The Hunger Games franchise had a little bit of a social media renaissance last year. Even before the prequel movie The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes released this past November, the popular 2010’s dystopian series was having a moment.
A large part of the reason for the series’ revival is because the original movies were available to stream on Netflix at the beginning of 2023. People were rereading the books, rewatching the films, or discovering the series for the first time. Edits were thriving on TikTok and it was clear that the general public was incredibly invested.
Now, a year after the movies were taken off Netflix in the United States, they are available on the streaming service again and I personally cannot wait to rewatch them. As someone who was a major fangirl during the time the movies were coming out, it has been nice to revisit the series and connect new meanings to the story. I might not be thirteen years old anymore, but there is so much value in returning to old interests.
Aside from being a sensation in the young adult genre, The Hunger Games books eloquently comment on the real world and the reality of war. Katniss Everdeen is a relatable character who has captivated audiences for well over a decade now. Her journey and the society in which she lives immensely parallel to what is going on today within the United States government and their own relationship with war. Gen Z has grown up seeing injustices across the globe and has gained a reputation for being a politically conscious generation. It is only fair that the media we consume reflects that.
The movies are not perfect adaptations by any means. It is kind of difficult to make a high budget Hollywood franchise based on a series that has a purpose of commenting on the exploitative nature of the media. However, how can anyone ignore how The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is one of the best movies of all time? In all seriousness, The Hunger Games films are wonderful additions to Netflix’s platform and it is always a great time to watch them.