SDCC -Lionsgate, Samsung Dazzle the Press with MOCKINGJAY PART 1 Rollout

By Erin Maxwell

Pristine white rooms, dozens of actors dolled up in the finest Capitol wares, a full-size bakery and elixir lounge…Lionsgate is not messing around with latest chapter in the Hunger Games franchise.

And they are out to impress.

The studio partnered with Samsung for Comic-Con to roll out the white carpet of the latest trailer in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I, that they were not giving to leave anything to luck. Greeted by full-size holograms of victors Peeta and Katniss, media hounds were to a day out in the utopia Capitol of Panem, away from the hunger, unkempt masses of District Gaslamp.

Floor-to-ceiling white rooms encompasses a playground in which member of the press could take their pictures in President Snow’s chair, enjoy different tonics and freshly-pressed elixirs, eat cakes featuring the iconic mockingjay emblem, and of course, a free t-shirt.

The experience is just the latest all-encompassing experience to hit Comic-Con. Six years back, Flynn’s Arcade first dazzled Comic-Conners with 20 minutes of free games followed by a glimpses of the lightcycle.

Last year, attendees got to experience the destruction of a faux-Tokyo, complete with noodle stand and shopping, as part of the “Godzilla” promotion. “Survivors” had to scurry into an nearby building, where the monster’s visage appeared to them via large screen televisions masking as office windows.

This year, folks got to gawk at citizens of the Capitol, who stood to the side and gawked back as the riff-raff devoured and consumed everything in sight. After 20 minutes of play, they were ushered off to the second floor where they watch the trailer for the upcoming third installment for the franchise.

Upstairs, members of the media were given their choice of white candies before they sat in private egg chairs and given brand new Galaxy Tab S and Level headphones to complete the experience.

Bravo, Samsung and Lionsgate. I feel a part of the action. I might actually qualify for SAG now.

Cast members center stage with press sitting in egg chairs in the background.