<P> Suzanne Collins began adapting the first book to film after she finished writing Mockingjay . Collins had experience in writing screenplays after writing Clifford's Puppy Days and other children's television shows . When Gary Ross was announced as director for the film in 2010, he began to work with Collins and veteran writer Billy Ray to bring the novel to life . The script was large and resulted in a two - hour and 20 minute film . </P> <P> After Francis Lawrence took over as director, he brought in Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt to write the script for Catching Fire . </P> <P> The final two films of the series were written by Danny Strong and Peter Craig . </P> <P> Once the three leads were cast, casting shifted to the other tributes . Jack Quaid was cast as Marvel, Leven Rambin as Glimmer, Amandla Stenberg as Rue, and Dayo Okeniyi as Thresh . Alexander Ludwig (who auditioned for Peeta) was cast as Cato, Isabelle Fuhrman (who auditioned for Katniss) as Clove, and Jacqueline Emerson as Foxface . Following the casting of tributes, the adult cast began to come together . Elizabeth Banks was cast as Effie Trinket, the District 12 escort . Woody Harrelson was cast as Haymitch Abernathy, District 12's mentor . Lenny Kravitz was cast as Cinna, Katniss' stylist . Wes Bentley was cast as game maker Seneca Crane . Stanley Tucci was cast as Caesar Flickerman, Panem's celebrity host . Donald Sutherland was cast as Coriolanus Snow, Panem's President . Willow Shields was cast as Primrose Everdeen, Katniss' younger sister . </P>

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