The Battle For The Golden Popcorn Begins! It's Katniss vs. Comedians As The Hunger Games And Bridesmaids Dominate Nominations For The "2012 MTV Movie Awards"

Winner Voting For 12 Returning and All-New Categories Opens Today, May 1 at 8AM ET/5AM PT at MovieAwards.MTV.com

21st Annual "MTV Movie Awards" Will Air Live Sunday, June 3rd at 9 PM ET/PT on MTV from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, CA

NEW YORK, May 1, 2012 -- The nominees are in for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards," with The Hunger Games and Bridesmaids neck-in-neck with eight nominations each, including the categories "MOVIE OF THE YEAR," "BEST CAST" and "BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE." Fans will have the "Power of the Popcorn" in their hands as winner voting opens today, May 1 at 8AM ET/5AM PT, at MovieAwards.MTV.com and will stay open through Saturday, June 2nd. As in previous years, the category of "MOVIE OF THE YEAR" will remain an ongoing battle throughout the live show when the 21st annual "2012 MTV Movie Awards" airs live on Sunday, June 3rd at 9pm ET/PT on MTV from the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California.

The "2012 MTV Movie Awards" will put the spotlight on one of the most diverse roster of nominated films in years for the show. Featuring a broad array of movies that resonated with our audience this year, the nominations include both blockbusters and critically acclaimed films such as "Drive," "Like Crazy," "The Descendants," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," and "My Week with Marilyn." This year's telecast will also be a theatrical throwdown between two funny ladies and an action star as Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Jennifer Lawrence all received four nominations each, the most for all female actors nominated. Emma Stone, Emma Watson and Rooney Mara are close on their heels, with three nods each and are in a dead heat in categories like "BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE." The heat is on for the men too with Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill and Josh Hutcherson receiving four nominations and facing off in categories like "BEST MALE PERFORMANCE," "BEST KISS" and "BEST FIGHT."

Nominees for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards" have the following to say about their nominations:

"'21 Jump Street' is amazing and the 'Movie Awards.' It's so great to be nominated for anything positive. You don't want to be nominated for 'Best Criminal Activity.'" -Redfoo of LMFAO, nominated in the "BEST MUSIC" category for "Party Rock Anthem" within the 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) house party dance scene

"Does this mean I get to be in a music video?!" - Shailene Woodley, nominated in the "BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE" category for the feature film The Descendants (Fox Searchlight)

Nominees for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards" are as follows (*denotes new category/**voted on by an Academy of Directors):

MOVIE OF THE YEAR (voting stays live throughout the 2012 Movie Awards ceremony)

Bridesmaids Director: Paul Feig, Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend (Universal Pictures)

The Hunger Games Director: Gary Ross, Producers: Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik (Lionsgate)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Director: David Yates, Producers: David Heyman, David Barron, J.K. Rowling (Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Help Director: Tate Taylor, Producers: Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, Brunson Green (DreamWorks)

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Director: Bill Condon, Producers: Karen Rosenfelt, Wyck Godfrey, Stephenie Meyer (Summit Entertainment)

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE

Emma Stone - Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Emma Watson - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jennifer Lawrence - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)

Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE

Channing Tatum - The Vow (Sony Pictures)

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50 (Summit Entertainment)

Josh Hutcherson - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Ryan Gosling - Drive (FilmDistrict)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE**

Elle Fanning - Super 8 (Paramount Pictures)

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)

Liam Hemsworth - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)

Shailene Woodley - The Descendants (Fox Searchlight)

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE

Jonah Hill - 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)

Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)

Oliver Cooper - Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Zach Galifianakis - The Hangover Part II (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST CAST*

21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) - Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Ellie Kemper, Brie Larson

Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures) - Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures) - Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton

The Help (DreamWorks) - Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jessica Chastain

The Hunger Games (Lionsgate) - Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Lenny Kravitz

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION*

Collin Farrell - Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Elizabeth Banks - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Johnny Depp - 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)

Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn (The Weinstein Company)

Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)

BEST FIGHT

Channing Tatum & Jonah Hill vs. Kid Gang - 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures)

Daniel Radcliffe vs. Ralph Fiennes - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Tom Cruise vs. Michael Nyqvist - Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures)

Tom Hardy vs. Joel Edgerton - Warrior (Lionsgate)

BEST KISS

Channing Tatum & Rachel McAdams - The Vow (Sony Pictures)

Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson - The Hunger Games (Lionsgate)

Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart - The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (Summit Entertainment)

Rupert Grint & Emma Watson - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone - Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE*

21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) - Jonah Hill & Rob Riggle Schmidt shoots Coach Walters in the d#@k

Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures) - Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper Food poisoning turns the girls' dress fitting into a disaster

Drive (FilmDistrict) - Ryan Gosling Elevator beat-down

The Help (DreamWorks) - Bryce Dallas Howard Minny gives Hilly a pie she won't forget

