The dystopia of Panem, the setting of The Hunger Games, compelled tributes between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in yearly fights to the death. Under President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) totalitarian watch, two contestants from each of the nation’s 12 districts would face off in a live broadcast for the rich residents of the Capitol. The rationale? To maintain harmony among the districts and avoid another civil war. The franchise centers on District 12 tribute Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who volunteers to participate in the games in lieu of her younger sister and ultimately sparks an uprising.

The Hunger Games, based on the best-selling book by Suzanne Collins, surpassed the opening-weekend sums for the first Harry Potter and Twilight films, raking in a whopping $152 million domestically (per Box Office Mojo) when it debuted in March 2012. Besides lead actress Jennifer Lawrence and the amazingly talented Donald Sutherland, The Hunger Games also stars a huge cast of epic talent. Most notably, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, and Stanley Tucci, make appearances in the film series. The sucessus of the first film led to more movies based on Collins books which resulted in 2013′ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, 2014’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, and 2015’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. The franchise was a powerhouse of the YA genre.

Updated November 9, 2023 by Yosra Ben lagha: In honor of the Hunger Games’ prequel that’s just around the corner, this article has been updated as a reminder of why this franchise is simply a treat for Teen/ YA movie lovers.

Yet by the time the series concluded in 2015, there was a major box office downward spiral where the later two films failed to reach the height of Catching Fire. This combined with the already concluded Harry Potter and Twilight series as well as many failed YA adaptations seemed to signal the end of the genre. Yet the future for the genre might be getting a second chance at life as the prequel film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is about to hit theaters. The response to this prequel will be the simplest way to determine the franchise’s weight and will be another testament to its value as a YA leading masterpiece.

The Franchises That Tried, But Failed
Lionsgate Films

As studios scrambled to discover the next YA behemoth, the success of the first Hunger Games movie in 2012 spurred a wave of comparable projects. Ender’s Game, The Maze Runner, The Giver, The Host, Beautiful Creatures, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, and Divergent were just a few of the many teen-focused sci-fi/fantasy movies that poured into theaters in 2013 and 2014. The Wrap reported in 2015 that Craig Dehmel, Fox’s former president of international distribution, said, “For years, everyone tried to have the next Harry Potter, and no one managed to do so, but that didn’t stop companies from trying.”

Many of these movies did not do that badly at the box office, but they just didn’t have the power to touch The Hunger Games’ success. Filmmakers thought they had the perfect formula for YA films: a dystopian landscape, turmoil from the government/other leaders, a love triangle fit for the ages, and a nicely wrapped-up storyline, but this was not all that was needed. The films had to have more to make them unique and many failed to connect with their target audiences. By 2016, audiences were seeing the death of young-adult dystopian movies. Soon the box office was dominated by superhero movies, legacy sequels, and live-action remakes of Dinsey classics.

No film series or franchise has since been able to touch the success of Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games. Because it was the last to release a movie in this category, The Hunger Games is truly the last great YA film franchise in existence, while franchises like Divergent failed to finish their story while The Maze Runner came and went with little fanfare.

Related: Hunger Games: An Overview of the Movies in Order

Does The Hunger Games Reign Supreme?
Lionsgate

In the late-2000s, when these YA films were being released, the world was in a much different place. Society was struggling in ways it hadn’t before, and being a teenager was completely different than in past generations. When reflecting on the franchise’s success, the director of The Hunger Games Gary Ross stated in an interview that from “climate change to authoritarianism, their generation feels a real sense of dread and jeopardy,” going on to emphasize, “I think one reason this franchise was so successful is that this generation feels they are fighting for their survival all the time.”

One of the hooks that the audience so willingly bites is the sheer realism of the bleak world-building and the carefully crafted depiction of a threatening system of oppression present in the movie series. This honest, bleak, and brooding representation seems to speak volumes to this generation’s deep concerns and anxieties. The power struggle between the Capitol and the Districts mimics many power struggles between this generation and every institution or political practice that might threaten its existence or freedom.

There was also a level of fantasy to Hunger Games that, by 2016 felt all to real. The world of overtly evil authoritarian leadership seemed like the stuff of fantasy and children’s stories where young children like Katniss Everdeen could make a difference and inspire the world. But following the 2016 United States election, young people all over the world found themselves battling real battles with governments looking to deport millions, strip away voting rights, and limit healthcare to women. The fight that was the stuff of science fiction movies years prior had now become reality, and audiences wanted escapism from that fact.

Yet this let Hunger Games stick around in the public consciousness. Much like Katniss Everdeen was a symbol within the world of the story, in the real world of the reader, she and many other symbols of WYA fiction became avatars and inspirational icons for a generation fighting for their rights. This made Hunger Games a timeless classic and one that many people revisited for years and is now primed for a grand return.

The Hunger Games Lives On
Lionsgate

The Hunger Games has established itself as one of the leading YA series, and it doesn’t seem to be giving up that title anytime soon. The upcoming prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, also by Suzanne Collins, was a 2020 addition to the book series. The story focuses on young Coriolanus Snow, the future president of Panem, as he mentors Lucy Gray Baird to perform in the 10th annual Hunger Games, as he falls in love with her, and as he crosses the line between good and evil to become the President Snow that we know from the trilogy.

Actors Viola Davis, Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, and Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage are cast in the highly anticipated prequel. Lionsgate has given the film a November 17, 2023 release date, giving it the prized third weekend of November, right before Thanksgiving weekend, that Catching Fire and both Mockingjay installments dominated. In the eight years since the last Hunger Games movies, audiences have grown nostalgic for the brand.

Related: The Hunger Games Franchise, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes

The new prequel has many challenges on its path, including being the very first film installment in the franchise without its beloved cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. Although it’s too early to jump to conclusions, the rising anticipation of its fans could make it one of the biggest hits for the fall and holiday season.

While superhero movies have struggled in recent years, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes might kick off a new era of YA material. It is already confirmed that a Harry Potter series is in development at Max, Percy Jackson will premiere on Disney+ one month after The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes, and even Twilight might be getting a reboot. 20, indicate that this movie will be just as successful as its predecessors. The Hunger Games might have been the last great YA series, and also the start of a new YA era.