Film · in order
The Hunger Games Movies in Order
The Hunger Games has five films: four following Katniss Everdeen plus the 2023 prequel. Watch in release order, or start with the prequel for chronological story order.
≈ 11h 45m to watch all 5 films a full weekend
The Hunger Games Movies in Order — complete list
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Why this order?
The Hunger Games is one of the cleanest franchises to navigate because for most of its run it told a single continuous story. The four Katniss Everdeen films released between 2012 and 2015 follow one arc from start to finish, so release order and story order are identical for them. Then in 2023 the series jumped back in time with a prequel, which is the only thing that complicates the picture.
Release order is what we recommend, and it is the default here. Start with The Hunger Games (2012), then Catching Fire (2013), then the two-part finale Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015). Watching this way preserves the mysteries the films were built to spring on you, and it lets the prequel land as a deliberate reflection rather than a setup. The Mockingjay split is the only sequencing trap most viewers hit: Part 1 and Part 2 are a single book divided across two movies, so always pair them.
Chronological order rearranges things by in-universe timeline. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is set 64 years before Katniss volunteers, following a young Coriolanus Snow long before he becomes the tyrant President Snow. If you want events in the order they happen in Panem, that prequel comes first, followed by the four Katniss films in their original sequence.
Either path works, but the prequel rewards knowing the original story first, so newcomers should resist the urge to lead with it. Fans of dystopian young-adult sagas like Divergent and The Maze Runner will find a familiar shape here, though The Hunger Games is the most acclaimed of the wave. A further prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, is in development and not yet released, so the five films below are the complete watchable series for now.
Timeline 2012–2023
Every entry plotted by release year — see the gaps, clusters and revivals at a glance.
Where to play it today
Affiliate links (Bookshop.org for books, store links for games/films) slot in here.
Frequently asked questions
How many Hunger Games movies are there?
There are five Hunger Games movies: the four Katniss Everdeen films from 2012 to 2015, plus the 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. A further prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping, is in development but not yet released.
What order should I watch The Hunger Games in?
Watch in release order: The Hunger Games (2012), Catching Fire (2013), Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), and Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015), then the 2023 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. This preserves the story's surprises.
Should I watch the prequel first?
We don't recommend it. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is set 64 years earlier and works best once you know President Snow as a villain. Save it for after the four Katniss films unless you specifically want chronological order.
Is Mockingjay one movie or two?
Mockingjay was the final book but was split into two films, Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015). They tell one continuous story, so always watch them back to back as a single finale.
Do I need to read the books first?
No. The films adapt Suzanne Collins's novels faithfully enough to stand on their own. Reading the books adds depth, especially for the prequel, but it isn't required to follow the movies.
What is the chronological order of The Hunger Games?
By in-universe timeline, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes comes first (64 years before Katniss), followed by The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay – Part 1, and Mockingjay – Part 2.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, Wikidata
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