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‘The Hunger Games’ Prequel Is in the Works

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By Alexandra Alter

• June 17, 2019

Four years ago, the author Suzanne Collins wrote an emotional letter to mark the conclusion of her blockbuster “Hunger Games” trilogy.

“Having spent the last decade in Panem, it’s time to move on to other lands,” she wrote of leaving behind her fictional world , as the final film was released.

But now, Collins has decided to return to the story that made her one of the world’s most successful children’s book authors, with a prequel that takes place in Panem 64 years before the events of “The Hunger Games.”

The novel, as yet untitled, is due to come out in May 2020, according to a news release from Collins’s publisher, Scholastic.

“With this book, I wanted to explore the state of nature, who we are, and what we perceive is required for our survival,” Collins said in a statement. “The reconstruction period 10 years after the war, commonly referred to as the Dark Days — as the country of Panem struggles back to its feet — provides fertile ground for characters to grapple with these questions and thereby define their views of humanity.”

With a prequel, Collins will revive one of the most successful fantasy franchises of the past several decades.

Set in a fictional dystopian world where children from competing districts are forced to fight in a televised, reality show-like competition, “The Hunger Games” was a groundbreaking novel that redefined the boundaries of young adult fiction. Its gritty, violent story featured a resilient young protagonist, the bow-and-arrow-slinging heroine Katniss Everdeen. In the wake of best-selling Y.A. fantasy series like “Twilight” and “Harry Potter,” Collins’s series ushered in a new wave of dark dystopian and post-apocalyptic children’s books.

[ Read our review of “The Hunger Games.” ]

When “The Hunger Games” was released, in 2008, it became an instant best seller. Two more books followed, and the trilogy was translated into 54 languages, with more than 100 million copies in print, and remained on The New York Times best-seller list for more than five consecutive years. Film adaptations, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, earned nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. (Lionsgate is in talks with Collins about adapting the prequel novel into a film as well, according to a statement from a Lionsgate executive.)

Collins has said she got the idea for the series when flipping channels between reality TV programs and a news segment about the conflict in Iraq. The jarring contrast gave her the idea for a world where an orchestrated battle to the death was televised for entertainment as a way to appease and oppress the masses. Collins was also influenced by her father’s military service in Vietnam and wanted to introduce young readers to “just war theory” by describing a government that was so oppressive that armed revolution would be the only recourse.

Collins has stayed relatively under the radar since the conclusion of “The Hunger Games” trilogy. Her most recent book, “Year of the Jungle,” an autobiographical picture book about a young girl whose father goes off to fight in the Vietnam War, was a dramatic departure.

It’s unclear whether a prequel without the same beloved characters will hold as much appeal as the earlier books. A decade is an eternity in pop culture, and many fans of the original series may have aged out or moved on to other fandoms. But other authors have successfully managed to extend their franchises while leaving their most famous characters behind, most famously J.K. Rowling, who has extended the universe of “Harry Potter” with spinoffs set in the same world.

Still, even if only a fraction of “Hunger Games” fans pick up the prequel, it will likely still be a massive hit, and Scholastic is betting that readers will still flock to a story set in Panem.

“Suzanne Collins is a master at combining brilliant storytelling, superb world building, breathtaking suspense, and social commentary,” Ellie Berger, the president of Scholastic Trade, said in a statement. “We are absolutely thrilled — as both readers and publishers — to introduce the devoted fans of the series and a new audience to an entirely new perspective on this modern classic.”

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Suzanne Collins

The hunger games.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

#1 USA TODAY BESTSELLER

WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY'S BEST BOOKS OF 2008: CHILDREN'S FICTION

NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK OF 2008

AN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TOP TEN BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS SELECTION

AN ALA NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK

2009 ALA AMELIA BLOOMER PROJECT LIST

#1 ON WINTER '08/'09 CHILDREN'S INDIE NEXT LIST

INDIES CHOICE--BEST INDIE YOUNG ADULT BUZZ BOOK HONOR

2008 CYBIL AWARD--FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION

2009 CHILDREN'S CHOICE BOOK AWARD TEEN CHOICE BOOK OF THE YEAR FINALIST

YALSA'S TEENS' TOP TEN, 2009

NYPL "STUFF FOR THE TEEN AGE" LIST, 2009

CCBC CHOICES 2009

A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE

A KIRKUS BEST BOOK OF 2008

A HORN BOOK FANFARE

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOKS Of 2008

A BOOKLIST EDITORS' CHOICE, 2008

LA TIMES FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS, 2008

BARNES & NOBLE BEST BOOKS OF 2008 FOR TEENS AND KIDS

BORDERS BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TEENS

AMAZON BEST BOOKS OF 2008: TOP 100 EDITORS' PICK TOP 10 BOOKS: TEENS

"What happens if we choose entertainment over humanity? In Collins's world, we'll be obsessed with grooming, we'll talk funny, and all our sentences will end with the same rise as questions. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. "They're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet," she thinks. In order not to hate these creatures who are sending her to her death, she imagines them as pets. It isn't just the contestants who risk the loss of their humanity. It is all who watch."

- -Publishers Weekly, Megan Whalen Turner , STARRED REVIEW

"...brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced...a futuristic novel every bit as good and as allegorically rich as Scott Westerfeld's 'Uglies' books."

--The New York Times, John Green

"[The Hunger Games] is a violent, jarring, speed-rap of a novel that generates nearly constant suspense...I couldn't stop reading it." 

--Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly Review

"...enthralling, imaginative and creepy..."

--Los Angeles Times

"Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator."

--School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

"[A] plot-driven blend of suspense, science fiction, and romance."

--USA Today

"The plot is front and center here—the twists and turns are addictive, particularly when the romantic subplot ups the ante—yet the Capitol's oppression and exploitation of the districts always simmers just below the surface, waiting to be more fully explored in future volumes. Collins has written a compulsively readable blend of science fiction, survival story, unlikely romance, and social commentary."

--Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

"Populated by three dimensional characters, this is a superb tale of physical adventure, political suspense, and romance."

--Booklist , STARRED REVIEW

"I was so obsessed with this book that I had to take it with me out to dinner and hide it under the edge of the table so I wouldn't have to stop reading.  The story kept me up for several nights in a row, because even after I was finished, I just lay in bed wide awake thinking about it...The Hunger Games is amazing."

--Stephenie Meyer  

"[A] stylish postmodern 'Lost' in direct collision with 'Lord of the Flies.'"

