The Hunger Games
Cast member Liam Hemsworth poses with actress Miley Cyrus at the premiere of "The Hunger Games" at Nokia theatre in Los Angeles. Reuters

"The Hunger Games, starring Jennifer Lawrence, Lenny Kravitz, Liam Hemsworth and Elizabeth Banks, is expected to release in the UK on 23 March.

However, the film, which originally faced a censor certificate of "15 Years or Older", has now been cut, in order to get a "12A" rating in the UK.

According to a report in NME, a report from the British Board of Film Classification states the sci-fi adventure had seen seven seconds of footage cut, in order to comply with viewing restrictions for the more lucrative younger age bracket.

Among the cuts, a number were made in one scene alone - to reduce emphasis on blood and injury. These cuts were made in addition to reductions already made following earlier "advisory" viewings of an incomplete version.

According to the Telegraph, "The Hunger Games" is set to be the next huge franchise of films for teenage films stars. The project's target audience is in just that category. Therefore, a "15" certificate would have seriously affected box office rating.

Finally, the BBC reports: "in the US, 'The Hunger Games' was rated PG-13 for "intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens".

The film features a post-apocalyptic era where adults fight to death on live television...