The British Board of Film Classification has order seven seconds be cut from the upcoming The Hunger Games in order for it to receive a 12A rating. The 12A rating is similar to the PG-13 rating here in the United States.
If Lionsgate had refused to make the trims, they would have been forced to release the film with a 15 rating, meaning that no one under the age of 15 would be admitted to the theater, which would definitely cut into the film’s strongly teen audience.
The requested trims were from four violent scenes and one scene that showed gory details of an injury.
The BBFC has long been stricter in its ratings of violent content in films than it has been with sexual content. Even films like Star Wars: Episode 2 – Attack Of The Clones had to trim one shot of a head butt in the fight between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett in order to secure a 12A rating.
The Hunger Games will go with the rating and the notice “Contains intense threat, moderate violence and occasional gory moments.” The film’s PG-13 rating will be accompanied with the explanation “intense violent thematic material and disturbing images – all involving teens.”
