Jennifer Lawrence negotiates a pay raise for 'Hunger Games' sequel
'Hunger Games' star Jennifer Lawrence is reportedly asking for a $10 million contract.
Jennifer Lawrence is reportedly looking for a raise for the 'Hunger Games' sequel 'Catching Fire.'
Murray Close/Lionsgate/AP
With an Academy Award nomination and appearances in two major franchises (The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class) under her belt, there was never any doubt that Jennifer Lawrence was one of Hollywood’s fastest-rising stars. Now, the 21-year-old actress is getting paid like it.
The Hunger Games soared to success on the strength of Lawrence’s outstanding performance as 16-year-old warrior Katniss Everdeen, but the young starlet earned a comparatively low salary ($500,000) when compared to the movie’s huge box office returns (more than $680 million).
According to new reports, though, Lawrence is looking at a substantial raise for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, as THR reports that Lawrence is negotiating a whopping $10 million contract for her role in the sequel. Assuming that the second movie does as well or better than the first (which is a pretty good assumption), Lawrence stands to make even more money through additional bonuses. Besides Lawrence, Hunger Games stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are also getting pay bumps (though not nearly as substantial).
While $10 million may seem like a tremendous amount of money, it’s hard to argue that Lawrence doesn’t deserve the payday. When you consider the overall success of The Hunger Games, Lawrence is actually the most profitable action heroine of all time (hat tip to Box Office Mojo). Plus, the actress has more than proven her dramatic chops (see: aforementioned Academy Award nomination).
In other Hunger Games news, Woody Harrelson recently told CBS News that Catching Fire starts shooting next month in Atlanta and Hawaii. Presumably, the Hawaii set will be used to showcase the second film’s Hunger Games arena, which features a lush and deadly tropical forest.
The Hunger Games was not just a financial success, but also a critical triumph, earning a very strong 85% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. If its cast is any indication, Catching Fire will be similarly successful. In addition to Lawrence, the sequel has added Academy Award-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, Amanda Plummer, and veteran character actress Lynn Cohen.
Rob Frappier blogs at Screen Rant.