LET THE HUNGER GAMES BEGIN!

- hmv Grafton Street & hmv Donegall Arcade selected as two of 12 ‘District’ stores to host a ‘Reaping’ on Sun 2nd Sept to celebrate the DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download release of The Hunger Games.

- Fans checking-in via Foursquare have a chance to win prizes and a pair of tickets to the UK premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

- Culminating in national ‘Capitol’ live reaping at 3pm

Monday 3rd September sees the release of the phenomenally successful film, The Hunger Games on 2-disc DVD, 2-disc Blu-Ray, TVOD and digital download formats (see Notes to Editors for full details).

In tribute to the science fiction blockbuster, twelve HMV stores around the UK and Ireland have been selected to act as special regional ‘districts’ on Sunday, 2nd September - the day before release.

Fans of The Hunger Games who visit one of the 12 participating stores on Sunday 2nd between 2pm and 3pm can check into the applicable HMV store’s Foursquare account. They will then be automatically entered into a regional ‘Reaping’ whereby two names or ‘Tributes’ from each District will be put forward for a very special Reaping taking place in ‘The Capitol’ the same day – at HMV’s Oxford Street store.

In the Oxford Street store, a ‘Capitol Representative’ will conduct a live Reaping after 3pm. They will select names from two fish bowls, just like in the film. The first name will be taken from a bowl holding the names of the 24 Regional District winners.  The second name will be taken from a bowl holding all the names of attendees at Oxford Street branch. These two lucky Tributes will each win a pair or tickets to UK premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – the next instalment of the series. 

Although only a select few can be chosen as Tributes to battle for the ultimate prize, 100 lucky attendees at each store will have the opportunity to purchase the HMV exclusive 3 disc double play steelbook a full day ahead of the national release. In additional the 24 regional tributes will each receive a The Hunger Games goody bag.

