Hot damn, Jennifer Lawrence is proof positive that talent actually pays off in Hollywood. The indie-turned-mainstream actress has reportedly secured a $10 million+ paycheck for the Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, which is a significant bump up from the $500,000 that she received for the first movie. Great deal for her, right?
Well, it certainly is great news for females in Hollywood (that is, other than Julia Roberts). However, it seems that Jennifer’s male co-stars are not terribly impressed with her newfound box-office prowess, and they want a greater bite of the apple. Radar is reporting that both Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) and Liam Hemsworth (Gale) have also renegotiated their own contracts but have ended up with far smaller raises than Jennifer’s bump because she is “seen as the marquee star,” and as a result, both men are not pleased. Uh-oh:
Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are demanding more money to appear in the Hunger Games sequel, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
The pair are suffering with pay envy after learning that their blonde bombshell co-star Jennifer Lawrence, 21, is signed on to earn $10 million for the second movie in the series, Catching Fire – a significant pay hike from the $500k she received for the first film.
And the two male leads are even threatening to walk if the movie studio doesn’t give them what they want.
“When stars are negotiating their contracts, these things can happen and stars will try and bump up their salaries,” a source said.
“Liam and Josh got wind of Jennifer’s significant pay raise and they want more money to appear in the second movie of the tetralogy. They’re not demanding as much as Jennifer, they’re aware she plays a bigger role in the films, but they want a little more than the $2 million they were each offered.
“With the success of the first movie, they feel that $5 million is a more suitable fee and are haggling with the studio before dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on their deals. And they have even said they may not return for the sequel, which they hope will be a bargaining chip for a bigger pay packet,” the source revealed.
[From Radar Online]
With all due respect, I understand what Liam and Josh are attempting to maneuver, for each member of love triangle from the Twilight franchise (Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner) all received an equal pay hike ($25 million each + 7.5% of the gross) for the parts one and two of Breaking Dawn. However, these are two entirely different fictional universes, and Katniss (unlike passive Bella) is very much the active component of all three movies. To a degree, I can see Josh Hutcherson’s point since Peeta plays a huge role in the action of both the first and second books, but as to Liam Hemsworth? C’mon. His Gale had about ten minutes of screentime in the first movie, and his character isn’t truly important until the revolutionary aspects of the Mockingjay book. Settle down, boys. The girl is in charge here.
Meanwhile, there’s still plenty of casting news filtering out in regards to the second Hunger Games movie, which is due to start shooting …. very soon (next month in Atlanta). So in the spirit of the reaping, the latest tribute casting has been announced. Us Weekly reports that television veteran Meta Golding (“Day Break,” “Dark Blue,” “CSI: Miami,” “Burn Notice,” “House,”) will play the role of Enobaria, who is (of course) the District 2 tribute who won the 62nd Annual Games by using her teeth to rip open the throat of a competitor. This shall be a relatively minor yet dramatic role in the movie. If I remember correctly, Enobaria has subsequently altered her own teeth in a cosmetic manner to lend the appearance of fangs. Can you see it?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet
the movie centers around her so of course she should get more, good for her and the guys will just have to get over it.
And I’m excited for the filming to start here, although I’m excited when anything films in Atlanta..
Yeah, what other large box office projects do they have happening? In the end, you know they’ll suck it up..there’s still several more movies in this franchise to go, along with all that fame.
Sorry if this is a spoiler, but Gale is hardly a major character in Catching Fire, and Peeta is no more important than the zillions of female sidekicks throughout history who haven’t earned as much as the male lead. Suck it up boys.
Bigggg fan…
Go JenLaw!!!
I could understand maybe Hutcherson making a little more since his role as Peeta is just below Katniss’s role in Catching Fire. Gale though? He might do a bit more but not to justify a big increase, though I don’t get why he’d get an equal raise as Hutcherson.
I just finished the trilogy so it’s exciting to see who they’re picking for each role. I could see Golding as Enobaria. I’ve heard they cast Lynn Cohen as Old Mags.
I would oh-so happily take 2mil right now!! But I totally agree, Hemsworth needs to calm his tits. Mate, you have very little screen time and you’re getting 2 million for it. Most people won’t earn that much in a lifetime.
Really hoping the rumours about Tony Shaloub as Beetee are real.
I really think I am the only person that hated this movie. So much so I won’t see the others. I thought she was terrible as Katniss, completely wooden- none of the depth of the character came through for me at all.
