The Man Behind 'Mockingjay'

Director Francis Lawrence attends the premiere of Lionsgates The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 on November 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 opens in movie theaters around the country beginning tonight. Its the third in the series of films based on Suzanne Collins best-selling dystopian novels for young adults.

Here & Nows Jeremy Hobson talks to director Francis Lawrence about the rewards and challenges of bringing such beloved books to the screen.

Lawrence also directed the film adaptation of Collins second book Catching Fire, as well as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

On why people gravitate towards The Hunger Games movies

Well I think it goes all the way back to the source material that Suzanne Collins created. She had this idea to write a series of books for teenagers about the consequence of war. I think every decision that she made was based on that idea. Then she created a really compelling story with great characters, especially the character of Katniss, which I think is going to go down as one of the greatest characters of all time and then you have the kind of magic of this cast populating those characters.

On fans who will compare the movie and the book

I love the book. We made this for the fans. I also think that the fans know that you cant exactly turn the book into a movie, especially when its so internal. Im sure there will be little sort of moments and pieces of dialogue Katniss though to herself that will never make the movie that theyll be disappointed about, but I think that theyre going to be really excited about the things that we did put in and the new additions. Some of that expansion actually allows to surprise even the strictest fans.

On how the use of propaganda in the movie evokes reality

Its pretty chilling when you see some of the ways that the ideas and imagery in this movie is sort of mirrored in what we see on the news today. I was just recently talking to Suzanne Collins about it, and she said unfortunately, it mirrors things that have been happening for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

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The Man Behind 'Mockingjay'