In the late 2010’s teen dystopia books and movies captured major popularity around the world, Divergent, Maze Runner, and Mortal Instruments are just a few. The one that gained the most attention was the book trilogy turned movie series, The Hunger Games. Following the life of teenager Katniss Everdeen in a dystopian North American country of Panem where every year a Hunger Games is held, a spectacle which chooses one boy and one girl from each district between the ages 12 and 18 to fight to the death in an arena until there is one sole victor, and how it all came crumbling down. The first book was released in 2008, author Suzanne Collins released a Hunger Games prequel titled A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which follows the life of young Coriolanus Snow, Panem’s future president, in 2020. The book was adapted into a film and was released on November 16th, 2023. With the release of this movie, Hunger Games fans new and old are resurfacing the fandom that came with the movie 10 plus years ago.
The way all dystopian stories, especially The Hunger Games, critique the current North American climate, is a reason these books became so popular. The books were fantastically written, with amazing world-building and in-depth characters readers can’t help but root for. When the movies came out, it only brought more love. Starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, the film instantly garnered a large audience, consisting of mainly teenagers.
The Hunger Games mania eventually passed until the announcement of the movie adaptation of the prequel which stars Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler, and big stars like Viola Davis and Peter Dinklage. The movie has made 200 million dollars at the box office and is the number one movie in the world. Since the release of the movie, Hunger Games fans have seen a “Hunger Games Renaissance” with fans posting, reading, and watching all things Hunger Games.
This Hunger Games resurgence has made its way to Shadow Ridge as well.
“I’ve always liked the original Hunger Games trilogy, so when a prequel was announced I was really excited. I went and saw it soon after the movie came out and I really enjoyed it, I’ve also enjoyed seeing people start to post more about the movies on social media,” says senior Celeste Torres.