The cinematography was horrifying- I loathe that close up thing they do so you can’t really see anything, all choppy and fast paced. The Capitol looked nothing like the description, the story line weak and jumpy. I felt nothing of the horror of the arena, I could care less that she won and how she did it. Even little Rue’s death was so mundane.
The best part was Peeta’s interview with Caesar Flickman. For that alone he deserves a pay raise.
There, I feel much better having written how I despised this movie!
Thanks for reading. 😉
No, Kay, I completely agree. I have no clue how such a mediocre movie earnt such decent reviews.
Lawrence(Who personally I think is overated but gets praise because she’s still above all the awful three faced actresses hollywood has) brought nothing special to the role, yet got all this praise for ‘inhabiting’ the character.
Apart from that, basically everything was terrible.
I think JL is a great actress, but I do think she was miscast as Katniss. I was unimpressed with THG too unfortunately, I don’t think it lived up to expectations cinematically.
I think she made a perfect Katniss,I like the characters(except Peeta)but thought the movie was awful compared to the book.
I have to agree as well I think the problem is they rushing these movies out without giving them a really good script and developing the characters. They assume that everyone that watches has already read the books and hence they don’t have to put much thought into the characters. They just kinda go through the motions with a little emotion thrown in.
I disagree…I think Jennifer was perfect casting…right out of Winters Bone. Now Josh Hutcherson I thought was a complete miscast. There’s no romantic chemistry at all and the fact that they make such great friends in real life spills all into the movie. The fast paced thing and the lack of horror of the games is only because it was PG-13. This was no Battle Royale that’s for sure.
Kay, I agree with you completely. That movie was a huge let down for me, and JL as Katniss as well; after all the hype behind this chick, I was expecting some ground breaking performance and got nothing like that. I’m not as opposed to the next one because I’m a sucker for book adaptations although almost none ever achieve the greatness of the books.
For how much the first movie made, I feel like the 10 million she’s getting isn’t even fair. I don’t see the problem in them asking for 5 mil.
But the thing is, none of them were draws for the movie…they played literally a 0% role in that regard. Everyone went to see the movie because of the book, the hype, etc…same with HP and Twilight…
Not even Jennifer Lawrence, much as i love her, had anything to do with the success, even if you think she did a great job in the role (which i do)
I don’t blame the guys for asking, but at the end of the day, they’re going to take what they get, there’s no way they’ll walk. This is a huge franchise, and the biggest thing either has going on.
I saw that Jennifer also got “bonuses” for the first one, probably after they saw how well it did, so she probably cleared a couple million. Good for her on the pay bump though, she’s in that great spot of them not being able to do it without her, and since the film made almost 10X its budget, you know the studio wants more.
+1
This is how how millions and millions of women feel when they get paid less than their male co-workers who do the SAME amount of work.
The annoying part is indeed that Katniss does way MORE than the other two, especially Gale.
MTE!
+1
I can’t say I loved the movie but 90% of what I loved is owed to her so she damn well deserves the money. Gale was barely in the movie and Peeta was fine but largely replaceble in my eyes. They can ask for the money, hell if I was in their shoes, I’d try and negotiate for the same thing, but she deserves a big chunk of the profits.
I read somewhere that JLaw has a deal similar to the one RDJ made when he signed onto IronMan, which is now allowing him to bring home exponentially more money than the other Avengers stars. Not sure if it’s true or not but, if so, smart girl. 🙂
Oh boys, careful. She’s irreplaceable in these films…can you say the same?
She deserves it, but so does Josh. His role is REALLY important in Catching Fire, and if Jen gets 10 million he should get at least 5.
Liam should consider himself lucky if he isn’t replaced (if he’s really asking for millions of dollars for about 10 min of screentime in CF).
Probably because both of them are blowing through money a lot faster than Jennifer, who stills lives in her modest condo and drives a sensible car. Liam and Josh have made some big, big purchases since The Hunger Games.
Really? You’ve made me curious. What have they splurged on?
Good for Jennifer Lawrence. I’ve only seen her in 3 movies (HG, Winter’s Bone, and X-Men), but she was fantastic in all of them.
I hope she has a long career in Hollywood.
They’ve cast Mags as well. Magda from SATC! 😀
http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/08/02/lynn-cohen-mags-the-hunger-games-catching-fire/
Liam is not really in the second book either, although I can see why Josh should get a little bit more $ as he’s a big part of the 2nd half of book 2 and the traveling etc. Liam is over reaching for 10 minutes of screen time-Josh should be making at least 5.
