“The Hunger Games” is making its way to the stage, courtesy of Lionsgate. The adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel will arrive in fall 2024. Olivier Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson will write while Matthew Dunster (“2:22 – A Ghost Story,” “Hangman” and “The Plowman”) will direct.
Collins stated, “I’m very excited to be collaborating with the amazing team of Conor McPherson and Matthew Dunster as they bring their dynamic and innovative interpretation of The Hunger Games to the London stage.”
“The Hunger Games” became one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of all time. The four films earned $2.96 billion worldwide from 2012 to 2015. The series became one of the definitive YA fantasy franchises of the last 20 years. They also helped turn Jennifer Lawrence into an Oscar-winning superstar. Lionsgate has a prequel, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” starring Rachel Zegler, set to open on Nov. 17.
Like the novels and the films that share its name, “The Hunger Games” features a dystopian future where young children from poor communities are plucked from their homes to fight each other to the death for the bread-and-circuses entertainment of the decendantly rich. Katniss Everdeen, from District 12, shocks the world by volunteering to fight and presumably die in place of her younger sister. Her forthright ways turn her into a symbol of defiance and potentially of rebellion.
Dunster said: “This might be the most exciting work call I’ve ever had. As soon as the producers said the title, I just said ‘Stop! I’m in.’ I loved the Lionsgate film and the brutal and emotional power of this dystopian classic. My children had their heads in the books at the time (it’s definitely the ONLY work call of mine they’ve been excited about) so I stole them and I came to appreciate the beauty of Suzanne Collins’ storytelling. And then to add one of our greatest living playwrights, Conor McPherson, and experience him honoring the voice of Katniss Everdeen so rigorously has been a great privilege. This is theatre. It’s ‘The Hunger Games’ in the theatre. And with the world-class team we have put together we aim to do something that is fully immersed in the novel and the film but is uniquely, thrillingly theatrical.”
McPherson said: “To receive Suzanne Collins’ blessing to adapt The Hunger Games for the stage is both humbling and inspiring. She has created a classic story which continues to resonate now more than ever. In a world where the truth itself seems increasingly up for grabs, The Hunger Games beautifully expresses values of resilience, self-reliance and independent moral inquiry for younger people especially. This is turbo-charged storytelling of the highest order and I’m hugely excited to bring it to a new generation of theatergoers and to Suzanne Collins’ longstanding and devoted fans.”
Joining McPherson and Dunster on the creative team are Miriam Buether (set designer), Moi Tran (costume designer), Charlotte Broom (choreographer), Lucy Carter (lighting designer), Ian Dickinson for Autograph (sound designer), Tal Rosner (video designer), Kev McCurdy (fight director), John Maddox for Suspended Illusions (performer flying), Amy Ball (casting director), and Gary Beestone (production manager).
Lionsgate’s EVP and Head of Global Products and Experiences Jenefer Brown declared, “The Hunger Games is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations of all time, inspiring audiences to think deeply about the world around them and the strength of the human spirit. We are honored to bring its powerful story, characters and world to the stage in this latest exciting chapter.”
It’s not absurd to see Lionsgate turning at least the first book into a stage show. The first half features dramatic character scenes and razzle-dazzle Capitol-set pageantry that partially takes place on a stage. How they will create the latter half of the novel, with young kids chasing and evading each other and occasionally slaughtering each other, is a question for the director and producer.
“The Hunger Games” is produced by Tristan Baker & Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Oliver Royds for BOS Productions and Isobel David, by arrangement with Lionsgate. For priority booking information and to receive updates, register at www.thehungergamesonstage.com.
