“The Hunger Games” movies are a series of films based on “The Hunger Games” trilogy of novels by the American author Suzanne Collins. The first book, “The Hunger Games,” was released in 2008. If you’re a fan of the Hunger Games movies, then you know that they can be hard to keep track of.
With four movies released in less than five years, it can be tough to remember which to watch first. And if you’ve never seen the film before, it can be even harder to figure out where to start.
We’ve put this list of all “The Hunger Games” movies in order. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual observer, this list will help you understand it all.
So without further ado, let’s dive into it.
“The Hunger Games” Movies In Order
- The Hunger Games (2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
All About “The Hunger Games” (Film Series) Movies
The franchise comprises science fiction dystopian adventure films based on Suzanne Collins‘ novel trilogy. “The Hunger Games” is the 21st-highest-grossing film franchise, earning more than US$2.97 billion worldwide.
Its captivating story and outstanding cast include Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy; the series made a huge splash in Hollywood.
If you are a fan of dystopian novels or movies, “The Hunger Games” is a series you should check out. The books were initially released between 2008 and 2010, with the movie adaptations following shortly after in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
The Hunger Games (2012)
“The Hunger Games” is a 2012 American science fiction film directed by Gary Ross and based on Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name.
The film stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Donald Sutherland. The plot centers on a girl Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America.
Katniss volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in the hunger games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from each of the 12 Districts of Panem are chosen randomly to compete.
The story takes place in the hunger games universe and follows Katniss as she becomes a reluctant figurehead of the rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.
The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its themes and messages, as well as Jennifer Lawrence‘s performance. “The Hunger Games” was a commercial success, grossing $694 million worldwide against its $78 million budget. It is currently the ninth-highest-grossing film of all time worldwide.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is the second installment in the famous “The Hunger Games” film franchise adapted from The Hunger Games books. The film picks up a few months after the first film’s events, with the main lead, Katniss Everdeen, returning to her home district after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games.
However, it’s not long before she’s thrust back into the arena, this time with even higher stakes. The supporting cast was completed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Lynn Cohen, Jena Malone, and Amanda Plummer.
With a fresh, more confident feel and improved emotional depth, “Catching Fire” was well received by critics who found it an upgrade from the previous film. The opinion is that it’s a more-confident, more-polished film,’ with Lawrence’s performance as Katniss earning high praise; themes, action sequences, musical score, and messages also received good reviews.
“Catching Fire” was also a commercial success, grossing over $865 million worldwide against its $130 million budget; it is one of the best movies in “The Hunger Games” franchise.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
It’s the first of two feature-length adaptations of Suzanne Collins‘s novel Mockingjay, the final book in “The Hunger Games” trilogy, and the third film directed by Francis Lawrence.
The story of Katniss Everdeen continues to follow her; Katniss has twice survived the hunger games and finds herself in District 13. Under the leadership of President Coin and with her good friends’ advice, Katniss is reluctantly forced to become a symbol of a massive insurrection against the authoritarian Capitol and wages war to defend Peeta and her nation inspired by her bravery.
The film features an ensemble cast that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright.
“Mockingjay – Part 1” was released in the United States in 2014 to generally positive reviews from critics. Most praise was for its political subtext, acting performances (particularly Jennifer Lawrence’s), musical score, and visual effects.
The film debuted at the No. 1 spot with a worldwide gross of $273.8 million, making it the biggest debut of 2014 and establishing “The Hunger Games” film series as the only franchise to have three films earn more than $100 million in a weekend.
The film made over $755 million worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing film of 2014 and the second-highest-grossing entry in The Hunger Games series.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
“Mockingjay – Part 2” is the fourth and final installment in “The Hunger Games” film series, the second of two films based on the 2010 novel Mockingjay and the last book in The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins.
The series continues from “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” with Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) preparing for the final battle against President Snow. Katniss and fellow Victors Beetee and Finnick Odair travel to the Capitol to rescue Peeta, whom Snow has brainwashed.
Upon their arrival, Katniss senses something is wrong, and she is forced into a deadly fight with the Capitol’s forces. The supporting cast features Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Julianne Moore.
The film was a massive success as the finale to the series, with many praising Lawrence’s performance and the film’s action sequences and emotion. It was also a commercial success, grossing over $658 million worldwide.
With that, “The Hunger Games” tetralogy became one of the highest-grossing film series, behind only the Marvel Cinematic Universe films. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend watching them get the story’s whole experience.
“The Hunger Games” series has earned a place among the highest-grossing film franchises inspired by “The Hunger Games” books. The movies are also noted for their strong female lead, Lawrence, who has won several awards for her performances in the series.
Last Words on The Hunger Games (Film Series)
So, there you have it – all “The Hunger Games” in order! While it’s certainly not mandatory to watch “The Hunger Games” series in this particular order, doing so can help provide a richer understanding of the story.
Of course, if you’re short on time, you can always just watch the first and last movie – but where’s the fun in that? Whatever order you choose to watch the films in, just make sure to enjoy them!
The Hunger Games Movies FAQs
How many Hunger Games movies are there?
There are currently 4 Hunger Games movies with a 5th expected to be released this year.
What is the first Hunger Games movie?
The first Hunger Games movie titled simply “The Hunger Games” was released on March 21, 2012.
Will there be a 5th movie of The Hunger Games?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate announced at its 2022 CinemaCon presentation that the film will be released on November 17, 2023.
How old was Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games?
Jennifer Lawrence was 21 years old when she played the role of Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games.”
What is the order of The Hunger Games books?
Suzanne Collins wrote the Hunger Games books, and they are:
- The Hunger Games
- Catching Fire
- Mockingjay
What is the order of The Hunger Games movies?
You can watch the movies in order of their release date; it will be:
- The Hunger Games (2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
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