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THE HUNGER GAMES MOVIES, RANKED FROM WORST TO BEST
By Rae Torres
Updated Apr 4, 2024
Where does 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' land on our ranking?
Image by Zanda Rice
In 2012, the YA film franchise trend was at its peak as diehard fans sought to
fill the void after the release of Breaking Dawn: Part 2 and the highly
anticipated Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Bursting out of the
gate came the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' popular YA novel series, The
Hunger Games. One of the last successful YA dystopian adaptations, The Hunger
Games still stands ahead of the pack with its powerful portrayal of political
control, inequality, and survival. It also features critically praised
performances by Jennifer Lawrence as the heroic protagonist and female tribute
Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as the golden-hearted baker's son and male
tribute Peeta Mellark, and Donald Sutherland as the chilling head of Panem,
President Snow.
Despite the success of the first and second films, however, the final two Hunger
Games films suffered from a dying interest in YA film franchises. In 2014,
Mockingjay – Part 1, the first part of the series' epic conclusion, was released
during a year oversaturated with YA content, including the debut films in the YA
novel adaptations of Divergent, The Maze Runner, and Vampire Academy, following
the release of Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Beautiful Creatures, Stephanie
Meyer's The Host, and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones the previous year.
Related
'THE HUNGER GAMES' BEST CHANGE FROM THE BOOK EXPANDED THIS FAN-FAVORITE
CHARACTER'S ROLE
Author Suzanne Collins agrees that this character couldn't be left out of the
final two films.
However, in 2023, the long-awaited Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds
and Snakes, revived the beloved YA dystopian franchise, with the 5th installment
coming out on top at the global box office. Despite the waning interest in YA
film franchises in recent years, the success of The Ballad of Songbirds and
Snakes is a testament to the enduring power of The Hunger Games franchise, which
still stands ahead of the YA pack even now, over a decade after the first film's
premiere. Without further ado, we present to you a ranking of the films in the
Hunger Games series from worst to best:
5. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2 (2015)
Directed by Francis Lawrence, the franchise's epic conclusion The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay – Part 2 was mostly faithful to the novel. Unfortunately, also like
the novel, Mockingjay – Part 2 was not met with great critical success. The
final film in the Hunger Games franchise struggles with quick, disjointed
pacing, and the last 30 minutes of Part 2 feel particularly dissonant. Major
plotlines are glossed over, especially the aftermath of Prim's (Willow Shields)
death, which should have been given more screen time. The major characters,
particularly Katniss and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), undergo major character changes
that are relatively unexplored. That being said, there are still great moments
in the trilogy's conclusion, from Katniss's unexpected arrow that kills Coin
(Julianne Moore), to quieter moments between Boggs (Mahershala Ali) and Katniss.
After the first three films built up the tension for an epic conclusion,
Mockingjay – Part 2 was a slight let-down.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 2
PG-13
Drama
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
* stream
* rent
* buy
Not available
Rent on Apple TV+ Rent on Prime Video
Buy on Apple TV+ Buy on Prime Video
Release Date November 18, 2015
Director Francis Lawrence
Cast Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Philip Seymour
Hoffman , Julianne Moore , Natalie Dormer
Runtime 136
Main Genre Drama
Writers Danny Strong
4. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 (2014)
Image via Lionsgate
Like Mockingjay – Part 2, the third installment of the series, The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay – Part 1, directed by Francis Lawrence, came out right as the
popularity of the dystopian YA movie franchise trend was beginning to fizzle
out. Despite the success of the first two films in the franchise, the lukewarm
hype surrounding Mockingjay – Part 1 was a sign that the clock was ticking on YA
dystopia stories — even ones as popular as The Hunger Games. That being said,
Mockingjay – Part 1 is not necessarily a bad film, despite its flaws. Like with
many YA dystopian book/film series (see Divergent, The Maze Runner), by the time
the third installment rolled around, the narrative started to move away from the
successful formula of the prior films and branch out to do some more complex
(albeit, necessary) world-building on a grander scale.
Here's How to Watch the 'Hunger Games' Movies in Order (Chronologically and by
Release Date)
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Here's How to Watch the 'Hunger Games' Movies in Order (Chronologically and by
Release Date)
Mockingjay – Part 1 is the first film in the franchise to not feature the annual
Hunger Games, which for some, may have caused a drop in interest. However,
Mockingjay – Part 1 gave us some of the most powerful, gutting scenes in the
entirety of the film series, from the bombing of the District 8 hospital to the
heart-wrenching final scene of an unrecognizable Peeta restrained and thrashing
on a gurney. Jennifer Lawrence gives a moving performance as Katniss
post-Catching Fire, severely struggling with PTSD and trying to balance her role
as The Mockingjay with her overwhelming grief over losing Peeta.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Fantasy
Romance
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
* stream
* rent
* buy
Not available
Rent on Apple TV+ Rent on Prime Video
Buy on Apple TV+ Buy on Prime Video
Release Date November 19, 2014
Director Francis Lawrence
Cast Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson ,
Elizabeth Banks , Julianne Moore
Runtime 123
Main Genre Action
Writers Danny Strong , Peter Craig , Suzanne Collins
3. THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES (2023)
Close
Directed by the returning Francis Lawrence, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
introduces us to an 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow, played beautifully by Tom
Blyth. The prequel film excels in its worldbuilding, delving into the corruption
and moral ambiguity of post-war Panem, 64 years before the events of the
original trilogy. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes features some of the most
compelling performances in the entire franchise, from Blyth's morally conflicted
Snow to Viola Davis' maniacal gamemaster, Dr. Volumnia Gaul. Unfortunately, the
film stumbles in its third act, which feels both rushed and narratively
disjointed.
