Hoffman could be digitised to complete Hunger Games

This image released by Lionsgate shows Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee, left, and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy in a scene from "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." (AP Photo/LionsShow more

Philip Seymour Hoffman did not finish filming the last two installments in the blockbuster Hunger Games series before his death - but digital technology may help filmmakers complete the job.

Computer effects and camera tricks could be used to insert Hoffman, who died of an apparent heroin overdose, into at least one as-yet-unfilmed scene, according to one movie executive.

Studio Lionsgate said shortly after the Oscar-winning actor died at the weekend that the tragedy would not disrupt production of Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 which is due for release in November this year, and Part 2 due in theatres in November 2015.

Hoffman had completed his work for Part 1, and had seven days of filming left for the final film, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The industry journal cited an unnamed executive as saying that there was one major scene featuring Hoffman in Part 2 which had not yet been shot, and that filmmakers were confident they could work around it.

“They seem to have plans that don’t seem very complicated” to complete both pictures without Hoffman, the Lionsgate executive said, adding: “You can do digital things, you can have conversations where you’re not focusing on him but the people he’s talking to.”

Rob Legato, a veteran effects supervisor not working on the Hunger Games films, told the Hollywood Reporter: "These days the technology of using someone's likeness is a whole lot easier to do.

"I won't say you could generate a Philip Seymour Hoffman with all the acting ability, but you could certainly replicate him for a shot or two," said Legato, who worked on Martin Scorsese's latest movie, The Wolf of Wall Street.

A spokesman for Lionsgate, based in Santa Monica, California, declined to comment Friday when asked by AFP about the reports.

* AFP