Get ready to experience The Hunger Games like never before! A brand-new stage production inspired by Suzanne Collins’ acclaimed novel and Lionsgate’s hit film series is set to debut in London this October, as announced by producers on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Adapted by Olivier Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson (Hangmen, The Pillowman), The Hunger Games: On Stage will bring the thrilling events of the first book in Collins’ dystopian saga to life in a theatrical setting.
The Hunger Games follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old living in the futuristic nation of Panem. Each year, the Capitol forces a boy and a girl from each of its 12 districts to fight to the death in a televised battle known as the Hunger Games, leaving only one survivor.
When Katniss’ younger sister, Prim, is chosen, she selflessly volunteers to take her place. As Katniss fights for survival in the deadly arena, she unexpectedly becomes a symbol of
No casting details for the stage adaptation have been revealed yet, but the production will be directed by Matthew Dunster.
Performances are scheduled to begin on Monday, Oct. 20 at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre, a newly developed 1,200-seat venue designed for innovative productions like The Hunger Games: On Stage.
“This specially designed theatre is the perfect home for Panem, allowing our world-class team to create a transportive, electrifying experience that fully captures the scale, intensity, and spectacle of Suzanne Collins’ world,” said Troubadour Theatres joint CEOs Tristan Baker and Oliver Royds in a statement.
“Every element — from the staging to the technology — has been tailored to transport audiences right into the heart of the Games like never before.”
For a sneak peek of what’s to come, producers released a video on Instagram on Thursday featuring workshop footage of Charlotte Broom’s choreography, Kev McCurdy’s fight direction, and jaw-dropping aerial work from Suspended Illusions.
“What we’re trying to do is make something that is unique theatrically,” Dunster explained in the video. “It’d be great if people can come along and not just be re-energized by the story being told theatrically, but actually be blown away by the kind of piece of theater that we’re making.”
“You are going to see a massive spectacle,” McCurdy added. “Everything that you see [in] the film itself is great, it’s huge, a lot of it is CGI. This, you’re going to see live. It’s going to blow your heads!”
Collins herself is particularly excited about the stage adaptation. “I’m thrilled that The Hunger Games is in the hands of gifted playwright Conor McPherson and accomplished director Matthew Dunster,” she shared in a statement.
“Conor has done a fantastic adaptation, which is quite unique from the screenplay. And Matthew’s immersive, dynamic staging gives the audience a brand-new way to experience the story.”
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Suzanne Collins attends “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” Los Angeles Premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 13, 2023, in Hollywood, California.
Suzanne Collins.
The Hunger Games: On Stage is far from the first major screen property to be adapted for the stage. Productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Stranger Things: First Shadow have already found great success in London, though both of those plays serve as extensions of their respective franchises rather than retellings.
The Hunger Games franchise itself is still expanding. A new book, Sunrise on the Reaping, is set for release on March 18, while Lionsgate’s film adaptation of the novel is scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 20, 2026.
The blockbuster film series has amassed more than $3.4 billion in global box office earnings. Tickets for The Hunger Games: On Stage will be available for purchase starting Thursday, March 27.
