“Mockingjay” is here to stay. For a while, anyway.
The third movie in the “Hunger Games” series looks to be putting down some fairly lengthy roots in Atlanta. This week the movie has been filming at the Pullman Yard industrial facility in the Kirkwood area, following shoots at locations including Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithonia and in a rural area in Dawsonville.
A recent casting call seeking pale and bony extras indicates the blockbuster will be filming in Georgia at least through early February, possibly to give the cast time off for promotional-tour duty when “Catching Fire,” the sequel that was also filmed in metro Atlanta, comes out next month.
Atlanta was the first stop on the promotional tour for the first “Hunger Games” movie, so chances are they’ll plan something here again this time.
"I know it's crazy to say this but when we were on the plane to Atlanta, we were like, 'What if no one shows up?'" actor Dayo Okeniyi, who played Thresh in the first movie, told us during an interview this summer to promote the indie "Spectacular Now."
We’re guessing nobody will fret about that this go-round.
So, what are the film’s cast members up to at the moment?
Returning star Liam Hemsworth, recently extricated from a relationship with Miley Cyrus, has been spotted at the Buckhead Diner and Corner Cafe. Evan Ross, who just signed on for a role in "Mockingjay," was spotted with ladyfriend Ashlee Simpson on Saturday night, sipping champagne at Whiskey Park.
Meanwhile the Oscar-winning Jennifer Lawrence had dinner at Watershed recently with a team from "Dumb and Dumber To," also filming in metro Atlanta. The group must have bonded over the famous fried chicken or hot milk cake, because it looks like Lawrence will join Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey in a D&D cameo.
"Well this sure is interesting," filmmaker Peter Farrelly said by way of coy confirmation on his Twitter feed.
Security surrounding “Mockingjay” is formidable and we hear guards have started wanding people on-set with metal detectors to make sure no one sneaks in a cellphone. Things are slightly less secretive over at D&D HQ.
“Shootin’ at Stone Mountain, Ga. today,” Carrey revealed to his 11.5 million Twitter followers the other day. “What a fine spot. Lovin’ this place.”