--The Wall Street Journal, Katie Roiphe

"Themes of government control, "big brother," and personal independence are explored amidst a thrilling adventure that will appeal to science fiction, survival, and adventure readers. The suspense of this powerful novel will keep the reader glued to the page long after bedtime."

--VOYA, Deborah L. Dubois

"The Hunger Games is as close to perfect an adventure novel as I've ever read. I could not put it down. Collins has transformed the ancient Labyrinth myth into a terrifyingly believable tale of future America. Readers will be hungry for more."

 -- Rick Riordan

"Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting."

--Kirkus,  STARRED REVIEW

Books of Brilliance

The latest book reviews and book news, the hunger games: book review.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins book review

It was not that long ago when dystopian novels were being published at a unprecedented rate. That phase seems to have passed but the books that captured our hearts are here to stay and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is one of those novels.

The Hunger Games: Summary

In Panem (which is somewhere in the Rocky Areas in an unspecified time period), 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen watches as her younger sister Primrose is chosen to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games. These games are life-and-death situations for teenagers that are for entertainment purposes for the watching audience. But Katness is not going to let her sister risk her life in the games.

Katness volunteers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games. She isn’t the only one from District 12 participating in the games. Peeta Mellark is also selected for the games and in the press conference, he confesses his feelings for Katniss. Katniss has feelings for someone else but has to pretend to have feelings for Mellark to get the support of the watching audience.

In the actual games, Katniss has to face fellow citizens of Panem in a contained setting. Only one person can win the games but the rules are changed here and there to make things interesting. As Katniss tries to survive the games, she realizes that she and everyone else are pawns of the game’s owners and she fights back to their annoyance.

Will Katniss survive the games? Will she keep her sanity after all the horrific events she experiences? All Katniss knows is that she is going to make the owners of the Hunger Games pay.

I will admit it took me a while to read The Hunger Games. Part of that was the perceptions because I wasn’t too interested in a tournament of teenagers killing each other. But I eventually got around to reading it and I coundn’t put it done and I knew I had to finish the series!

Katniss is a great protagonist (more so in the first novel then the remaining two) and the drive that keeps her going makes the book a page turner. The plot works because of the human element that Collins makes sure to emphasize. Katniss and her opponents are teenagers that are thrown into the mouth of the lion for the entertainment of adults. And that is the norm in Panem.

Not many books can make you get behind a character yet this novel does it with ease. Yes, the enemies are hard to relate to and are pretty weak but Katniss and her drive make up for it. It’s a great read and had one of the better movie franchises to come out of the dystopian era .

The first novel and the series were an amazing read and I am glad I gave this novel a chance. Just because a novel is popular and has garnered a huge fandom doesn’t mean that the novel or the series won’t be good. I enjoyed the series a lot and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Young Adult novels or good writing.

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17 Sep The Hunger Games – Reviewed by Emma Ciliberti

Book review: the hunger games by suzanne collins.

The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, is an action-packed book that depicts the tribulations teenagers face. The narrative follows the experiences of Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old who finds herself in dire circumstances.

 Katniss is required to attend the Hunger Games alongside Peeta Mellark. Katniss did not have an established relationship with Peeta before the games, which made matters worse. The Capitol controls the summertime Hunger Games, which consists of 24 contestants entering and 1 contestant exiting. In order to win the games, you must outlast everyone else in the woods, becoming the sole survivor. Because she must leave her mother and sister Prim at home, Katniss must deal with the harsh reality that they may not be able to live without her. Additionally, Katniss believes she won’t prevail because she’s only sixteen and hasn’t had any training. However, there are eighteen-year-olds who have trained their entire lives participating. During the games, Katniss realizes she cannot stab Peeta in the back by killing him; then, she discovers that maybe she would not have to.

 I recommend reading The Hunger Games due to its inspiring heroine who changes the fate of Panem for the rest of eternity. Overall, The Hunger Games features amazing story twists and explores a wide range of emotions. If you enjoyed the first book, be sure to inquire about the sequel, Catching Fire.   

~Emma Ciliberti

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Book Review

The hunger games — “hunger games” series.

• Suzanne Collins
• Drama , Dystopian , Science Fiction

Readability Age Range

• Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.
• The New York TimesBestseller, 2009-10;Publishers WeeklyBest Book of the Year, 2008; American Library Association (ALA) Best Book for Young Adults, 2009

Year Published

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine . It is the first book in “The Hunger Games” series.

Plot Summary

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in the nation of Panem (a post-apocalyptic North America) with her mother and younger sister, Prim. Her family resides in District 12, the poorest of 12 districts ruled by the wealthy Capitol. Katniss provides for her mother and sister by hunting with her friend Gale in the forbidden woods nearby.

As punishment for the districts’ rebellion attempt years earlier, the Capitol holds an annual televised event called The Hunger Games. Each district must draw the names of a boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 youths become contestants (called “tributes”), who must fight to the death in a vast arena created by the Capitol Gamemakers. The lone survivor returns home to wealth and fame.

One year, on the day of “reaping,” Prim’s name is drawn. Katniss volunteers to take her sister’s place. The other tribute is Peeta Mellark, a baker’s son who once saved Katniss’ family from starvation by sneaking them bread. Guards put Katniss and Peeta on a train for the Capitol. Haymitch Abernathy, their trainer, accompanies them. He is the only District 12 tribute who has ever survived the Hunger Games.

The bored, wealthy people of the Capitol celebrate the Hunger Games with parties and parades. Capitol-appointed prep teams create an image for each tribute by providing costumes, makeovers and talking points. Tributes who impress the Capitol viewers win “sponsors” — or wealthy fans, who will fund gifts of food and equipment at critical points in the Games.

In his pre-Games TV interview, Peeta claims he’s secretly loved his District 12 counterpart for years. Since tributes are always on camera, Katniss can never ask Peeta if his declaration is true or a ploy to attract attention. She plays along, and they draw many sponsors with their ill-fated romance.

After Olympic-like opening ceremonies, the tributes are thrown into an arena with miles of forestland. Eleven tributes die the first day as the contestants fight for the few supplies the Capitol has provided. Katniss takes off alone, hiding and hunting for several days until a group of allied tributes traps her in a tree. There, she finds a young tribute named Rue, who reminds her of her sister. They drop a nest of mutated yellow jackets on their opponents and escape. Their alliance and friendship are short-lived. Another boy kills Rue with a spear a few days later.

