I'm not sure there is a place it should be split. If you think back to "Breaking Dawn" (forgive me for the "Twilight" reference, but it's the most recent germane example I have), Bella's transformation was a logical place to split the book, leaving "Part 1" essentially about her human life and "Part 2" essentially about her vampire life. No such point exists in "Mockingjay" — at least for me.
As to the splitting point, it will also be the director's job to craft the first film's narrative in such a way that leaves fans wanting more. A task any talented helmer should be game for.
Do you think "Mockingjay" is meaty enough for two movies? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me @amymwilk with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns!
Earlier "Hunger Games" columns:
» Comic-Con 2012: A Guide For "Hunger Games" Fans
» "Hunger Games": The Week In Casting Rumors
» "Brave," "Hunger Games" And The History Of Lady Archers
» "Catching Fire" In IMAX: Time To Embrace The Big, Big Screen?