Do you remember when everyone was into archery and Survivor games? It was the year we heard the phrase “I volunteer” everywhere — the start of a massive franchise that launched the career of a young actress, Jennifer Lawrence, to Hollywood stardom.
Based on the trilogy novels by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is set in Panem (once North America), a nation comprising the Capital (the center of power) and the twelve districts that bow down to the former. After the districts’ rebellion, the annual Hunger Games was established to keep them in line: a televised survival competition where only one lives and wins fame and wealth. In the game, two representatives are randomly selected from each district through a lottery, a boy and a girl between 12 and 18 years old.
The story follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), an ordinary teenager from District 12 with a deep love for her family. After her sister, Prim, was selected as the Hunger Games representative, she volunteered to take her place. From here, the trilogy begins.
1. The Hunger Games (2012)
Director: Gary Ross
Release Date: March 12, 2012
When Prim is randomly chosen to play in the 74th annual Hunger Games, Katniss has no choice but to volunteer to take her little sister’s place. Katniss represents District 12 with the baker’s son, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). They must defeat all the other tributes, and even each other, to survive.
Katniss and Peeta aim to impress those watching the Games for support and aid. Before being thrown inside the arena, they gained some new skills during a short bootcamp, which explains how Peeta learned to paint his life-saving camouflage.
Deep-Dive Into the Plot
Katniss and Peeta come from an underdog district, unlike the District 1 and 2 representatives who trained and volunteered because they wanted to play. Without extensive training, the two had to be resourceful. Katniss is a good archer who regularly hunts for food in the forest, while Peeta is unbelievably strong from carrying sacks of flour daily.
To win the support of the audience, Katniss and Peeta started an on-screen (and even off-screen) romance. They received aid in the form of food and medicine, which helped them survive. The game ends with both of them as victors after successfully charming the audience.
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release Date: November 22, 2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) continues the story of Katniss and Peeta after they win the survival show. Instead of keeping the districts in line, the game sparked rebellion all over Panem. To tighten the leash the Capitol has on the districts, the 75th Hunger Games was held, but with a twist: only the existing pool of victors will be eligible to join.
In the game, Katniss and Peeta meet victors from other districts, each struggling with issues after their victories. They gain unexpected allies from other districts, some of whom seem impractical for a survival game (though not to Katniss). The game ends with a rescue from an unknown and surprisingly strong ally.
Deep-Dive Into the Plot
After sneakily pulling off the Romeo and Juliet act so that both Katniss and Peeta survive and are announced as winners, they go on a victor’s tour across Panem. But instead of stopping the rising rebellion, the tour intensifies it.
Shortly after, the 75th Hunger Games is announced with a frustrating new rule: Since it’s the Quarter Quell (which happens every 25 years), President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the Capitol choose the representatives from the victors of each district.
The game is designed to remove Katniss from the equation to extinguish the hope she brings and finally stop the rebellion. When everything seems hopeless, Katniss and her allies are rescued by District 13, which was believed to be destroyed.
3. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release Date: November 19, 2014
The last book of the Hunger Games trilogy is divided into two parts. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 follows Katniss after District 13 disrupts the game and rescues her from the arena. After discovering that Peeta was not rescued with her, Katniss joins the fight against the Capitol. District 13’s President Coin (Julianne Moore) leads the rebellion along with the dissatisfied and oppressed citizens of Panem.
After pretending to be destroyed for years, District 13 strengthened its military power to fight back against the Capitol. With small rebellions starting all over Panem after Katniss and Peeta’s victory, President Coin sees it as the perfect opportunity to reveal herself and finally defeat President Snow and his tyranny.
Deep-Dive Into the Plot
In Mockingjay Part 1, Katniss wears her gear and holds her bow and arrow, which becomes the symbol of the rebellion. With all the trauma catching up to her, she struggles to be the brave and bold icon people expect. Her mind is in shambles and her worries are endless, especially with Peeta still in the clutches of President Snow and the Capitol.
While Katniss tries to grasp her current reality, Peeta is continuously tortured by the Capitol. They inject him with tracker jacker poison to weaken his mind and brainwash him, aiming to use him against Katniss as a bargaining chip. With Gale (Liam Hemsworth) by her side along with other rebels, Katniss plans to save Peeta at any cost.
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release Date: November 18, 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 marks the end of Katniss Everdeen’s story as covered by the original trilogy. The movie follows the second half of the third book, where District 13 battles the Capitol to end it all. Katniss makes a surprising move, eliminating President Coin to finally put a stop to everything.
The movie ends with Commander Paylor (Patina Miller) as the new President of Panem. Everyone in the nation begins to find a semblance of a normal life as they recover from the trauma. After some time, Katniss and Peeta bond with their two children as they talk about their experiences in the nightmarish games.
Deep-Dive Into the Plot
In the last installment of the original Hunger Games franchise, the rebellion finally reaches the Capitol, which has become a maze filled with monsters. Despite being unstable from all the brainwashing, Peeta is thrown into the warzone by Coin. Together, the band of rebels fights and destroys the Capitol.
President Coin pressures Katniss and Gale to end President Snow. Katniss realizes that Coin is just another President Snow-in-the-making who uses people to her advantage. She puts a stop to all sprouts of evil by ending President Coin, giving Panem a fresh new start.
5. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release Date: November 17, 2023
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the much-anticipated prequel of the popular franchise. The movie follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blythe), a promising man from a prestigious family, willing to do whatever it takes to restore its glory.
Coriolanus is tasked to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from District 12 chosen to compete in the 10th Hunger Games. It’s up to Coriolanus to help Lucy Gray survive and prove himself as a formidable figure in the Capitol.
Deep-Dive Into the Plot
In this prequel film, Coriolanus is shown in a different light, struggling to rise in the ranks. His ticket to power is Lucy Gray Baird, and the movie presents a more sympathetic view of the formidable future Snow.
While President Snow in the Hunger Games franchise is depicted as an all-powerful man with a wicked mind, the prequel provides a sneak peek into how he became who he is. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes also offers insight into why Snow treats Katniss the way he does in the future.