Category: Finance | Title: Hunger Game Series in Order: Complete Book and Movie Release Sequence | Tag: Hunger Games | Meta Description: The complete Hunger Games series in order, covering books and movies with release dates, box office totals, and key facts...
Hunger Games Book Series in Order
The Hunger Games book series by Suzanne Collins consists of four main novels, published by Scholastic Press. The first book, The Hunger Games, was released in September 2008, followed by Catching Fire in September 2009, Mockingjay in August 2010, and the prequel Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in May 2020. The series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling book franchises in history according to Forbes.
The books are set in the dystopian nation of Panem, where the Capitol forces each of the 12 districts to send one boy and one girl to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death. The narrative follows Katniss Everdeen, whose acts of defiance ignite a rebellion against the Capitol. The series explores themes of survival, political control, media manipulation, and economic inequality, and it has been translated into more than 40 languages.
Hunger Games Movie Series in Order
The Hunger Games film series, produced by Lionsgate, consists of four main movies adapted from the novels. The Hunger Games premiered on March 23, 2012, followed by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on November 22, 2013, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 on November 21, 2014, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 on November 20, 2015, and the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes on November 17, 2023. The franchise has grossed over $3 billion globally at the box office per Box Office Mojo.
The film series was directed by Gary Ross for the first installment, Francis Lawrence for the next three main films, and Francis Lawrence also directed the prequel. The movies star Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, and Donald Sutherland as President Snow. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes features Tom Blyth as a young Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, expanding the franchise timeline before the original events.
Hunger Games Franchise Timeline and Key Facts
Release Order and Box Office Performance
The Hunger Games franchise follows a strict chronological release order across both book and film formats. The first film earned approximately $694 million worldwide, while Catching Fire grossed around $865 million, Mockingjay Part 1 earned roughly $755 million, and Mockingjay Part 2 collected about $661 million. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes earned approximately $159 million domestically per The Numbers. The combined global box office total for the franchise exceeds $3 billion.
The Hunger Games franchise is owned by Lionsgate Films, a publicly traded entertainment company listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol LGF.A and LGF.B. The franchise has generated billions in revenue through ticket sales, home media, merchandise, and licensing deals. The success of the series has influenced the young adult dystopian genre and led to adaptations of similar properties across film and television industries.