Playing on the audience’s thirst for romance, the Gamemakers announce that if two members from the same district are the last two contestants, both may return home. Katniss finds Peeta and nurses the wounds he’s acquired in a battle with another tribute.

When only one contestant besides Katniss and Peeta remains, the Gamemakers release a pack of vicious dog-like creatures. The beasts slowly maul the other boy to death. Katniss and Peeta believe they’ve won the Games, but at the last moment, a voice announces that the previous rule change has been revoked. Only one contestant can win, meaning the District 12 tributes must fight each other to the death. Peeta and Katniss threaten to eat poisonous berries simultaneously. The Gamemakers, knowing a double suicide will be an unsatisfying conclusion for the audience, quickly uphold their earlier ruling.

Though both teens are allowed to return to home, Haymitch tells Katniss that the Capitol is furious with their attempt to throw the Games. So even as she rides the train to District 12, Katniss senses she is anything but safe. She also learns that Peeta’s love is real, but he’s crushed to hear that Katniss is uncertain of her feelings for him. She’s developed a deep fondness for Peeta, but she finds herself thinking more about Gale, a friend she used to illegally hunt with in the forest.

Christian Beliefs

Other belief systems.

A few times, Katniss mentions having good luck. Rue carries a good luck charm. Katniss says the woods where she hunts have been the savior of her and her family. She says her mother and sister can work magic with herbs (meaning that they’re good at making and administering medicines). Before becoming a tribute, Katniss devoted her Sundays to hunting and trading with Gale.

Authority Roles

Katniss’ father died in a mining accident several years earlier. She recalls his beautiful singing. Katniss’ mother subsequently suffered a mental breakdown, leaving Katniss to support the family. Though Mother eventually improves, she is never the same nor does she reclaim the roles of parent or provider. Peeta’s mother smacks him across the face for burning bread. Haymich, District 12’s sole Hunger Games winner in its 40+ year history, is Katniss and Peeta’s official adviser. Known throughout the nation for his embarrassing alcohol-induced TV appearances, he sobers up some to help them form a strategy. He sends them gifts on the battlefield when they follow his orders. The dictatorial leaders of the Capitol, as well as its self-absorbed citizens, dress strangely and eat lavishly. In their existential boredom, they seek extreme “entertainment,” which includes watching others suffer brutality and die gruesome deaths.

Profanity & Violence

The word h— appears once. In this tale of 24 teenagers forced to kill each other, readers follow a number of gruesome, bloody and otherwise disturbing scenes. One tribute murders another by snapping his neck. Other tributes are killed by spears, arrows, blows to the head with rocks and the stings of mutated yellow jackets. Wounds ooze blood and puss, and the wounded smell festering flesh. One of the final tributes is mauled by a pack of rabid dog-like creatures for hours before he dies. Katniss also mentions how, in previous games, tributes were killed by venomous snakes, went insane from thirst or froze to death. One previous contestant tried to eat the tributes he’d killed, but the Gamemakers stopped this because it didn’t play well with the audience. Leaders in the Capitol cut out the tongues of those who disobey them. Despite the many alarming images, readers find little if any gratuitous gore. The descriptions emphasize the horrible plight of the tributes and the gross desensitization of the Capitol dwellers.

Sexual Content

Katniss and Peeta kiss a number of times and snuggle together for warmth in a sleeping bag.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Like the Hunger Games tributes in the Capitol arena, many early Christians faced cruel deaths in the Roman Colosseum. Parents or teachers might study the persecution of early Christ followers and compare/contrast those believers with the Hunger Games contestants.

Mythology: The book’s plot was influenced by the Greek myth in which King Minos requires 7 boys and 7 girls from Athens to battle the Minotaur in a labyrinth.

Alcohol: Haymitch drinks constantly. He is often drunk and humiliating himself, like when he vomits all over the floor of the train en route to the Capitol. The prep team gives Katniss wine at a dinner, but after drinking half of one glass, she feels foggy and switches to water. She says she can’t understand how Haymitch can stand being in a fog all the time. Instead of observing Katniss and rating her pre-Games performance, the intoxicated Gamemakers ignore her and sing drinking songs.

Gambling: The Hunger Games are a hotbed of gambling, not unlike big sporting events of today.

Nudity: The prep team examines Katniss in the nude, and she’s often naked in their presence as they prepare her for TV appearances. The mentions of nudity, neither graphic nor sexual, emphasize how Katniss is viewed as an object to be modified rather than a human being.

Illegal activity: Katniss and Gale hunt illegally. They sell some of what they gather and/or kill on the city’s black market. Nearly all District 12 citizens rely on the black market for survival.

Movie Tie-In: Producers often use a book as a springboard for a movie idea or to earn a specific rating. Because of this, a movie may differ from the novel. To better understand how this book and the movie differ, compare this book review with Plugged In’s movie review for The Hunger Games.

Read Plugged In’s insight about young adult book trends at Teen Lit: Now Without Witches!

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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The Hunger Games

At–a–glance, what is it.

The award-winning and bestselling futuristic series for teen readers by Suzanne Collins

Who’s it for?

Readers ages 12 to adult

VISIT THE SITE

scholastic.com/hungergames Hunger Games on Facebook

Author Photos & Downloads

Click here for hi-res cover images, official Suzanne Collins author photos, and more.

Release Date

The Hunger Games was released in September 2008. Catching Fire, the second book of The Hunger Games series, was published September 1, 2009.  Mockingjay was released August 24, 2010, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was published May 19, 2020.

More Information

Tracy van Straaten [email protected]

The Hunger Games Illustrated Edition - Coming October 1, 2024

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

#1 USA Today Bestseller #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller

“A home run of a best seller by publishing’s standards.”

             - The New York Times

“The top [selling] book in the first half of 2020.”

             - Publishers Weekly

“It is a steep challenge to write a book whose hero is, everyone knows, destined to become deeply evil. Do we want to hear — now, after we know the endgame — that the young Voldemort was unfairly saddled with a demerit in class or that the adolescent Sauron fretted because he had to wear hand-me-down clothes? Yes, please.”

“[M]esmerizing…Collins once again proves that she is a master of building a fascinating world around complex characters.”

             - The Associated Press

“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes builds on the original series’ overt critique of violence and those who perpetuate it, again in terms that speak to a more mature audience than their young-adult marketing might suggest. For true fans of The Hunger Games, Collins shines most as she weaves in tantalizing details that lend depth to the gruesome world she created in the original series and Coriolanus’s place in its history.

