With The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping coming out next year. Fans – both devout and new – are excited to see what’s next for everything happening in Panem. This film takes place roughly 25 years before the events in The Hunger Games series. It follows Haymitch Abernathy as he prepares to do battle for District 12. The dystopian novels have made excellent movies. What are some films and shows we can watch in anticipation of the “games?”
10 TV Shows and Movies That Are Perfect For Fans of The Hunger Games
Getting ready for battle in a dystopian world takes planning, adaptability, and creativity. Here’s a list to get you started!
1. Divergent (2014)
This movie is definitely the most similar to The Hunger Games, where society is divided into five factions. Here we meet Tris (Beatrice), who uncovers an evil plot and must fight to stay alive. She is aided by a young man named Four. Besides survival, at the heart of the story is love, not unlike Katniss and Peeta.
2. The Maze Runner (2014)
This film follows Thomas, played by Dylan O’Brien, who is deposited into an intricate maze. He must find his way out, but he encounters many challenges along the way, including the threat of horrid techno-biological creatures called the “grievers.” Grievers attack at night to keep the population down.
3. Battle Royale (2000)
In this Japanese cult film, a busload of 9th graders has been drugged, kidnapped. and are forced to fight to survive. This takes place in a futuristic Japan. Fun fact: this is one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite films. This absolutely deserves a place in our top 10 Hunger Games-related movies.
4. The 100 (2014-2020)
This wonderful and original TV series takes place decades after Earth’s population is destroyed. A group of 100 juveniles (most of them are delinquents) is sent back to Earth to repopulate the planet. The series is now available for binge-watching on Netflix.
5. Mortal Engines (2018)
The team behind The Lord of the Rings also wrote this cinematic gem. The movie follows Hester, played by Icelandic actress Hera Hilmar, as she fights to survive in this stark post-apocalyptic civilization. Cities are fully mobile and full of heavy machinery, which is designed to consume other cities.
6. Ender’s Game (2013)
Asa Butterfield plays Ender Wiggin, a young boy who has a paramount role in fighting off the Formics. The Formics are an invasive and violent alien race. which is brutally destroying the Earth. Supporting cast includes Harrison Ford, Viola Davis. and Hailee Steinfeld.
7. Squid Game (2022-2025)
Hwang Dong-hyuk is the brainchild behind this addictive Korean series. This follows a group of people who are recently down on their luck. They’re invited to participate in a high-stakes competition where they can win a huge prize; however, they must fight for their lives. The Squid Game title is taken from a popular children’s game in Korea.
8. Guns Akimbo (2019)
Daniel Radcliffe is all grown up here, playing Miles. Miles is a computer programmer who is still in love with his ex-girlfriend. In order to save her, he must brave battles on several fronts – including fighting off surveillance from a rogue state.
9. Silo (2022-present)
Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson leads this series, which is about a group of people trapped in a silo. She’s an engineer, trying to decipher what’s true, what’s not, and what’s a threat. This addictive series has a great concept and an original music score.
10. Lord of the Flies (1963 and 1990)
It would be remiss not to include this book, film, and ultimately British TV series of the same name. The story is about a group of 30 boys marooned on an island. They must form their own civilization, which is often ruled by savagery. Two movie editions were made, one in 1963 starring James Aubrey, and the more recent one, in 1990, with Balthazar Getty. A bit of trivia: film director Harry Hook wanted Balthazar Getty so badly that his broken arm was written into the script!
To Sum Up
We have about a year and a half until The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping comes out. While we wait, there are many films and shows that can fulfill our desire to see young adults and teens on a mission. Intelligence, survival, and resourcefulness are key, and are great movie draws as well.