Good for Jen. She is a talented young actress and right now seems like a good role model for fans of the movie and fans in general.
Boys hate hate hate it when girls out perform them. Hey, I don’t blame them for asking for $$$$, but if either of these guys thinks they were the draw for that movie franchise they are seriously too egotistical.
Settle down, boys, indeed! Katniss is Hunger Games, hence Jennifer gets the bigger paycheck.
I’m excited because there’s talk around my office block that they’ll be shooting across the street from us. Whoo hoo!
Pix please OMia!
Good for her. She was awesome in the movie (haven’t read the books). But I think it’s ridiculous that the guys honestly expected to get the same amount as her. They need to sit down and be quiet.
Are you serious about those pay rates for Twilight? $25 mil PLUS 7.5% each? Really? I’m so glad I went to an Ivy League grad school and work my butt off to make a modest salary. I KNEW I should have partied with CGI wolves and bitten my lip more extensively! Dammit, guys!
Wow good for her, she is one incredibly talented gal, unlike Kristen Stewart whose pay rise is entirely incidental. Merit prevails wonderful!
Never heard of Meta Golding, but damn, she is gorgeous.
Yeah right, as if the guys who have the least to do, will walk away from a franchise that puts their names on the Hollywood map!? They need to sit down, shut their yaps and accept their pay and the let the girl shine. It all revolves around Lawrence so for once, let the girl have it.
All Hemsworth got to do in the first one was work out anyway and he got payed a lot of money for that so he should just be grateful for all these opportunities.
I’d be careful if I were Josh. They might threaten to pay him by the foot.
Oh man what a pay cut -lol- That made me laugh thanks …
She’s the only one constantly on-screen in all three films: Gale is relegated to looking worried/pained during the first and second movies; Peeta is imprisoned for the first half (at least!) of the third.
Sit down and shut up, boys. It’s been happening to us women for years.
I think that about 90% of this article is false (it’s Radar so, take just about ALL of their articles with a grain of salt (LOL!)). First of all, walking away if they aren’t paid what they want???…when filming begins NEXT WEEK??. No, the guys aren’t walking away from anything because that would be career suicide to walk away from one of the biggest franchises in town. Seriously, The Hunger Games and The Avengers are the two biggest franchises in Hollywood, period. My guess is that Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth are all re-negotiating their contracts and that is the only factual part of the story. Radar is trying to create drama where there isn’t any; apparently,the set was a drama free zone with these actors very appreciative of their roles and working as professionals.
As far as Jennifer Lawrence receiving 10 million for THG: Catching Fire?..worth EVERY PENNY, she’s hugely talented, professional and easy to work with and that’s just what Lionsgate and any other studio Jennifer Lawrence works with needs. Jennifer Lawrence is also in final negotiations to star in The Weinstein Company’s “The Ends of the Earth” which would mark the second time Lawrence has worked for TWC and Weinstein said, that Lawrence shows the skill of a seasoned veteran and that they are thrilled to work with Lawrence again. That’s pretty fucking impressive and good for Jennifer Lawrence, ore power to her.
And that’s “more” not “ore”….
From $500,000 to 10 mil? Get real.
And I watch Burn Notice religiously (one of my guilty pleasures) but I don’t remember this Meta Golding chick at all. Huh.
She is the STAR, gosh. Have those boys even bothered to read the books? It’s all about Katniss. SHE is the symbol of the revolution. And honestly, Gale doesn’t matter after the first book. They could easily edit the script to replace Gale with someone else and still have the same plot, paying the new guy significantly less.
Liam Hemsworth is so replaceable.. Do it, I wouldn’t care.
Jennifer Anistion and Jennifer Lawence look very much alike – would be interesting to see a movie with both actresses, perhaps Jennifer Aniston as Jennifer Lawrences mother in some gritty film and add Harrison Ford to the mix.
Good. I hope they drop out and get replaced by two male leads that don’t make me go ‘meh’ every time I see them. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. THG had some of the worst casting I have seen in a movie, ever. JLaw was nothing but a stroke of good luck. No one would miss these two mediocre dolts.
And no anti-bangs comments? Surprise, Celebitchy, surprise.
As for the story. Since Lawrence have more time screen then the two others guys, I think it’s normal she have more money. And they all 3 are just newcomers, but Lawrence is the one that have more previous starpower (the success of the last X-Men), so it’s normal, again, that she would have a bigger paycheck than the Josh/Liam.
hemsworth and that “pita dude” can cash $10 million cheques too if they had any acting ability.