             - TIME

“[B]y introducing a new cast of teenagers, Collins is able to raise questions about privilege, the uses of violence, and the futility of war. ”

             - PEOPLE

             - Kirkus Reviews,  starred review

“A gripping mix of whipsaw plot twists and propulsive writing make this story's complex issues—vulnerability and abuse, personal responsibility, and institutionalized power dynamics—vivid and personal.”

             - Publishers Weekly  

The Associated Press:  New ‘Hunger Games’ Book Sells More Than 500,000 Copies , May 27, 2020

Scholastic Releases New Interview with Suzanne Collins, Author of the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series , May 19, 2020

Scholastic Announces Tony Award-Winning Actor Santino Fontana as Narrator for Audio Edition of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins , April 8, 2020

Scholastic Announces Title and Cover for New Novel in the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins , October 4, 2019

Scholastic to Publish New Novel in the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins , June 17, 2019

MOCKINGJAY:

#1 USA Today Bestseller #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller A New York Times Notable Children's Book of 2010 A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice A 2010 Booklist Editors' Choice A 2010 Kirkus Best Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010

“Fans will be happy to hear that Mockingjay is every bit as complex and imaginative as Hunger Games and Catching Fire ."

             - Entertainment Weekly

“Suspenseful... Collins' fans, grown-ups included, will race to the end."

             - USA Today

“At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984 , the memorable violence of A Clockwork Orange , the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter ."

             - New York Times Book Review

“Unfolding in Collins' engaging, intelligent prose and assembled into chapters that end with didn't-see-that-coming cliffhangers, this finale is every bit the pressure cooker of its forebears. [ Mockingjay ] is nearly as shocking, and certainly every bit as original and thought provoking, as The Hunger Games . Wow."

             - Los Angeles Times

             - Publishers Weekly , starred review

CATCHING FIRE:

#1 USA Today Bestseller #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller A Time Magazine Top 10 Fiction Book of 2009 A People Magazine (Top 10) Best Book of 2009 A New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice A Los Angeles Times Best Children’s Book of 2009 A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009 A Booklist Editors' Choice 2009 A Kirkus Best Book of 2009

“Whereas Katniss kills with finesse, Collins writes with raw power."

            - Time Magazine

“Collins expertly blends fantasy, romance and political intrigue (so who needs vampires?)."

             - People Magazine

“Collins has joined J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer as a writer of children's books that adults are eager to read.”

            -Bloomberg.com

“ Catching Fire not only lived up to my high expectations, it surpassed them. It's just as exciting as The Hunger Games , but even more gut wrenching, because you already know these characters,  you've already suffered with them.”

            -Stephenie Meyer, www.stepheniemeyer.com

THE HUNGER GAMES:

#1 USA Today  Bestseller #1 New York Times Bestseller #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller A Publishers Weekly Bestseller A Horn Book Fanfare A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2008 A School Library Journal Best Book of 2008 A Booklist Editors’ Choice A New York Times Notable Book of 2008 A Kirkus Best Book of 2008 A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice 

“I couldn't stop reading."

             -Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly

“The Hunger Games is amazing.”

-Stephenie Meyer, www.stepheniemeyer.com

“Brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced.”

-John Green, The New York Times Book Review

• Scholastic has more than 100 million copies of The Hunger Games books in print worldwide ( The Hunger Games ,  Catching Fire,   Mockingjay, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ). 
• The Hunger Games  spent more than 260 consecutive weeks/more than five consecutive years to on  The New York Times bestseller list, and has also appeared consistently on  USA Today  and  Publishers Weekly  bestseller lists.
• Released by Lionsgate Entertainment, The Hunger Games is a global blockbuster film franchise that has spawned four record-breaking films from 2012-2015 and, collectively, the films have grossed over $3 billion at the global box office. The films boast a star-studded cast including Academy Award® winner Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Academy Award® nominee Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. The world of The Hunger Games that Suzanne Collins created continues to grow as theme parks and special attractions launch around the globe. Now fans around the world also can engage in immersive experiences such as The World of the Hunger Games at Motiongate Dubai and The Hunger Games in Concert Global Tour . The next film in the franchise, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes , will be released on November 17, 2023.
• The Hunger Games trilogy has been sold into 54 territories in 52 languages to date.
• Suzanne Collins named to the  Entertainment Weekly  2010 Entertainers of the Year list  (December 3, 2010)
• Suzanne Collins named to the  2010  TIME  100  list (April 29, 2010)
• List of awards and citations for The Hunger Games trilogy
• Year of the Jungle , Suzanne Collins’s picture book based on the year her father was deployed in Viet Nam, with illustrations by James Proimos, was published September 10, 2013.

Announcements/News

Scholastic to Publish Illustrated Edition of Suzanne Collins' Worldwide Bestseller The Hunger Games (January 18, 2024)

Scholastic to Publish a Trade Paperbck and a Movie-Tie-In Edition of Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (April 13, 2023)

Scholastic Releases New Interview with Suzanne Collins, Author of the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series (May 19, 2020)

Scholastic Announces Tony Award-Winning Actor Santino Fontana as Narrator for Audio Edition of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins (April 8, 2020)

Scholastic Announces Title and Cover for New Novel in the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins (October 4, 2019)

Scholastic to Publish New Novel in the Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins (June 17, 2019)

Scholastic to Publish The Hunger Games Special Edition by Suzanne Collins to Celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of The Hunger Games (April 19, 2018)

Scholastic to Publish Year of the Jungle , an Autobiographical Picture Book by Suzanne Collins in Fall 2013 (November 29, 2012)

Scholastic Announces Updated U.S. Figures for Suzanne Collins's Bestselling The Hunger Games Trilogy (July 19, 2012)

Scholastic Announces Updated U.S. In-print Figures for Suzanne Collins' Bestselling The Hunger Games Trilogy (March 28, 2012)

A Message from Suzanne Collins about The Hunger Games Movie (March 1, 2012)

Scholastic to Add new Title to The Hunger Games Movie Tie-in Program (November 3, 2011)

Lionsgate Joins Scribd, Donorschoose.org, and Scholastic for The Hunger Games National Literacy Month Campaign (September 1, 2011)

Scholastic Introduces Gift Edition of The Hunger Games (Holiday 2011), To Be Followed by Movie Tie-In Program (Spring 2012) (June 16, 2011)

