
It’s surprising how easily we might overlook the significant impact of the original “Hunger Games” films during the 2010s. For instance, when “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was released in 2013, it grossed an impressive $865 million globally. Compared to this, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes,” which premiered in 2023, made $348 million. Granted, that’s still a notable sum, but it’s significantly less than the original films’ earnings. Prequels often face more challenges than one might anticipate, as the “Fantastic Beasts” series from Warner Bros. demonstrates. Nevertheless, Lionsgate intends to continue exploring prequel stories for the “Hunger Games,” with “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” slated for release in 2026.