The Hunger Gamesfranchise star Josh Hutcherson has given his views on the franchise’s legacy and its future direction. Based on the dystopian novel series by Suzanne Collins,The Hunger Gamesbecame a huge hit upon its release in 2012, grossing almost $700 million and making stars of its cast members, including Jennifer Lawrence and Hutcherson, who portrayed Peeta Mellark. The franchise originally ran four movies, concluding withThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2in 2015, before returning with a 2023 prequelThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
In an interview withEsquire, discussing his upcoming horror-comedy sequel movieFive Nights At Freddy’s 2, which is due to begin filming in several weeks,Hutcherson addressed theHunger Gamesfranchise, its impact, and his hopes for the future. The actor spoke of his pride at being part of the initial iteration of a franchise that continues to grow. He also elaborated on the franchise’s themes and how they connect with audiences today. Read his full comments below:
“I think it has an amazing message—anti-tyranny, pro–giving the people a voice, supporting each other, anti–big government taking over the world. There’s so much great thematics that are at play there, and the fact that it has such a reach and people connect with it, that it’s such a big piece of so many young people’s lives … it’s very cool to be a part of it. And now to see it grow—there’s new versions of it and there’s a new cast, new stories that are being created—to know that I was part of the seed that was planted is very cool.”
What Does The Future Hold ForThe Hunger GamesFranchise?
A New Installment Is Set for Release in 2026
The Hunger Gamesfranchisereturn came as a surprise, but the modest success ofThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakeshas been a positive for the series and led to the announcement in June 2024 that another installment was in production. The movie,The Hunger Games: Sunrise On the Reaping, is set for release on July 28, 2025, and will be based on Collins' upcoming second prequel novel, beginning with the morning reaping of the 50th Hunger Games. Per canon, it’s the game that Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) won, as it marked the Second Quarter Quell.
Suzanne Collins’Sunrise On the Reapingnovel is set for release by Scholastic on July 14, 2025
Whether anycast members fromThe Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakesmight appear is unclear, but it’s possible the two prequel movies could share a common thread, which would tie them nicely to the franchise.The fact that the prequels are standalone movies means the franchise lacks the security that comes with multiple installments, but there is also less constraint with formula, and a plot can be bookended within one movie. It will be interesting to see whether any future installments might be standalone, or if the franchise might ignite a new trilogy of movies.
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Our Take OnThe Hunger GamesFranchise’s Enduring Appeal
The Series Paints A Bleak Picture Of One Possible Reality
In a world more divisive than ever, the franchise has found popularity, and I think this is because many people believe society isn’t too far from veering into territory where the events ofThe Hunger Gamescould seem plausible. A bleak, dystopian landscape is often a manifestation of our deepest fears, and the dynamic world-building inThe Hunger Gamespresents a possible future that’s not a million miles away from reality. I believe the franchise’s future will be determined by the success of theupcomingHunger Gamesprequel, but signs suggest there’s still interest in this world.
Source:Esquire
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a multi-movie franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. The films are based on the young adult dystopian book series by author Suzanne Collins. The first film was released in 2012, followed by Catching Fire in 2013, Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. In 2023, the fifth film in the series was released, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
