It looks like a Hunger Games prequel series is in the works — at least, it will be if Lionsgate has anything to say about it. In a recent interview, the movie studio indicated that it really wanted to do a prequel series so the movies could live on.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. The Studio Wants to Make a Prequel Movie or Series
Lionsgate is very very interested in making a prequel to The Hunger Games, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael Burns, vice chairman of Lionsgate, said that the films will “live on and on and on.” The latest and final movie in The Hunger Games still leads the box office and has grossed $525 million worldwide so far. It started behind its predecessors, grossing $100 million opening weekend, but Burns said that was a good problem to have.
2. The Prequels Might Include More Arena Scenes
The prequels will likely include more scenes from the arena and more fight-to-the-death competitions. Fans missed those scenes in the later movies, so they will likely be brought back in prequels, Burns told The Hollywood Reporter. However, Katniss won’t likely be coming back. Francis Lawrence, director of Mockingjay, told Entertainment Weekly that Katniss’ story was complete.
3. But They Could Also Explore How Panem Came Into Existence
The prequels might not just be a way to have more arena fighting. Francis Lawrence, director of Mockingjay, told Entertainment Weekly that he would be very interested in a prequel that explored how Panem came into existence in the first place. He’d love for the movie to take place 75 years before the first Hunger Games and show how everything came about. He would love to be involved in any prequel that Suzanne Collins wrote, he said, whether it was about a different set of games, another character, or the Dark Days.
4. The Studio Is Also Considering ‘Twilight’ Prequels or Sequels
But The Hunger Games isn’t the only franchise that Lionsgate wants to revive. The studio is also interested in bringing back its blockbuster Twilight series, Burns commented to Hollywood Reporter, but is not sure if that would be a sequel, prequel, or reboot. The studio would also like to do more with The Expendables.
5. Reactions to the News Are Mixed
Fans are having mixed reactions to the news about possible prequels. Some fans are absolutely ecstatic, but others are less than amused. Here are just a few reactions: