• THIS IS NOT BATTLE ROYALE GODDAMN YOU HAVE NOT EVEN READ THE BOOKS

• Meh the books are pretty short.  Read the first one and if you don't like it, skip the rest.  Worst case scenario you're out 5 bucks and a couple hours of your time.  Personally I thought they were alright, nothing I'd camp out for a midnight release of, but I'd continue reading the series if it had more books in it.

• The first book is really the best of the lot.  I would read that one just to have all of the back story, that we know Hollywood will remove in favor of the action.  I think the trailer was a good taste for those that have read the book and doesn't have a really good hook for those that have not read the book.   If nothing else the first book is a quick read and worth the time.  I think I read it in a couple of days and thought it was worth the kindle purchase.  The other two.....well....not as good..

• To be fair, how many people here are referring to the movie Battle Royale or the book? I'd wager you are the only one not referring to the movie. Also, I'm pretty confident that the Hunger Games movie won't present the violence in glorifying and titillating manner similar to the Battle Royale movie. It would be incredibly out of place and people would just flip their shit. At most, the tournament would be presented as more action-y.

• I have to agree.  I haven't read Battle Royale yet either although it's on my list. I can't make a side by side comparison either.  But why does it have to be one or the other?  I'm not going to out and out reject reading Battle Royale because I enjoyed The Hunger Games and they have similar elements any more than I rejected The Walking Dead because I had already read World War Z. 

• Rosco!

• READ IT. Like someone else said, it's a quick read. And because I read and enjoyed it, I'm totally in awe of this trailer. I can see how it wouldn't automatically make you want to read it, though. Still, reading after having seen the trailer could be pretty cool, since you've seen/heard so many central characters.

• Except you are comparing a movie based on a superior novel with a movie that isn't even out yet. Mark my words, the Hunger Games movie will treat its adaption the same way Battle Royale did.

• How can you know it was done better in Battle Royale if you've never read the books? Your entire argument is based only on hearsay? I sadly haven't gotten around to Battle Royale yet, so I'm at least going to refrain from making any comparisons because they'd be utterly pointless when I only have knowledge of one side of the scale.

• Totally beat me to that punch.

• Disagree 100%. Battle Royale was all about the violence. There was some hackneyed storyline tacked on to it, but really it was just about watching teens kill each other in violent ways. Hunger Games also has a similar tournament, but the violence is there as a means to serve the story. And its portrayed negatively. Katniss does *not* want to be forced to kill others, and feels remorse and regret. In Battle Royale the violence exists to titillate.

• Minus the teen exploitation though.

• They get a decent amount of training in various disciplines/tactics/weapons. Not like month's worth, but it was a number of sessions. I think over a few days.

• I took a side by side comparison...and thought Battle Royale was the clear winner. -dodges thrown vegetables in bullet time- Hey hey HEY! Back off, gaijin! As an Asian, Battle Royale had two advantages for me: it was released first and I could connect with the problems and undertones each victim, er, sorry, characters bring on the table. So of course I would be more inclined to support Battle Royale more. Fine, fine! I'll also add that The Hunger Games is a loving tribute to Battle Royale, if anything. Now, do you mind lowering those pitchforks, angry nerd villagers? XD

• It's still a more respectable treatment than what they did with "Akira" and "Dragonball".

• Now that you mention it, it DOES look like it, doesn't it? Nerddom rip-off is nothing new though. People have been drawing suspect parallels between Dune and Star Wars for years, as far as I know.

• It's Battle Royale for English speaking people. Is there no originality?

• HA! My friend is naming her daughter Khaleesi! Hahaha. It's still not as bad as Renesmee (which is Twilight's fault). I want to write sci-fi/fantasy with awesome old steel worker names like Hank, Chuck, Burt, Frank, Larry, etc.

• This needs to be said more. The concept or premise of a story has almost nothing to do with the follow-through and execution of the storytelling elements. If you're depending on new concepts and twists to keep your stories interesting, you're missing the point.  Signed, William "Fucking" Shakespeare

• gotta say, I'll be putting it on reserve at the library as soon as I finish The Wise Man's Fear.  I don't know if I would see it in the theater, but I'll more than likely read it and see where it goes from there.

• "a much better version of The Davinci Code, except Science Fictiony like Running Man and lots of kid killing." So, nothing like The DaVinci Code.

• Was wary of the book having been burned by a lot of hyped-up works ("DaVinci Code") but it's really good, surprisingly dark and brutal with 24 teenagers beating the hell out of each other. The movie looks a close adaptation and do like Jennifer Lawrence so might give this a shot. Keep in mind, this is a "set-up" trailer for newcomers, sure a second one will feature more of the actual Games to lure you in.

• "Also, I haven't read the books as I cannot get past the idiotic names in them. Katniss? Prim? Barf?" Thank you.  I know the sci-fi/fantasy genre has given us a ton of dumb character names, but I draw the line at "Katniss."  It hurts just looking at it on my computer screen.  I can only hope that these ridiculous names don't catch on- I don't want to have to deal with this conversation fifteen years from now: "Um, Katniss- can you come here for a minute?" "Yeah Bella, what is it?" "This guy says he doesn't want mayo on his McChicken- can we do that?" "I dunno- you should ask Khalessi."

