Dystopian YA films had been all the trend within the 2010s. From Divergent to The Maze Runner, studios rushed to adapt fashionable style books, hoping that these literary fandoms would generate box-office hits. After all, the pattern didn’t simply come out of nowhere — the huge success of the Hunger Games franchise paved the way in which.

Based mostly on the bestselling books by Suzanne Collins, The Starvation Video games facilities on Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a teenage woman dwelling in a post-apocalyptic future during which two youths from all 13 districts are randomly chosen and compelled to compete in an annual televised combat to the loss of life. Speak about teen angst.

The primary Starvation Video games film hit theaters in 2012, adopted by three sequels and a prequel (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) in 2023. An adaptation of Collins’ second prequel novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, is slated for a November 2026 launch.

Must jog your reminiscence earlier than Dawn on the Reaping? The chances are ever in your favor. Learn on for Leisure Weekly’s information to watching the Starvation Video games films in each chronological and launch order.

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The Starvation Video games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)

Based mostly on the 2020 novel, this darkish origin story takes place far earlier than audiences had been launched to Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. It stars Tom Blythe as an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (performed by the late Donald Sutherland within the first 4 movies), the long run dictator — er, “president” — of the nation of Panem.

Sixty-four years earlier than the occasions of the primary Starvation Video games installment, Snow is an Academy pupil dwelling in a war-torn Panem in the course of the tenth annual Starvation Video games. He’s assigned to mentor District 12’s feminine tribute, the magnetic snake charmer Lucy Grey Baird (Rachel Zegler). Amid the nation’s growing turmoil, the 2 develop emotions for one another and reckon with the tough reality that “fortunately ever after” and “dystopia” don’t precisely go hand-in-hand.

Francis Lawrence, who helmed the ultimate three movies of the unique collection, returned for this prequel. The outcome was considerably divisive, although Blythe and Zegler’s performances garnered reward. Though it hit No. 1 on the field workplace (opening to $98 million globally), it had the bottom opening weekend of the franchise and in the end completed because the lowest-grossing Starvation Video games film total.

Where to watch The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

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The Starvation Video games (2012)

Someday in a post-apocalyptic future, 17-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives together with her mom, 12-year-old sister Primrose (Willow Shields), and finest buddy Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) in District 12 of Panem. What was as soon as North America has been rebuilt as a totalitarian state, however stays a divided nation reeling from a failed rebel many years earlier. When Primrose is chosen to compete within the 74th Starvation Video games, Katniss impulsively volunteers to take her place.

She's quickly transported to the Capitol alongside fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the place they meet their eccentrically theatrical chaperone Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and gruff mentor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). Katniss is aware of she must do no matter it takes to outlive the Video games — however is successful actually price prolonging this cycle of mindless violence?

The Starvation Video games was a smash hit, turning into the ninth-highest-grossing movie of 2012 after pulling in practically $700 million globally. The movie acquired optimistic evaluations, with critics, together with EW, praising the solid’s sturdy performances and its faithfulness to the guide.

Where to watch The Hunger Games: HBO Max

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The Starvation Video games: Catching Fireplace (2013)

The explosive sequel sees a traumatized Katniss and Peeta wrestle to renew “regular” life in District 12 after the 74th Video games. President Snow, going through rising unrest throughout the nation because of the pair’s joint victory, calls for that Katniss and Peeta fake to be in love throughout their Victory Tour to discourage any rebellions.

This faux relationship trope might sound cute at first, however issues rapidly take a horrifying flip when it’s introduced that the seventy fifth Video games will break from custom and draw contestants from the pool of previous victors. Seeing as Katniss is the one feminine victor of District 12, she’s compelled to compete within the Video games once more, joined by Peeta and a brand new group of opponents. A lot for catching a break.

Catching Fireplace introduces a number of new solid members: Sam Claflin as Finnick, the youngest victor within the Video games’ historical past; Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee, the brand new Gamemaker secretly in league with the rebel; and Lynn Cohen as Mags, one other former winner from many years earlier, now in her 80s and again within the Starvation Video games highlight.

The movie loved an overwhelmingly optimistic reception, with many contemplating it the perfect entry of the collection.

Where to watch The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: HBO Max

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The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 1 (2014)

The ultimate chronological entry within the collection takes a web page from Twilight’s playbook, splitting the final guide into two elements. District 12 has been decimated, forcing Katniss, Beetee (Jeffrey Wright), and Finnick to take refuge within the rebellious underground district, District 13.

In District 13, Katniss meets Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), the rebel chief. She tells Katniss that her actions have sparked mass riots throughout Panem, which led President Snow to bomb District 12. When Coin asks Katniss to turn into an emblem of the rebel (a.okay.a. the “Mockingjay”), she’s initially hesitant, however ultimately agrees after realizing the state is making an attempt to control Peeta into quashing insurgent efforts.

Because the rebel takes a extra central position within the franchise’s narrative, we meet a number of new characters concerned with the hassle — together with Mahershala Ali as Coin’s deputy and Natalie Dormer, recent off her Game of Thrones breakthrough, because the media-savvy Cressida placing her filmmaking abilities to good use on the bottom. Robert Knepper can also be launched because the villainous Antonius, an authentic character who doesn’t seem within the books.

Mockingjay — Half 1 acquired principally optimistic reception, though some evaluations characterised it as missing in motion in comparison with its predecessors. EW’s critic gave it a B-, criticizing the pacing and abrupt ending, writing, “When the story lastly does handle to get fascinating towards the top, it simply screeches to a halt and cuts off.”

Where to watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1: HBO Max

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The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 2 (2015)

The ultimate chapter of the unique trilogy (effectively, tetralogy) could be probably the most exhilarating, losing no time earlier than driving straight into motion. The movie picks up proper after a brainwashed Peeta shockingly tried to kill Katniss on the finish of Half 1. Suffice it to say, the stakes have by no means been greater. Decided to liberate Panem, Katniss and her fellow rebels embark on a harmful journey into the center of the Capitol to avoid wasting the nation from President Snow’s tyranny as soon as and for all.

Mockingjay — Half 2 drew usually optimistic evaluations, garnering reward for its motion sequences and highly effective conclusion, in addition to for Lawrence’s efficiency. Nevertheless, splitting the novel into two movies additionally drew backlash from followers and critics alike, a call that director Francis Lawrence later admitted he regrets.

The movie in the end fell in need of field workplace expectations, grossing roughly $650 million worldwide in complete. Whereas that quantity is nothing to sneeze at, it was the lowest-grossing of the unique four-part collection. However even when it didn’t exit with fairly the box-office bang, the Starvation Video games collection nonetheless holds up as one among Hollywood’s most profitable YA franchises.

Where to watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2: HBO Max

The right way to watch the Starvation Video games franchise in chronological order:

1. The Starvation Video games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
2. The Starvation Video games (2012)
3. The Starvation Video games: Catching Fireplace (2013)
4. The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 1 (2014)
5. The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 2 (2015)

The right way to watch the Starvation Video games franchise in launch order:

1. The Starvation Video games (2012)
2. The Starvation Video games: Catching Fireplace (2013)
3. The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 1 (2014)
4. The Starvation Video games: Mockingjay – Half 2 (2015)
5. The Starvation Video games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)

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