The Hunger Games films have finally concluded with the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, but there might be more films set in the world of Panem if Lionsgate gets its wish.
During the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York, Lionsgate Vice Chairman Michael Burns says the franchise will live "on and on," according to Variety. Though he didn't elaborate on what exactly that meant, he went on to discuss how the first two Hunger Games films featured arenas, whereas the later two did not.
"If we went backwards there obviously would be arenas," he says, implying that Lionsgate is tossing around the idea of creating prequels for its popular film franchise, despite having no real source material to draw from. So far, the last film, Mockingjay Part 2, has brought in roughly $227 million after three weeks at the box office domestically, putting it significantly behind other films in the series during the same three-week time period.
That's not to say the franchise isn't a powerful one. The first film brought in more than $408 million domestically, with the sequel surpassing that with $424 million. Burns seems to believe the arena storylines in the first two films translated to bigger box office successes than the two-part adaptation, which is precisely why Lionsgate would want return to the teenager vs. teenager roots of the franchise if prequels were indeed made.
A Hunger Games prequel, however, is not official, despite Burns' musings. Nothing has been announced, and a prequel would also have to overcome the hurdle of not having books to draw from for the film. Any prequel would be a brand new story, and if it is one not penned by Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, some fans might not be interested in seeing whatever Lionsgate decides to create.
A prequel story would also mean that Jennifer Lawrence, who plays series star Katniss Everdeen, likely wouldn't appear. As Lawrence's star power is a key part of the franchise, replacing her would be no small task. We'll keep you updated as more news or official announcements become available.