Scholastic announces Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon, is winner of Mockingjay display contest with prize of store visit by Suzanne Collins (October 21, 2010)

Mockingjay tops all national bestseller lists with sales of more than 450,000 copies in its first week of publication, and Scholastic goes back to press for an additional 400,000 copies (September 2, 2010)

Scholastic Increases First Printing of Mockingjay , the Final Book of The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, to 1.2 Million Copies and Announces Fall Tour Markets (July 1, 2010)

Suzanne Collins's Third Book in The Hunger Games Trilogy to be Published on August 24, 2010 (December 3, 2009)

Scholastic Publishes Catching Fire

Scholastic Publishes The Hunger Games

LionsGate Acquires Worldwide Distribution Rights for The Hunger Games Film (March 17, 2009)

Interviews with Suzanne Collins

• Publisher and Editorial Director David Levithan interviews Suzanne Collins on the eve of the publication of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (May 19, 2020)
• Time Magazine interviews Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire director Francis Lawrence (November 2013)
• The New York Times Magazine profiles Suzanne Collins (April 10, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly interviews Suzanne Collins and Gary Ross, director of The Hunger Games movie (April 7, 2011)
• The Associated Press  interviews Suzanne Collins (September 2010)
• Entertainment Weekly interviews Suzanne Collins about her favorite books (August 2010)
• School Library Journal interviews Suzanne Collins about the forthcoming publication of Mockingjay (August 2010)
• NPR's  All Things Considered  interviews Suzanne Collins about Catching Fire (September 2009)
• USA Today  interviews Suzanne Collins about Catching Fire (September 2009)
• The Los Angeles Times  interviews Suzanne Collins  about Catching Fire (September 2009)
• RT Interview with Suzanne Collins (September, 2009)
• School Library Journal interviews Suzanne Collins about The Hunger Games (September, 2008)
• Newsweek interviews Suzanne Collins about The Hunger Games (September, 2008)
• Video interview with Suzanne Collins about The Hunger Games (Scholastic, 2009)
• Q&A with Suzanne Collins  (Scholastic, 2010)

Press Coverage

• Associated Press : "An illustrated edtion of the First 'Hunger Games' will come out Oct. 1" (January 18, 2024)
• Publishers Weekly : “ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes [is] the top [selling] book in the first half of 2020.” (July 10, 2020)
• The Associated Press : “New ‘Hunger Games’ book sells more than 500,000 copies” (May 27, 2020) 
• Publishers Weekly : “Independent Booksellers Plan Digital Celebrations for New Hunger Games Book” (May 14, 2020)
• The Associated Press : “The Promotion Will Be Virtual for New Hunger Games Novel” (May 14, 2020)
• Entertainment Weekly :  “Exclusive excerpt from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes audiobook, read by narrator Santino Fontana (May 12, 2020)
• Entertainment Weekly : Three-part feature: The Hunger Games binge-read, featuring commentary on The Hunger Games , Catching Fire , and Mockingjay from Publisher and Editorial Director David Levithan (May 8, 2020 / May 13, 2020 / May 18, 2020)
• BookPage offers a “peek behind the curtain” of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake s with an interview with Publisher and Editorial Director David Levithan (May 2020)
• Bustle : Exclusive audio clip of author Suzanne Collins reading an excerpt from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (April 23, 2020)
• Parade previews The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes , including an interview with Publisher and Editorial Director David Levithan (January 30, 2020)
• Entertainment Weekly reveals the first excerpt from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (January 21, 2020) 
• Today.com: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is one of "The 10 Most Anticipated Books for 2020 According to Goodreads Users" (January 6, 2020)
• CNN.com : 20 Things to Look Forward to in 2020 (January 2, 2020)
• New York Times calls The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes one of "20 Books We're Watching for in 2020" (January 1, 2020)
• Glamour.com : Suzanne Collins named one of '104 Women Who Defined the Decade in Pop Culture' (December 20, 2019)
• Entertainment Weekly calls The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes one of "The 50 Most-Anticipated Books of 2020" (December 16, 2019)
• Good Morning America reveals cover and title for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (October 4, 2019)
• New York Times : “’The Hunger Games’ Prequel Is in the Works” (June 17, 2019)
• Associated Press : “‘Hunger Games’ prequel novel coming in 2020” (June 17, 2019)
• NPR Morning Edition “10 Years Since 'The Hunger Games' Began,” interview with Scholastic’s David Levithan (November 2, 2018)
• New York Times : Essay by bestselling author Sabaa Tahir: “Katniss Everdeen Is My Hero.”  (October 2018)
• New York Times : Exclusive excerpt of the Suzanne Collins interview with David Levithan from The Hunger Games Special (10th Anniversary) Edition (October 2018)
• Entertainment Weekly First Listen: Tatiana Maslany to Narrate Hunger Games Special (10th Anniversary) Edition Audiobook  (September 2018)
• Entertainment Weekly previews The Hunger Games Special (10th Anniversary) Edition with cover reveal and excerpt (April 2018)
• TIME Magazine names Katniss Everdeen to the list of “The 100 Most influential People Who Never Lived” (September 2013)
• The Associated Press announces the publication of Year of the Jungle (November 29, 2012)
• Salon.com: The making of a blockbuster: The behind-the-scenes story of the readers and booksellers who launched the Hunger Games franchise (March 18, 2012)
• Parade Magazine cover story: Go Inside the 'Hunger Games' Phenomenon (March 17, 2012)
• NBC’s The Today Show : Fan Frenzy: Excitement Builds for ‘Hunger Games’ (March 16, 2012)
• USA Today : Fans are hungry for more 'Games': Books top best-seller list (March 15, 2012)
• People Magazine cover story : Behind the Scenes on The Hunger Games (March 14, 2012)
• The New York Times : Peer Pressure? How About, Like, Fighting to Death? (March 9, 2012)
• The Wall Street Journal : Gender Games, 'The Hunger Games' must clear tricky marketing hurdles (March 8, 2012)
• The Muppets spoof The Hunger Games (March 6, 2012)
• Entertainment Weekly cover story: "The Hunger Games— Game On!" (March 9, 2012)
• The Hunger Games trilogy represents three of the ten bestselling books in December 2011, according to USA Today (January 4, 2012)
• The Hunger Games  reaches #1 on USA Today’s bestseller list (December 29, 2011)
• The Hunger Games included in World Book Night 2012 (December 14, 2011)
• Three Movie Tie-in Book Covers Revealed in Entertainment Weekly (December 1, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly cover story: "The Men of The Hunger Games: Your first look at Gale and Peeta—and how the actors are bringing them to life." (July 27, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly cover story: "First Look at Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in The Hunger Games movie" (May 18, 2011)
• The Wrap announces Jennifer Lawrence Gets Lead Role in The Hunger Games (March 16, 2011)
• The Atlantic weighs in on the importance of the casting of Katniss: "Katniss Everdeen is more than just a teen idol of the moment. She is a heroine for the ages… the most important female character in recent pop culture history." (March 9, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly Announces Release Date for The Hunger Games Movie (January 25, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly feature story: “Interview with Hunger Games Movie Director Gary Ross” (January 6, 2011)
• Entertainment Weekly feature story: “The Hunger Games: Taking the book world (and Hollywood) by storm” (October 15, 2010)
• The Associated Press on the New York City launch event for Mockingjay (August 24, 2010)
• New York Times on the launch of Mockingjay (August 24, 2010)
• USA Today reviews Mockingjay (August 24, 2010)
• Los Angeles Times reviews Mockingjay (August 23, 2010)
• USA Today anticipates “more than the usual number” of sleepy teens upon midnight publication of Mockingjay (August 19, 2010)
• USA Today , Publishers Weekly , and Scholastic reveal the cover and title for Mockingjay (February 11, 2010). Mockingjay , the final book of The Hunger Games, will be published August 24, 2010.
• USA Today announces Catching Fire 's debut at #1 on the USA Today Bestselling Books list its first week on sale. Catching Fire simultaneously appeared at #1 on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.
• Time Magazine reviews The Hunger Games and Catching Fire . (September 2009)
• Publishers Weekly chronicles excitement among booksellers nationwide for the September 1st publication of Catching Fire .
• On June 26, 2009, Scholastic announced the winner of the Hunger Games Writing Contest. For information about the winner, see coverage of the contest in Publishers Weekly .
• Publishers Weekly reports that "Catching Fire Catches Fire" in an article on growing advance buzz for the publication of Catching Fire (September 1, 2009)
• Publishers Weekly announces the new publication date for Catching Fire (March 12, 2009)
• Stephen King reviews The Hunger Games in Entertainment Weekly (September 2008)
• Publishers Weekly reports "A Dark Horse Breaks Out: The buzz is on for Suzanne Collins's YA series debut" in an article about the forthcoming publication of The Hunger Games (June 2008)
• Critical praise for The Hunger Games
• Critical praise for Catching Fire

