'Hunger Games' finales set for 2014, 2015 release

Posted: Tue 5:43 PM, Jul 10, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The final book in "The Hunger Games" trilogy is coming to the big-screen in two parts starting in 2014.

Lionsgate Films announced Tuesday that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1" will be released Nov. 21, 2014, and "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2" will follow on Nov. 20, 2015.

The filmmakers are following the lead of two other teen-based literary franchises, "Harry Potter" and "Twilight," whose final books were broken into two parts for film.

"Mockingjay, Part 1" will come out a year after the Nov. 22, 2012, release of "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," the second film based on Suzanne Collins' novels about televised death matches in a future North American society.

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games" debuted last March and has taken in nearly $700 million worldwide.

A cool start to the holiday weekend