These days big, successful franchises never fade away – studios dig out the electrodes and shock the idea back into life with prequels, sequels and spin-offs. Lionsgate, which released the seemingly final Hunger Games film this year with Mockingjay – Part 2, is seriously considering digging into the story’s past for new potential films.
Right now, nothing has gone beyond the pondering stage, but speaking at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference, vice chairman Michael Burns dropped word that the studio is at least exploring development of prequels to be set before Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen came along and ruined President Snow’s fun. Talking up the fact that younger fans apparently missed the Hunger Games elements in the later Hunger Games films, Burns said, “if we went backwards, there obviously would be arenas.” Not to mention a creeping sense of knowing where this is all going anyway.
Yes, it was the kids killing each other that apparently really appealed, and not Lawrence’s star-making turn. So take that as you will. Nothing is official just yet, but we could see Lionsgate taking a leaf out of Warner Bros. Potter playbook and taking a trip into the history of the arenas, whether Games author Suzanne Collins is involved or not.