• Hollywood ripping off Battle Royal

• I'm part of the 50% that was vastly disappointed in the books compared to all the hype. While it is often said, with good reason, you are much better of (re-)reading 'Battle Royal' instead. Katniss herself is an interesting character and does go through quite a lot, but she is constantly set up as if she were a kind of Mary Sue; my thoughts on this are difficult to parse in any succinct way. I just couldn't connect, it felt too 'contrived'; odd to say given the context, I know. That being said, it maybe could actually translate well onto film, if handled correctly. Who knows. The trailer really does hit some key 'heart-string' moments from the book.

• I read the first book based on what was said here on TR and I really enjoyed it.  You really ought to give it a shot, Rob.  It'll only take a short time to read and if you get it from the library, it won't cost you anything either.  As someone who has read the book, the trailer had me tearing up from the beginning (even though I didn't cry while reading it).  Everyone who has said that it's geared toward getting fans of the book interested in the movie are right on the money.  Based on the trailer, I'd wager it's a more faithful adaptation than the Battle Royale movie. Speaking of which, everyone who is all "oooh, it's a Battle Royale ripoff" is a douche.   While the premise is similar to both BR and the Running Man (the book, not so much the movie), it doesn't invalidate this story.  There are almost no new stories anymore, everything borrows from something.  Get over it.

• I like how they are down playing the whole "kids killing kids" angle, nice bit of sneakiness there Hollywood. 

• According to news reports it IS...and in (deep voice) 3-D!

• At least it would be better then fucking Battleship.

• Hungry Hungry Hippos - the movie. Now THAT would be entertaining. 

• +1

• I was going to do the Battle Royale spiel but you beat me to it, so +1 to your comment :-)

• Poor blonde guy at the end of the trailer, despite all his rage, he is still just a rat in a cage. That aside, it does seem like the novels are being altered for the sake of making a better movie, thus we get to see that a lot of the first film is going to be an "anime" length training and romance sequence?  Maybe that twenty-something eighteen-year old girl will go Super-Saiyan at the end.

• Meh, it was done better in Battle Royale. This'll probably have less neck/head/face stabbing in order to catch that pg-13 rating so all the teenage girls that read this will be able to go without their parents. Also, I haven't read the books as I cannot get past the idiotic names in them. Katniss? Prim? Barf? PS. That Josh Hutcherson kid is a f*cking terrible actor. Since when did the facial expression for "I have severe indigestion" become short hand for "I am acting"?

• Honestly, I hope this trailer ISN'T doing the movie justice.  I won't be impressed if the movie doesn't outdo the trailer.  That said, I don't feel the trailer should influence the decision to read the books.  I mean, if anything books are generally better than movies.  This series wasn't the best thing I've ever read, but I did enjoy them. Example:  Had somebody watched Eragon and based their decision to read the book off of it then they probably didn't read it, and Eragon was a good book.

• I don't like it or hate it, I am indifferent... I feel like I am an ignored demographic in this census... I DEMAND REPRESENTATION!

• Personally, I'm freakin excited. I love those books. 

• Great the Hunger Games trailer was put in just before lunch

• I read the first book a few weeks ago. It was only about 300 pages. A very fast read, but not bad. I kind of got a "Lord of the Flies' vibe more than Battle Royale. I will read the others when i can find softcover versions.

• Looks like someone was watching 1984 and quite a bit of 60's science fiction before they went and designed this movie.

• You lie! YOU ARE THE PRINCE OF LIES!

• ...

• It's about time Battle Royale came to American theaters.

• Yeah, if this movie at all "accurate" to the book, it should be bloody and crazy violent. I'm a fan of the books, and there are things that are awesome in this trailer and there are things that I hate about it.  It certainly won't make anyone want to read the books or even watch the movie.  There isn't much action and there isn't much going into the relationships of the main characters, so it doesn't give the viewer any point of connection.  This is the trailer made for people who already love the series so that they can finally see things on the big screen.  For anyone else, pretty much everything about it is useless.

• Except that it's not real life.  It's a movie.  Based on a fictional book. 

• It's like Running Man for kids!  Emanuel Lewis could host!

• ummmm, there's already been a better version of the Davinci Code. Its called American Treasure starring Ridiculous Cage. in which case, i hope hunger games is just like it. "I know what I have to do to win the Hunger Games... I have to steal the Colonel's Original Recipe!"

• I don't think a trailer for a movie will make you want to read a book. I think it's the other way around. The books are fine. Think of it as a much better version of The Davinci Code, except Science Fictiony like Running Man and lots of kid killing.

• They actually don't train them much, as I recall--they have a couple of hours of basic survivalist training, but nothing that would actually prepare them to fight to the death if they didn't have skills already.

• the hungriest wins? in that case, that girl with the fat face is screwed.

• oh, come on, Brick, what kind of BLOGGER doesn't even finish their own sentences?  It's just not grabbing me <b>by the crotch like TRON</b>. 

• Ah, so thats how its going to be.

• I think it looks fantastic.

• NO ITS TOTALLY DIFFERNT UR JUST A HATER WATS BATLEROYAL SOME STUPID GAMESHOW LOL THIS IS REAL LIFE. ... and so it begins.

• So, it's "Battle Royale"?  But they train them?

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