About Suzanne Collins

Bestselling author SUZANNE COLLINS first made her mark in children’s literature with the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles fantasy series for middle grade readers. She continued to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age with The Hunger Games Trilogy.  The Hunger Games (2008) was an instant bestseller, appealing to both teen readers and adults. It was called “addictive” by Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly and “amazing” by Stephanie Meyer on her website. The book appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 260 consecutive weeks (more than five consecutive years), and there are more than 100 million copies of all three books in the trilogy, The Hunger Games , Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010), in print and digital formats worldwide. Foreign publishing rights for The Hunger Games Trilogy have been sold into 56 territories in 53 languages to date. In 2012 Lionsgate launched the first of four films based on the novels, starring Jennifer Lawrence. To date, the franchise has earned nearly $3 Billion at the worldwide box office.

Year of the Jungle , Suzanne Collins’s picture book based on the year her father was deployed in Viet Nam, with illustrations by James Proimos, was published in 2013 to great critical acclaim.

Suzanne Collins also had a successful and prolific career writing for children’s television. She has worked on the staffs of several Nickelodeon shows, including the Emmy®-nominated hit Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo . She received a Writer’s Guild of America nomination in animation for co-writing the critically acclaimed Christmas special, Santa, Baby!

In 2010 Suzanne Collins was named to the TIME 100 list as well as the Entertainment Weekly Entertainers of the Year list; in 2011 Fast Company named her to their 100 Most Creative People in Business; and in 2016 she was presented the 2016 Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community for exemplifying the unique power of young people’s literature to change lives and to create lifelong book lovers. It was the first time the Guild presented its annual award to a YA author. The Atlantic called Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen, “the most important female character in recent pop culture history,” and TIME Magazine named Katniss to its list of “The 100 Most influential People Who Never Lived.”

• Download the book cover for The Hunger Games
• Download the book cover for Catching Fire
• Download the book cover for Mockingjay
• Download the book cover for The Hunger Games Illustrated Edition
• Download The Hunger Games Boxed Set
• Download the book cover for  The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
• Download the book cover for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Paperback
• Download the book cover for The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes Movie Tie-In
• Download the cover for  The Year of the Jungle
• Download the cover for Gregor the Overlander
• Photo of Suzanne Collins  (photo credit: Todd Plitt)
• Download The Hunger Games Boxed Set 2020

Themes and Analysis

The hunger games, by suzanne collins.

As a post-apocalyptic dystopian novel, 'The Hunger Games' captures several intriguing themes including oppression and societal inequality.

Article written by Neesha Thunga K

B.A. in English Literature, and M.A. in English Language and Literature.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has risen in popularity ever since its release in 2008. Part of the reason for its fame is the riveting themes that it captures, all of which are central to the post-apocalyptic and dystopian nature of the novel. Some of the themes that can be gleaned from the novel include the theme of oppression, inequality, appearances, celebrity culture, as well as violence.

The Hunger Games Themes

Oppression and inequality.

The authorities in the Capitol maintain their positions of power through wealth, fear, and rivalry. All districts in the totalitarian nation of Panem are kept under varying degrees of poverty and are routinely pitted against each other in the form of the Hunger Games. The wealthier districts have a distinct advantage over the poorer ones in the Games. For instance, the tributes from Districts 1, 2, and 4 make it their mission to train specifically for the Games – and are even known as “ Career tributes .”

The status quo is maintained by “Peacemakers,” who, hypocritically, ensure that the control remains in the hands of the capital by any means necessary, including violence. Those who rebel are either obliterated or silenced to become Avox , i.e., people who have had their tongues cut off and are now acting as servants at the Capitol .

The censorship of the media is another way to maintain control. The districts are not allowed to contact one another, and they have no access to information other than what is provided to them by the authorities. 

Appearances and Celebrity Culture

Appearances are extremely important in Panem. Those who live at the Capitol show off their wealth and power through their appearances. They wear gaudy clothes, ostentatious accessories, and bright colors to demonstrate their money, power, and influence at the Capitol.

