Jennifer Lawrence's 'Catching Fire' Pay Bump Ruffling Feathers

The cast of 2013's "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" etches further and further into stone by the week lately, but star Jennifer Lawrence might've accidentally sewn some discord.

The face of heroine Katniss Everdeen has reaped the perks of her 2012 "The Hunger Games" turn's breakout acclaim, to the extent of a reported $10-million salary to return for the sequel next year. That genie being out of the bottle, Lawrence's reward for a well-done performance may urge co-stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth into the bargaining-table queue, RadarOnline.com reports.

Since Lawrence's raise is quite the monumental leap from the $500,000 she earned for "The Hunger Games," the pair are reportedly threatening to leave Lionsgate high and dry if no one's willing to loosen the purse strings.

"They're not demanding as much as Jennifer, they're aware she plays a bigger role in the films, but they want a little more than the $2 million they were each offered," a source told Radar. "With the success of the first movie, they feel that $5 million is a more suitable fee and are haggling with the studio before dotting the i's and crossing the t's on their deals. And they have even said they may not return for the sequel, which they hope will be a bargaining chip for a bigger pay packet."

In all fairness, neither should sell themselves short. They're bringing to flesh-and-blood life Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne, a couple integral cogs in the story, and if I may admit so, each thespian's stock and visibility rose appropriately for the fine turns each delivered in "The Hunger Games" this year. It's not a great stretch saying both have become as identifiable parts of the franchise even at this early juncture as Rupert Grint and Emma Watson became to Warner's "Harry Potter" set. To lose either with two out of three tales yet to tell? Well, let's just say that recasting a couple stars fans love would hurt Lionsgate more than it would young, potential-rich Hemsworth and Hutcherson.

For specificity's sake, Lawrence's $10-million figure includes salary, bonuses and escalators, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lawrence took home bonuses from the $683.8 million that "The Hunger Games" earned earlier this year atop her $500,000 salary.

Calling Hutcherson and Hemsworth's bluffs right now wouldn't necessarily be prudent: shooting is set to begin in Atlanta in September, then shift to Hawaii in November. From there, it's T-minus 12 months until "Catching Fire" hits theaters Nov. 22, 2013.