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures) - Tom Cruise Ethan Hunt scales to new heights

BEST ON-SCREEN DIRTBAG*

Bryce Dallas Howard - The Help (DreamWorks)

Collin Farrell - Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jennifer Aniston - Horrible Bosses (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Jon Hamm - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)

Oliver Cooper - Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures)

BEST MUSIC*

"The Devil is in the Details," Chemical Brothers - Hanna (Focus Features) Interrogation scene

"Impossible," Figurine - Like Crazy (Paramount Vantage) Anna texts Jacob from across the pond

"Party Rock Anthem," LMFAO - 21 Jump Street (Sony Pictures) House dance party

"Pursuit of Happiness," Kid Cudi (Steve Aoki Remix) - Project X (Warner Bros. Pictures) The party erupts into chaos

"A Real Hero," College w/Electric Youth - Drive (FilmDistrict) The Driver takes Irene and her son for a fun ride

2012 MTV Movie Awards: Total Number of Combined Category Nominations

Bridesmaids 8
The Hunger Games 8
21 Jump Street 6
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 6
The Help 4
Drive 3
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 3
Horrible Bosses 3
Project X 3
Crazy, Stupid, Love. 2
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol 2
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 2
The Vow 2
50/50 1
The Descendants 1
The Hangover Part II 1
Hanna 1
Like Crazy 1
My Week with Marilyn 1
Super 8 1
Warrior 1

2012 MTV Movie Awards: Total Number of Combined Studio Nominations Warner Bros. Pictures 15
Sony Pictures 11
Lionsgate 9
Universal Pictures 8
DreamWorks 4
Paramount Pictures/Paramount Vangtage 4
FilmDistrict 3
Summit Entertainment 3
Focus Features 1
Fox Searchlight 1
The Weinstein Company 1

Chart-topping indie-pop group fun. is the first musical performance announced for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards." fun.'s debut single "We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monae)" off their latest album "Some Nights" held strong at the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six consecutive weeks.

The "2012 MTV Movie Awards" nominees were elected by a special voting Academy, including members of the MTV audience. In addition, the winner of "Breakthrough Performance" will be decided on solely by a special Academy of Directors who will lend their expertise for spotting and developing new talent.

Known as one of the most outrageous and distinctive televised award shows, the "2012 MTV Movie Awards" will feature its trademark individuality and irreverence. Fusing the network's musical core with the wonder and amazement of the comedy, drama, adventure and mystery inherent to the movie-going experience, the telecast is set to provide more laughs, surprises and one-of-a-kind moments with Hollywood's biggest stars gathering to honor fan-favorites from the past year.

MovieAwards.MTV.com is the official site for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards" where fans can visit to vote and get up-to-date info on this year's show, watch video of last year's biggest occurrences, get the full list of 2011 show winners, and check out fashion and celebrity commentary from the red carpet. Fans will get to vote in 12 categories, including the all-new ones "BEST MUSIC," "BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION," "BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE," "BEST CAST," and "BEST ON-SCREEN DIRTBAG."

The "2012 MTV Movie Awards" will air across MTV's global network of more than 60 channels reaching more than 600 million households around the world as well as through syndication. In addition, its convergent programming and content will reach the entire interactive community, via MTV's more than 200 digital media properties around the world.

Jesse Ignjatovic/Den of Thieves serves as Executive Producer for the "2012 MTV Movie Awards." Garrett English serves as Executive Producer and Executive In Charge for MTV. Amy Doyle is Executive in Charge of Music and Celebrity Talent. Joanna Bomberg is Executive in Charge of Music Talent. Wendy Plaut serves as Co-Executive Producer and Executive in Charge of Celebrity Talent. Lee Lodge serves as co-Executive Producer.

Official sponsors of the 2012 MTV Movie Awards include Bing, Chevrolet(R), Sprint(R), State Farm(R) and Taco Bell(R).

About MTV:

MTV is the world's premier youth entertainment brand. With a global reach of more than a half-billion households, MTV is the cultural home of the millennial generation, music fans and artists, and a pioneer in creating innovative programming for young people. MTV reflects and creates pop culture with its Emmy(R), Grammy(R) and Peabody(R) award-winning content built around compelling storytelling, music discovery and activism across TV, online and mobile. MTV's sibling networks MTV2 and mtvU each deliver unparalleled customized content for young males, music fans and college students, and its online hub MTV.com is a leading destination for music, news and pop culture. MTV, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

About Den of Thieves:

Founded in 2007 by Jesse Ignjatovic and Evan Prager, Den of Thieves has quickly emerged as a force for ambitious event shows and uniquely stylized reality television series. Using their extensive experience working with talent, Ignjatovic and Prager launched Den of Thieves as the TV arm of the Warner Music Group in 2007. After a successful three year partnership, they branched out and are now fully independent. Den of Thieves continues to create, develop and produce original television.