Appearances are vital in the Hunger Games. To gain sponsors for life-saving gifts during the Games, each tribute must make himself/herself appealing to the public. Thus, the tributes are all provided with a bevy of stylists and advisors who dress them up in fashionable costumes and teach them the ways of the wealthy. The better the appearances of the tribute, the larger the chances of sponsors. This is similar to celebrity culture in real life – who need to keep up appearances for the sake of lucrative deals and sponsors. 

Katniss understands the importance of appearances and decides to play the part of a star-crossed lover for the cameras. Peeta complies, having always been perceptive about the significance of appearances and making lasting impressions. Although Peeta genuinely harbored feelings for Katniss, he decides to reveal his feelings at a strategic moment – only to gain sympathy and affection from the public.

Violence 

Violence is a recurring theme in The Hunger Games . The authorities of the Capitol are not averse to using violence to maintain the illusion of “peace” in the nation. The Peacemakers routinely punish those who rebel and do not hesitate to exert their power over the people from the 12 districts.

Moreover, the very notion of the Hunger Games is violent. Children are dehumanized from an extremely young age – and are taught to maim and kill other children to survive.

Analysis of Key Moments in The Hunger Games

• Katniss’s sister, Primrose Everdeen is picked as the female tribute from District 12 for the Hunger Games. 
• Katniss volunteers herself instead and is joined by the male tribute, Peeta Mellark as they head to the Capitol.
• Katniss and Peeta convince their drunk mentor , Haymitch Abernathy , to take his duties seriously.
• The duo wins the affections of the public during the opening ceremony, with the help of the flaming costumes designed by Cinna .
• Peeta reveals that he is in love with Katniss during the pre-Games interview.
• The Games begin, and Katniss flees the Cornucopia . She finds out that Peeta has teamed up with the “Career” tributes.
• An artificial fire is created to push Katniss towards the Careers. She hides from them in a tree.
• Katniss and Rue drop a nest of tracker jackers to escape from the Careers. Peeta comes back to help Katniss escape.
• Katniss and Rue blow up the supplies of the Career tributes. Rue is killed by another tribute.
• A rule change is announced, allowing two tributes from the same district to emerge as victors . Katniss and Peeta team up.
• The duo becomes romantically attached, and emerge as the two remaining survivors.
• Another rule change is announced, stating that there can only be one victor for the Games.
• Katniss and Peeta decide to kill themselves together when the Games are hurriedly ended and they both emerge victorious.
• Katniss recuperates for days at the Training Centre, after which she is informed by Haymitch that she’s in danger for her acts of rebellion.

Writing Style and Tone

The writing style employed by the author is simple and precise – easy for young adults to comprehend. The tone is blunt, dark, and often horrifying, reflecting the seriousness of the novel. The novel is written from the point of view of the heroine, Katniss Everdeen , who acts as an unreliable narrator.

I can’t win. Prim must know that in her heart. The competition will be far beyond my abilities. Kids from wealthier districts, where winning is a huge honor, who’ve been trained their whole lives for this.

Symbols, Motifs, and Allegory

Families are given tesserae (food rations) each year by the Capitol. This is one of the most important ways in which the Capitol maintains control over the districts. Families are also given extra tesserae for entering the names of their children more than once in the annual reaping for the Hunger Games – an act that increases their chances of being picked for the Hunger Games.

The Mockingjay Pin

The Mockingjay Pin symbolizes Katniss’s individuality and free spirit. The pin captures the Mockingjay bird, i.e., a hybrid between a Jabberjay (a bird that was genetically modified to act as spies for the government) and a Mockingbird. The symbol of the Mockingjay is used to represent rebellion and assertion of identity by several people, including Katniss, Madge, and Rue.

Entertainment and Reality Television

The novel showcases an extremely twisted form of mass entertainment – which comes in the form of suffering. Parallels can be drawn to the reality television of this world, where people are pitted against each other for the entertainment of viewers. Just like the people in reality television are required to appeal to the public to gain votes, the tributes in the Hunger Games are also required to appeal to gain sponsors. 

This kind of entertainment is voyeuristic, and the people from the Capitol revel in the violent nature of the Games. It is highly sadistic, and it does not matter whether the suffering is physical or psychological. For instance, there is a huge fascination behind the romance between Katniss and Peeta. The main appeal for this romance is the fact that it is doomed no matter what, because of the tragic ending that awaits the lovers.

The Hunger Games also resembles reality television in the fact that it is widely televised and constantly talked about in the media at Panem. It objectifies the tributes much like reality television objectifies contestants. 

Is rebellion a theme in The Hunger Games ?

Yes, rebellion is a theme in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. There are several instances in the novel when Katniss, and sometimes even Peeta, rebel against the oppressive Capitol. However, this theme is not as prevalent in the first novel as it is in the next two novels in the trilogy, Catching Fire and Mockingjay .

What skill is Gale better at than Katniss?

Gale and Katniss are both highly skilled at survival. While Katniss is exceptionally skilled with a bow and arrow (routinely using it for hunting and killing animals), Gale is better at setting snares for prey.

How is Katniss a rebel?

Katniss’s rebellion starts from the very beginning when she volunteers herself as a tribute in the Hunger Games. Instead of willingly going through every oppressive act that the capital makes her do, she defies the authorities and rebels whenever she can. Her ultimate act of rebellion, however, is seen at the end of the novel when she decides to poison herself along with Peeta – to leave the Games without a victor.

What is Katniss’s sister’s full name?

Katniss’s sister’s full name in The Hunger Games is Primrose Everdeen. Her name is often shortened to Prim. She is a 12-year-old girl whose name is drawn at the reaping of the 74th edition of the Hunger Games. However, she is saved from participating in the game by her sister Katniss, who volunteers herself instead.

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About Neesha Thunga K

Neesha, born to a family of avid readers, has devoted several years to teaching English and writing for various organizations, making an impact on the literary community.

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Watch CBS News

"The Hunger Games" reviews: What critics are saying

By Jessica Derschowitz

March 23, 2012 / 4:37 PM EDT / CBS News

(CBS News) Reviews of "The Hunger Games" are in, and the odds seem to be in the film's favor.

Critics, overall, have been positive about the highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' dystopian novel, praising both director/co-screenwriter Gary Ross and actress Jennifer Lawrence, who plays heroine Katniss Everdeen.

