Watch The Hunger Games in release order: The Hunger Games (2012), Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2, then The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), a prequel set at the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss. In story order the prequel comes first, but its ending lands harder once you know who President Snow becomes.
- Titles
- 5
- Films
- 5
- Watch time
- 12 hours
- Box office
- $3.31 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 6.9
Hunger Games movies in release order
Here is every Hunger Games title in the order it came out, 2012 to 2023: 5 films.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hunger Games | 2012 | Film | 2h 22m | 7.2 |
| 2 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | 2013 | Film | 2h 26m | 7.5 |
| 3 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 | 2014 | Film | 2h 3m | 6.6 |
| 4 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 | 2015 | Film | 2h 17m | 6.6 |
| 5 | The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes | 2023 | Film | 2h 37m | 6.6 |
Hunger Games timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes | The 10th Hunger Games | 2023 |
| 2 | The Hunger Games | The 74th Hunger Games | 2012 |
| 3 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | The 75th Hunger Games | 2013 |
| 4 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 | District 13 | 2014 |
| 5 | The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 | The Capitol | 2015 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 5 titles here. In release order you start with The Hunger Games (2012); in story order you start with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, set in The 10th Hunger Games, which came out 11 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns The Hunger Games into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with The Hunger Games and go in release order.
The whole thing is 12 hours. At two hours a night that is about 6 evenings.
The three highest rated: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (7.5), The Hunger Games (7.2), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (6.6).
Every Hunger Games movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2012 · Film · 2h 22m · 2nd in story order
The Hunger Games
In a dystopian society where the Capitol forces each district to send two young tributes to fight to the death in a televised spectacle, a girl volunteers to take her sister’s place, setting the stage for a struggle of survival and defiance.
Why it matters: Katniss volunteers for the 74th Games; the place to start.
- Starring
- Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
- Director
- Gary Ross
- Box office
- $694 million on a $75 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
No. 02 · 2013 · Film · 2h 26m · 3rd in story order
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
After surviving the Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta struggle with the consequences of their victory as unrest spreads across Panem. Forced back into the spotlight, they become symbols of hope and resistance while the Capitol prepares a new and deadly challenge that will change the future of the nation forever.
Why it matters: The Quarter Quell; often called the best of the series.
- Starring
- Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Box office
- $865 million on a $130 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%
No. 03 · 2014 · Film · 2h 3m · 4th in story order
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
After surviving the Quarter Quell, Katniss finds herself in the hidden stronghold of District 13, where the rebellion against the Capitol is gaining momentum. Struggling with the weight of becoming the symbol of resistance, she must navigate fragile alliances while trying to protect those she loves. As propaganda battles rage and Panem moves closer to full-scale war, Katniss is forced to confront the true cost of revolution.
Why it matters: District 13 and the start of the rebellion.
- Starring
- Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Box office
- $755 million on a $125 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
No. 04 · 2015 · Film · 2h 17m · 5th in story order
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
As the war between the Capitol and the districts reaches its peak, Katniss Everdeen embarks on a perilous mission to liberate Panem and confront President Snow. Joined by a team of trusted allies, she navigates deadly traps, shifting loyalties, and the heavy cost of rebellion, determined to bring freedom to her people and end the Hunger Games once and for all.
Why it matters: The war on the Capitol ends the story.
- Starring
- Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Box office
- $653 million on a $160 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
No. 05 · 2023 · Film · 2h 37m · 1st in story order
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.
Why it matters: A young Coriolanus Snow at the 10th Games; a prequel best watched last.
- Starring
- Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, and Peter Dinklage
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Box office
- $337 million on a $100 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 64%
Hunger Games box office and budgets
The 5 Hunger Games films with reported numbers have grossed $3.31 billion worldwide on about $590 million in combined budgets, roughly 5.6 times what they cost. The biggest is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at $865 million, 26% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 ($755 million) and The Hunger Games ($694 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to The Hunger Games, which made 9.3 times its $75 million budget. The weakest was The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes at 3.4 times its $100 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Hunger Games movies
Across 5 rated titles, The Hunger Games averages 6.9 on IMDb. The top of the list is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at 7.5, then The Hunger Games (7.2) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (6.6). At the bottom: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (6.6) and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (6.6).
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire7.5 · RT 90%
- The Hunger Games7.2 · RT 84%
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 16.6 · RT 70%
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 26.6 · RT 70%
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes6.6 · RT 64%
Who appears in the most Hunger Games movies
Jennifer Lawrence leads with 4 appearances as Katniss Everdeen, ahead of Josh Hutcherson (4) and Liam Hemsworth (4). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Lawrence | Katniss Everdeen | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Josh Hutcherson | Peeta Mellark | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Liam Hemsworth | Gale Hawthorne | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Woody Harrelson | Haymitch Abernathy | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Elizabeth Banks | Effie Trinket | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Stanley Tucci | Caesar Flickerman | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Donald Sutherland | President Coriolanus Snow | 4 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Philip Seymour Hoffman | Plutarch Heavensbee | 3 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Jeffrey Wright | Beetee Latier | 3 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Willow Shields | Primrose Everdeen | 3 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) |
| Lenny Kravitz | Cinna | 2 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) |
| Toby Jones | Claudius Templesmith | 2 | The Hunger Games (2012) to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) |
Hunger Games directors and creators
2 filmmakers have directed or created The Hunger Games; Francis Lawrence has the most, with 4.
- Francis LawrenceThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015), and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)
- Gary RossThe Hunger Games (2012)
How long it takes to watch every Hunger Games movie
All 5 titles add up to 12 hours. That is about 6 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes at 2h 37m.
The 4 best rated films: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.
Everything takes about 2 weeks.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is out November 20, 2026. Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Upcoming Hunger Games movies
- The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the ReapingNovember 20, 2026
Common questions
What order should I watch the Hunger Games movies in?
Watch The Hunger Games in release order: The Hunger Games (2012), Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2, then The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), a prequel set at the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss. In story order the prequel comes first, but its ending lands harder once you know who President Snow becomes.
How many Hunger Games movies and shows are there?
There are 5 titles in the The Hunger Games franchise: 5 films and 0 series, released from 2012 to 2023. 1 more is announced: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
How long does it take to watch all the Hunger Games movies?
About 12 hours for all 5 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Hunger Games title in chronological order?
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, set in The 10th Hunger Games. In release order the first is The Hunger Games (2012).
What is the next Hunger Games release?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, out November 20, 2026.
What is the best Hunger Games movie?
By IMDb score, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) at 7.5, followed by The Hunger Games at 7.2.
What is the highest-grossing Hunger Games movie?
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), with $865 million worldwide. The Hunger Games films have made $3.31 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Hunger Games movies?
Jennifer Lawrence, in 4 of them as Katniss Everdeen.
What is the longest Hunger Games movie?
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, at 2h 37m.
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