After spawning a hit film series and a worldwide fandom, The Hunger Games is headed into a whole new medium. On Tuesday, it was announced that The Hunger Games will be turned into a stage play, which will adapt the first book in Suzanne Collins’ saga of novels. This theatrical production of The Hunger Games will be made exclusive to London’s West End, and will begin performances in the fall of 2024. The Hunger Games will be adapted by Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson, and directed by Matthew Dunster.
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“I’m very excited to be collaborating with the amazing team of Conor McPherson and Matthew Dunster as they bring their dynamic and innovative interpretation of ‘The Hunger Games’ to the London stage,” Collins said in a statement.
“To receive Suzanne Collins’ blessing to adapt ‘The Hunger Games’ for the stage is both humbling and inspiring,” McPherson added. “She has created a classic story which continues to resonate now more than ever. In a world where the truth itself seems increasingly up for grabs, ‘The Hunger Games’ beautifully expresses values of resilience, self-reliance and independent moral inquiry for younger people especially. This is turbo charged storytelling of the highest order and I’m hugely excited to bring it to a new generation of theatre goers and to Suzanne Collins’ longstanding and devoted fans.”
“This might be the most exciting work call I’ve ever had,” Dunster echoed. “As soon as the producers said the title, I just said ‘Stop! I’m in’. I loved the Lionsgate film and the brutal and emotional power of this dystopian classic. My children had their heads in the books at the time (it’s definitely the ONLY work call of mine they’ve been excited about) so I stole them and I came to appreciate the beauty of Suzanne Collins’ storytelling. And then to add one of our greatest living playwrights, Conor McPherson, and experience him honouring the voice of Katniss Everdeen so rigorously has been a great privilege. This is theatre. It’s ‘The Hunger Games’ in the theatre. And with the world class team we have put together we aim to do something that is fully immersed in the novel and the film but is uniquely, thrillingly theatrical.”
What Is The Hunger Games Play About?
In a dystopian future, The Hunger Games ignite a thrilling battle for survival, where 24 young tributes are pitted against each other in a deadly arena. Katniss Everdeen, a fearless and resourceful heroine, emerges as a symbol of rebellion as she fights not only for her life but for the hope of a nation oppressed by a ruthless Capitol. In a brand-new epic stage production, The Hunger Games is a gripping tale of courage, defiance, and the unbreakable human spirit.
“The Hunger Games is one of the best book to movie adaptations of all time, inspiring audiences to think deeply about the world around them and the strength of the human spirit,” Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate, said. “We are honored to bring its powerful story, characters and world to the stage in this latest exciting chapter.”
Will There Be Other Hunger Games Spinoffs?
The Hunger Games’ first spinoff, the prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, will arrive later this year. For years, fans have campaigned for other expansions of the franchise’s lore, including a deeper look at the 50th Hunger Games won by Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), and the 65th Hunger Games won by Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin). In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, franchise director Francis Lawrence hinted that he isn’t opposed to the possibility, but any future chapters will probably have to be rooted in an idea from Collins herself.
“I liked being part of the series originally because the stories are great,” Lawrence explained. “But what was always gratifying was that they were always about something. Suzanne always writes from a thematic foundation. The original ones were all about the consequences of war. [Songbirds and Snakes is] about the state of nature. That’s what makes them feel rich and not superficial, and I think it’s why they’ve stood the test of time, honestly… If Suzanne has another thematic idea that she feels fits into the world of Panem — whether that’s with new people [or] familiar characters [like] Finnick, Haymitch, whoever — I’d be really interested in looking at it and being a part of it. But I don’t have any pull of just going, ‘I would love to do Finnick’s games.’ He’s a great character, but what’s the thematic underpinnings that make it worth telling and relevant?”
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