The Hunger Games: Catching Fire trailer arrives

First footage for hotly anticipated follow-up shows President Snow gunning for Katniss.

Darkness descends as we get our first glimpse of the hotly-anticipated sequel to 'The Hunger Games', the brooding 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'.

[Related story: Two new images from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire]
[Related story: Exclusive: Brand new posters for The Hunger Games sequel]



The Hunger Games : Catching Fire - Teaser Trailer #1 [VO|HD]by addictomovie.com

Pivoting on a conversation between Donald Sutherland's quietly despotic President Snow and Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the new Head Gamemaker, there's a storm brewing in Panem.
On returning victorious from the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta embark on their 'Victory Tour' of all the 12 districts.

But they soon see that their actions during the games have sent ripples through the world and now rebellion is in the air, with Katniss 'a beacon of hope' to the huddled masses.Of course, as is the nature of trailers these days, the plot is pretty much laid bare, with Snow planning the demise of Katniss to crush any prospect of insurrection against The Capitol, his utopian stronghold. Snow then drops the bombshell of the 'Quarter Quell', a new games where all the past victors will fight to the death.

Last year’s 'The Hunger Games' was a box office smash, making more than £450 million worldwide. With the ‘Twilight Saga’ finished, it’s the new teen top dog in Hollywood.

Expectations for ‘Catching Fire’ will be high, especially with a script by Simon 'Slumdog Millionaire' Beaufoy and Michael Arndt, who is writing the forthcoming 'Star Wars' sequel.

Francis Lawrence takes over from Gary Ross in the director's chair, and will take the story to its conclusion, having signed on for the final films 'Mockingjay Part 1' and 'Mockingjay Part 2'.

Joining the excellent cast, along with Seymour Hoffman, are Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair, Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, Lynn Cohen as Mags, Toby Jones as Claudius Templesmith, Amanda Plummer as Wiress and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee.

Josh Hutcherson is back as Peeta, along with Liam Hemsworth as Gale, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket and Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman.

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ is released in the UK on November 22.