Participating HMV ‘District’ stores:1.    hmv Glasgow, 235 Buchanan Street2.    hmv Edinburgh, 29 Princes Street3.    hmv Newcastle, 59 Northumberland Street4.    hmv Manchester, Trafford Centre5.    hmv Birmingham, Bullring Centre6.    hmv Leicester, 9/17 High Street7.    hmv Norwich, 21 Gentlemans Walk8.    hmv Cardiff, 53/57 Queen Street9.    hmv Bristol, 24/26 Broadmead10.  hmv Southampton, 56/58 Above Bar Street11.  hmv Belfast, 3/6Donegall Arcade12.  hmv Dublin, 65 Grafton Street(13) Capitol City reaping: hmv 150 Oxford StreetEnds –EnquiriesGennaro Castaldo, HMV Press & PRgennaro.castaldo@hmv.co.uk / 020 7432 2033 / 07801 194 139Liam McMahon, Press on PRliam@pressonpr.com / 07734 739 794Paul McCarthy, Aiken PR (Northern Ireland & Ireland)Paul@aikenpr.co.uk / +44 (28) 9066 3000Notes to EditorsLionsgate’s The Hunger Games juggernaut will arrive on home entertainment platforms on Monday 3rd September, as the first film in Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) The Hunger Games franchise. The film has already grossed nearly £24m at the UK box office and is approaching $650 million worldwide and will debut on 2-disc DVD, 2-disc Blu-Ray, TVOD and digital download.  This is the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate UK’s history, the Company announced in June.The film, based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, achieved a remarkable four-week run as the #1 film at the North American theatrical box office where it has already grossed $400 million, ranking as the 14th highest-grossing film of all time, and it is approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office with a June release in China.The 2-disc Blu-ray and 2-disc DVD arrive loaded with almost three hours of extensive bonus materials including the comprehensive eight-part documentary, “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games.” Other special features include a sit-down conversation with director Gary Ross as well as numerous featurettes that examine the global success of the books, the creation of the control room in the film and the filmmakers’ motivation behind creating new scenes that were not in the book, plus much more.  The Blu-ray Disc set contains an additional exclusive feature, “Preparing for the Games: A Director’s Process,” which looks at the progression of taking three key scenes from the book to the screen. The Hunger Games is a must-have film that is hailed as “an essential science-fiction film for our times” - Robbie Collin – Daily Telegraph.“We are incredibly excited to bring The Hunger Games experience to UK homes on 3rd September.” said Nicola Pearcey, Managing Director, Home Entertainment and New Media.  “This is by far the biggest home entertainment launch in Lionsgate UK’s history and further to the success of the theatrical box office, our home entertainment launch involves a highly innovative and integrated digital and packaged media rollout.  The release culminates in a UK–wide ‘shared view’ at 8pm on the 3rd September, when we encourage those who have purchased The Hunger Games to press play at 8pm, log onto www.theukwillbewatching.co.uk, and share their experience via a social dashboard, interacting with other fans whilst all watching the film simultaneously.”Directed by Academy Award® nominee Gary Ross (Seabiscuit), The Hunger Games, starring Academy Award® nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), features an ensemble cast that includes Golden Globe® winner Donald Sutherland (Citizen X), Academy Award® nominee Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson (The People vs. Larry Flynt), Lenny Kravitz (Precious) and Emmy® nominee Elizabeth Banks (TV’s “30 Rock”). The film also stars some of the industry’s brightest up and coming actors such as Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are All Right) and Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2). The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of books published by Scholastic that has already become a literary phenomenon with over 36.5 million copies in circulation.  Set in the future, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts of the nation is forced to participate in the annual competition called The Hunger Games, which is broadcast live throughout the country for the entertainment of the Capitol’s wealthy residents. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives.  If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.BLU-RAY & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES•         “The World is Watching: Making of The Hunger Games” – an eight-part documentary covering the “making of” the film in all aspects from the pre-production process all the way through the theatrical release and fan reactions•         “Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon” featurette•          “Letters from the Rose Garden” featurette – insights from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as President Snow•         “Controlling the Games” featurette – stories and concepts behind creating the control center•         “A Conversation with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell”•         Propaganda Film (in its entirety)•          “Preparing for The Games: A Director’s Process” (Blu-ray Exclusive)FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:Cahir McDaid / Alice Hammond cahir@dna-pr.com / alice@dna-pr.com / Tel: 01273 772 155PRODUCT INFORMATIONYear of Production: 2012Title Copyright: ™ & © 2012 Lions Gate Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Cert: 12 (DVD and SD formats) and 15 (BD and HD formats)Genre: Action/AdventureTECHNICAL  INFORMATIONDVDAudio                                    Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (feature)                                                       Audio Description            Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo                                                Aspect ratio                        Anamorphic 2.40:1                                                         Run time                              137 Minutes Approx.                                                     Languages                           English                                                 Subtitles                              English for the Hearing Impaired                                                              BDAudio                                    DTS-HD Master Audio Surround 7.1                                                        Audio Description            Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo                                Aspect ratio                        HD 2.40:1                                            Run time                              142 Minutes Approx.                                     Languages                           English                                                                To experience The Hunger Games online, please visit:Launch microsite: http://www.theukwillbewatching.co.ukOfficial Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheHungerGamesUKOfficial Twitter Page: @HungerGamesUK, #TheUKWillBeWatchingABOUT LIONSGATELionsgate U.K. is the diversified UK-based filmed entertainment arm of Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio. The company (formerly Redbus Film Distributors) was acquired by Lionsgate in October 2005 and has since established a reputation in the U.K. as a leading producer and distributor and acquirer of commercially successful and critically acclaimed product, recently releasing such box office hits as The Hunger Games, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, The Expendables, Harry Brown, Oscar and BAFTA winner The Hurt Locker, Coriolanus, A Dangerous Method, Little White Lies, Drag Me To Hell, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, I’ve Loved You So Long, 3.10 to Yuma, Good Luck Chuck, The Bank Job and Oscar-winning The Lives of Others in the U.K. Upcoming releases include Friends With Kids, Magic Mike, The Expendables 2 and Keith Lemon The Film.