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Today, there's yet another installment in "As The Hunger Games Turn." Here's a refresher: news broke in November that China Glaze was going to be doing a line of Hunger Games nail polish.
Almost immediately, several publications that had written about the collab—including Racked—got emails from a representative at Lionsgate, the studio producing the Hunger Games movies, saying that the polishes "weren't confirmed" and asking them to take down or amend their posts. Then, the next week, news broke that Lionsgate was suing China Glaze and that the whole deal might be kaput.
Now? The polishes are back on, and we're supposed to act like nothing is weird about this.
So what's going on, and is something rotten in the state of Lionsgate? Here's what it sounds like to us: the China Glaze deal was always confirmed, but specific colors or names were leaked early, possibly before they'd all been given a thumbs-up by the studio. Considering that our initial impressions of the polishes were underwhelming and that a few of the colors could have been better thought-out, it's possible that what we initially saw were prototypes or works in progress.
So why the constant back and forth? Part of it is good for business—the drama keeps the movie and the polishes getting more press while the issue plays out in public. But it also gives the impression that Lionsgate is being controlling and wants to have everything their way. The Hunger Games series has huge potential for them and could be a money-making franchise on par with Twilight, so the studio wants to be in charge and have as much say in marketing as possible.
Today, the China Glaze collection, "Colours from the Capitol," was officially released (see above for images). What's different? The colors themselves seem to be almost exactly the same as the first round that leaked in November. The names, however, are completely different, and less specific—instead of being named for certain characters or events, they have more generic names like "Electrify," "Agro," and "Harvest Moon." These color names could work for just about any nail polish, and some of the names don't seem to have any connection to the book at all. Also gone are the inspirations listed under the initial offering of colors ("Inspired by Katniss and Gale"), which lends credence to the "those were works in progress with staffers' notes on them" theory.
Either way, Hunger Games addicts can still get their beauty fix. The polishes will be released in March, two weeks before the film opens. And may the odds be ever in China Glaze and Lionsgate's favor.
· Hunger Games and China Glaze Nail Polish - Back On [Kiss and Makeup]
· 'Hunger Games' Nail Polish Is Not Happening, But a Lawsuit Is [Racked]
· 'Hunger Games' Nail Polish Will Launch in 2012 [Racked]