'Hunger Games' actors coming to Aurora's Fox Valley mall

The “Harry Potter” series has finished after a decade.

And soon, the “Twilight” movies will end.

So what's a fantasy fan to do?

Gear up for “The Hunger Games,” of course. The trilogy — which like the “Harry Potter” and “Twilight” novels is also based on young adult literature — will appear on the big screen starting with the March 23 release of the first film.

And to get fans revved up, the stars will embark on a national tour that includes a stop at 6:15 p.m. March 7 at Westfield Fox Valley mall in Aurora. Book buffs can visit with Josh Hutcherson, who plays the lead male role of Peeta; Isabelle Fuhrman, who portrays Clove; and Jacqueline Emerson, who will appear as Foxface.

“It's really neat to be able to provide a really meaningful experience for die-hard fans that they are going to remember for the rest of their lives,” said Lisa DeVries, Westfield Fox Valley spokeswoman. “People have so much love for these characters. And the themes of the book are so universal, like the plight of survival and fighting against the odds.”

The books and film are based in the post-apocolyptic nation of Panem, in the ruins of what was once North America. Each year, the evil Capitol forces each of its 12 districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games.

A punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, the games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Pitted against highly trained Tributes, who have prepared for these games their entire lives, protagonist Katniss must rely upon her instincts and the guidance of a drunken former victor. If she's ever to return home, Katniss must make impossible choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The second and third book in the series are “Catching Fire,” which already is slated to come to the big screen in 2013, and “Mockingjay.”

Fans will have a chance to ask questions of the cast members and participate in giveaways, such as a chance to win a limited-edition Hunger Games HP Folio PC from the Microsoft Store or additional Hunger Games gear.