Pictures: "The Hunger Games" cast in NYC Pictures: The world premiere "The Hunger Games" scores big with midnight debut

"Relax, you legions of Hunger Gamers. We have a winner," writes  Rolling Stone  critic Peter Travers. "The screen 'Hunger Games' radiates a hot, jumpy energy that's irresistible. It has epic spectacle, yearning romance, suspense that won't quit and a shining star in Jennifer Lawrence, who gives us a female warrior worth cheering."

Entertainment Weekly 's Lisa Schwartzbaum gave the film an A-, writing, "This 'Hunger Games' is a muscular, honorable, unflinching translation of Collins' vision. It's brutal where it needs to be, particularly when children fight and bleed. It conveys both the miseries of the oppressed, represented by the poorly fed and clothed citizens of Panem's 12 suffering districts, and the rotted values of the oppressors, evident in the gaudy decadence of those who live in the Capitol. Best of all, the movie effectively showcases the allure of the story's remarkable, kick-ass 16-year-old heroine, Katniss Everdeen."

"'The Hunger Games' runs nearly two and a half hours in length but is the rare film that never drags and doesn't overstay its welcome," said the  Associated Press ' Christy Lemire. "It could keep running as long as Katniss does, and we'd want to be right there every heart-pounding step of the way."

Others wondered if the film - rated PG-13, despite the violent events depicted in the novel - went far enough.

David Edelstein of  New York  magazine writes, "Watching 'The Hunger Games,' I was struck both by how slickly Ross hit his marks and how many opportunities he was missing to take the film to the next level - to make it more shocking, lyrical, crazy, daring."

"It's also clear that the need for a PG-13 rating dictated moderation; a film accurately depicting the events of the book would certainly carry an R," said Todd McCarthy, of the  Hollywood Reporter . "That said, 'Hunger Games' has such a strong narrative structure, built-in forward movement and compelling central character that it can't go far wrong."

Ross, writes Manohla Dargis, of the  New York Times , "has a way of smoothing even modestly irregular edges. Katniss, who for years has bagged game to keep her family from starving, was created for rough stuff -- for beating the odds and the state, for hunting squirrel and people both -- far rougher than Mr. Ross often seems comfortable with, perhaps because of disposition, inclination or some behind-the-scenes executive mandate."

Tell us: Do you plan to see "The Hunger Games"?

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Movie Reviews

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Like many science-fiction stories, “The Hunger Games” portrays a future that we're invited to read as a parable for the present. After the existing nations of North America are destroyed by catastrophe, a civilization named Panem rises from the ruins. It's ruled by a vast, wealthy Capitol inspired by the covers of countless sci-fi magazines and surrounded by 12 “districts” that are powerless satellites.

As the story opens, the annual ritual of the Hunger Games is beginning; each district must supply a “tribute” of a young woman and man, and these 24 finalists must fight to the death in a forested “arena” where hidden cameras capture every move.

This results in a television production that apparently holds the nation spellbound and keeps the citizens content. Mrs. Link, my high school Latin teacher, will be proud that I recall one of her daily phrases, “panem et circenses,” which summarized the Roman formula for creating a docile population: Give them bread and circuses. A vision of present-day America is summoned up, its citizenry glutted with fast food and distracted by reality TV. How is the population expected to accept the violent sacrifice of 24 young lives a year? How many have died in our recent wars?

The story centers on the two tributes from the dirt-poor District 12: Katniss Everdeen ( Jennifer Lawrence ) and Peeta Mellark ( Josh Hutcherson ). The 16-year-old girl hunts deer with bow and arrow to feed her family; he may be hunkier but seems no match in survival skills. They're both clean-cut, All-Panem types, and although one or both are eventually required to be dead, romance is a possibility.

In contrast with these healthy young people, the ruling class in the Capitol are effete decadents. Effie Trinket ( Elizabeth Banks ), bedecked in gaudy costumery and laden with garish cosmetics, emcees the annual drawing for tributes, and the nation gets to know the finalists on a talk show hosted by Caesar Flickerman ( Stanley Tucci ), who suggests what Donald Trump might do with his hair if he had enough of it.  

The executive in charge is the gamemaker, Seneca ( Wes Bentley ), who has a beard so bizarrely designed that Satan would be envious. At the top of the society is the president ( Donald Sutherland ), a sagacious graybeard who harbors deep thoughts. In interviews, Sutherland has equated the younger generation with leftists and Occupiers. The old folks in the Capitol are no doubt a right-wing oligarchy. My conservative friends, however, equate the young with the Tea Party and the old with decadent Elitists. “The Hunger Games,” like many parables, will show you exactly what you seek in it.

The scenes set in the Capitol and dealing with its peculiar characters have a completely different tone than the scenes of conflict in the Arena. The ruling class is painted in broad satire and bright colors. Katniss and the other tributes are seen in earth-toned realism; this character could be another manifestation, indeed, of Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar-nominated character Ree in “ Winter's Bone .” The plot even explains why she's adept at bow and arrow. 

One thing I missed, however, was more self-awareness on the part of the tributes. As their names are being drawn from a fish bowl (!) at the Reaping, the reactions of the chosen seem rather subdued, considering the odds are 23-to-1 that they'll end up dead. Katniss volunteers to take the place of her 12-year-old kid sister, Prim (Willow Shields), but no one explicitly discusses the fairness of deadly combat between girl children and 18-year-old men. Apparently the jaded TV audiences of Panem have developed an appetite for barbarity. Nor do Katniss and Peeta reveal much thoughtfulness about their own peculiar position.

“The Hunger Games” is an effective entertainment, and Jennifer Lawrence is strong and convincing in the central role. But the film leapfrogs obvious questions in its path, and avoids the opportunities sci-fi provides for social criticism; compare its world with the dystopias in “ Gattaca ” or “ The Truman Show .”  Director Gary Ross and his writers (including the series' author, Suzanne Collins ) obviously think their audience wants to see lots of hunting-and-survival scenes, and has no interest in people talking about how a cruel class system is using them. Well, maybe they're right. But I found the movie too long and deliberate as it negotiated the outskirts of its moral issues.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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The Hunger Games (2012)

Rated PG-13 for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images — all involving teens

142 minutes

Lenny Kravitz as Cinna

Wes Bentley as Seneca

Elizabeth Banks as Effie

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch

Liam Hemsworth as Gale

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss

Directed by

• Suzanne Collins

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