Through no fault whatsoever of Blyth's, who gives an excellent performance,
Snow's heel turn at the film's conclusion feels jarring and — in the same vein
of Game of Thrones' Daenerys — unearned. Where The Ballad of Songbirds and
Snakes ultimately falters is in laying the groundwork for Snow's moral
corruption. The YA genre in general is often guilty of being too heavy-handed
when it comes to ambiguity, often lacking the nuance necessary for a character
as complex as Panem's future tyrant. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes film
unfortunately falls victim to this, and Snow's inevitable heel turn simply
doesn't translate as well on screen as it does on the page.
THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES
PG-13
Sci-Fi
Drama
Thriller
Release Date November 17, 2023
Director Francis Lawrence
Cast Rachel Zegler , Hunter Schafer , Viola Davis , Tom Blyth , Peter Dinklage ,
Jason Schwartzman , Burn Gorman , Fionnula Flanagan
Runtime 165 minutes
Main Genre Sci-Fi
Writers Michael Lesslie , Michael Arndt , Suzanne Collins
RENT ON PRIME VIDEO
2. THE HUNGER GAMES (2012)
Image via Lionsgate
Directed by Gary Ross, The Hunger Games, the first of the franchise, was the
most highly anticipated YA adaptation since Harry Potter and Twilight — and it's
safe to say it lived up to the hype. The Hunger Games burst onto the scene with
crackling suspense and sharp performances by a stellar cast, most notably,
Jennifer Lawrence. Largely appearing in independent films prior, The Hunger
Games pushed Lawrence to stardom with her moving, striking performance as
Katniss Everdeen, one of the YA genre's most daring, inspirational heroines.
Released in 2012, the same year as The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2,
The Hunger Games still soared at the box office and proved to be the next big YA
series, one that stood on its own despite Twilight's massive YA legacy. From the
dazzling, blindingly oppressive pageantry of the Capitol to the heart-stopping
intensity of the games, The Hunger Games is a triumph for book fans and non-book
fans alike.
THE HUNGER GAMES
PG-13
Adventure
Fantasy
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
* stream
* rent
* buy
Stream on Peacock Stream on SlingTV
Rent on Apple TV+ Rent on Prime Video
Buy on Apple TV+ Buy on Prime Video
Release Date March 12, 2012
Director Gary Ross
Cast Stanley Tucci , Wes Bentley , Jennifer Lawrence , Willow Shields , Liam
Hemsworth , Elizabeth Banks
Runtime 142
Main Genre Adventure
Writers Gary Ross , Suzanne Collins , Billy Ray
1. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (2013)
Image via Lionsgate
Directed by the series' then-new director, Francis Lawrence, the second
installment, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, stands above the pack, even with
the immense success of the franchise's first film. Catching Fire introduces some
of the series' most memorable characters, including previous victors and
fan-favorites Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) and Johanna Mason (Jena Malone). The
stakes of the game have been raised as all the returning champions are forced to
compete to the death once again in the 75th Hunger Games, aka the third Quarter
Quell. With the return of the victors, the second film digs deeper into the
politics of the games as alliances are secretly formed in order to ensure
Katniss's survival as the symbol of the rebellion.
Catching Fire also shows the extent of Katniss's reciprocation of Peeta's love
now that she sees how truly good Peeta is to his very core. Their steadfast
determination to ensure the other's survival, even knowing it could mean their
own death, shows the evolution of their relationship after surviving the first
games. Due to the massive number of YA franchises, there are a lot of ships out
there, but Katniss and Peeta are arguably one of the most beloved, and Catching
Fire captures this perfectly.
THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
PG-13
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Thriller
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
* stream
* rent
* buy
Stream on Peacock Stream on SlingTV
Rent on Apple TV+ Rent on Prime Video
Buy on Apple TV+ Buy on Prime Video
Release Date November 22, 2013
Director Francis Lawrence
Cast Jennifer Lawrence , Liam Hemsworth , Jack Quaid , Taylor St. Clair , Sandra
Ellis Lafferty , Woody Harrelson
Runtime 146 minutes
Main Genre Action
Writers Simon Beaufoy , Michael Arndt , Suzanne Collins
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Related Topics
* Movie Features
* The Hunger Games
* The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
* The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
* The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
* The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
About The Author
Rae Torres (82 Articles Published)
Rae Torres is a Features Editor at Collider. Her past 13-year-old self wouldn't
have believed you if you told her that she would get to channel her unhealthy
obsession with TV shows into a career. Her favorite shows are all over the
place, from Breaking Bad to Gilmore Girls, The Boys to Boy Meets World, The
Punisher to Sex Education, and the list goes on. Most importantly, she will
watch anything Jon Bernthal appears in, even if he's only there for 37 seconds.
Prior to working in entertainment journalism, Rae was a writer for educational
companies such as Aztec Software, SuperSummary, and APass Education. She has
also worked as a textbook editor and a marketing director of legal textbooks.
With an MA in Rhetoric and Composition and an M.Ed. in English Language Arts,
Rae has spent over ten years working closely with writers as a writing
consultant, college writing instructor, and middle school ELA teacher. (And yes,
Abbott Elementary hits too close to home, so she can't watch it anymore, even
though it's brilliant. Sorry, Quinta Brunson.)
When she isn't typing away, you can find her hanging out with her husband,
stepson, and their three cats, Raisin, Gollum, and Smeagol, reading Brandon
Sanderson, and aggressively defending Taylor Swift.
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