Commenter "Sloper": Book & film remind me very much of a late 60s film by British director Peter Watkins, The Peace Game, as it was called in the US (The Gladiators, as it was known abroad). Another film by Watkins, Punishment Park (early 70s), also bears strong similarities to Hunger Games.

"...maybe David is party to a formula for popularity, despite the fact that no art of any real value, including all Hollywood films of the past 30 years, has ever been made by pursuing one. Good artists do what they believe in and don't merely court public approval. In these respects they are the opposite of politicians. Zing!"

A new model will be required for Silicon Valley to kill Hollywood- a recognition that quality content is valuable, not just popular content.

why don't studios reach the masses digitally? when is someone going to disrupt the movie-going experience?

Great piece by David Bordwell on distribution formats around the world.