The death of Philip Seymour Hoffman left Hollywood reeling at the loss of one of its finest character actors. He also left two major projects incomplete, with major question marks hanging over both, including the blockbuster franchise “The Hunger Games.”
Project: Film “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2”
Status: Incomplete. Hoffman had one week of shooting left to go in the fourth film of the lucrative franchise produced by the Lionsgate film studio. His character, Plutarch Heavensbee, who becomes increasingly important as the story progresses, was central to a plot twist at the end of last fall’s “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” which was the biggest box office hit of 2013.
Resolution: Unknown. Since Hoffman had so little shooting time left, it’s conceivable that the film could be reworked around his absence. Lionsgate didn’t confirm that but did seem to be hinting at that outcome when it announced after Hoffman’s death that the movie will be released on schedule on Nov. 20, 2015.
Another, much less desirable and more expensive, possibility is that his scenes will have to be reshot with another actor filling in as Plutarch — the way Michael Gambon stepped in to play Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies after Richard Harris died after having completed playing the role in the second film in the series.
Project: TV series “Happyish”
Status: Incomplete. Hoffman was the central character in this Showtime comedy series about an advertising executive. He had shot the pilot, which was previewed with a clip at the Television Critics Association press tour last month.
Resolution: Showtime wouldn’t comment, but the series, which was cast specifically with Hoffman in mind as the star, seems virtually certain to be canceled. Since it was too early in the production process to air any of Hoffman’s work, it would have to be recast and go back to square one.
Project: Film “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1”
Status: Complete. There is still some production left on the third “Hunger Games” film, which is shooting concurrently with the fourth installment, but Hoffman had finished his work on it.
Resolution: Will be released on schedule on Nov. 21.
Project: Film “God’s Pocket”
Status: Complete. This black comedy directed by “Mad Men” star John Slattery was picked up by IFC Films after it drew mixed to negative reviews at Sundance. It stars Hoffman in a typically anguished performance as a working-class Philadelphia man with a wayward wife (Christina Hendricks) and a son who dies under mysterious circumstances at a construction site.
Resolution: IFC has not yet set a release date for the film.
Project: Film “A Most Wanted Man”
Status: Complete. Hoffman plays a German spy in another Sundance 2014 debut. This low-key adaptation of a John le Carré novel directed by Anton Corbijn (“The American”) drew so-so reviews from fest viewers who labeled it restrained to a fault.
Resolution: Distributor Roadside Attractions has not yet set a release date for the film.