Summary:
- Six Hunger Games movies have been made so far. So we thought of writing a watch order guide for The Hunger Games franchise.
- The sixth Hunger Games movie, which is a prequel, will be released in 2026.
- Here is your ultimate and updated The Hunger Games movie watch order guide.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is the latest addition to the Hunger Games franchise, set to release on November 20, 2026. This is the best time to rewatch the old movies, but in which order? Since there are prequels and sequels involved, we recommend you follow our The Hunger Games watch order guide, which covers both release and chronological order. We have a separate guide for The Hunger Games books reading order.
The Hunger Games – Chronological Watch Order
1. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 64% (Tomatometer) and 89% (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.6/5
- Runtime: 2h 37m
- Director: Francis Lawrence
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the latest Hunger Games movie that also happens to be the first Hunger Games movie chronologically. The story takes place 64 years before the first Hunger Games, focusing on a young Coriolanus Snow who is chosen as a mentor in the games.
We follow Coriolanus Snow falling for a tribute from District 12 called Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). Snow tries his very best to make Baird win the games, and the two slowly develop a complex romance. The film also follows the dark descent of a young Coriolanus Snow into the villainous President Snow.
2. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)
- IMDb rating: N/A
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: N/A (Tomatometer) and N/A (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: N/A
- Runtime: N/A
- Director: Francis Lawrence
Sunrise on the Reaping is another Hunger Games prequel set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and 24 years before the events of the first Hunger Games. The movie is set to release on November 20, 2026, and will feature multiple returning characters as their younger versions, like Haymitch Abernathy, Effie Trinket, and President Snow.
The story primarily focuses on Haymitch Abernathy and his journey to becoming the first tribute from District 12 to win the Hunger Games. The movie is set to feature big-name actors such as Elle Fanning, Jesse Plemons, Maya Hawke, Ralph Fiennes, and Kieran Culkin.
3. The Hunger Games (2012)
- IMDb rating: 7.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 84% (Tomatometer) and 81% (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.8/5
- Runtime: 2h 22m
- Director: Gary Ross
The original Hunger Games, released in 2012, is the movie that started the Hunger Games hype and helped spark the wave of the entire teen dystopian era of movies. It was only after The Hunger Games’ success that films like Maze Runner, Divergent and Ender’s Game began to emerge.
The story follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteering as a tribute from District 12, taking her younger sister’s place to spare her from the grim fate of the Hunger Games. She tackles the deadly challenges of the arena along with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) to make it back alive.
4. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- IMDb rating: 7.5/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90% (Tomatometer) and 89% (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5
- Runtime: 2h 26m
- Director: Francis Lawrence
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire holds the highest rating among all the Hunger Games movies to date. This was the first Hunger Games directed by Francis Lawrence, and since then the director has continued to make multiple movies set in the lands of Panem.
The story takes place right after the first Hunger Games movie, with Peeta and Katniss doing a Victors Tour. The two sense a rebellion growing, and Katniss slowly starts becoming the symbol of the revolution. The tiny sparks of rebellion we see in the last movie transform into a full-fledged movement in Catching Fire.
5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 70% (Tomatometer) and 71% (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.3/5
- Runtime: 2h 3m
- Director: Francis Lawrence
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is based on the third book in the series called Mockingjay. Following the trend of Harry Potter movies, this movie was split into two parts. The plot picks up right after the events of Catching Fire as we see Katniss waking up in an underground stronghold of District 13.
District 13 has become the face of rebellion, with Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) wanting Katniss to lead this rebellion, calling her the Mockingjay. The plot follows Katniss working with other members of District 13 to urge them to join the rebellion against District 13.
6. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
- IMDb rating: 6.6/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 70% (Tomatometer) and 66% (Popcornmeter)
- Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5
- Runtime: 2h 17m
- Director: Francis Lawrence
The final Hunger Games movie picks up right after the events of Mockingjay—Part 1, with Katniss recovering from Peeta’s attack. Mockingjay – Part 2 shifts fully into war mode. The Capitol has transformed into a war zone, and Katniss, as the Mockingjay, is leading multiple districts against the Capitol.
The story revolves around Katniss realizing the true weight of her role, not just as a symbol, but as an active participant in the revolution. She decides to kill President Snow along with a special military squad, which leads to an unexpected yet satisfying unraveling at the end of the film.
The Hunger Games Movies in Release Order
If you’re planning to watch the Hunger Games movies in release order, ever since the first movie’s release in 2012 up until the latest release of 2023, here’s the order:
- The Hunger Games (2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015)
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
- The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)
What is the Best Order to Watch Hunger Games Movies
The best order to watch the Hunger Games movies is by their release order. Most of the series are best enjoyed in their release order, unless, of course, you’re watching Star Wars. This is because the prequels assume you know the world and spend less time exploring the world and characters.
So, if you’re a newbie, watching the Hunger Games chronologically might be a bit confusing. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can be enjoyed as a standalone movie, but having the context of who the characters of the original Hunger Games are makes the experience even more worthwhile.
