Suzanne Collins announced a new story, a prequel to the popular Hunger Games series, set to release in 2020.
While I enjoyed The Hunger Games movies and books, I think the creation of a prequel is a terrible idea.
Here’s why I think Collins should have started fresh with a brand new series.
No one wants a prequel
Hunger Games fanfiction is one of the most popular categories on fanfiction.net and Wattpad; in fact, on fanfiction.net, it’s beaten only by the usual suspects: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Twilight.
But if you do a quick search on site on the TYPE of Hunger Games fanfiction that is popular, you’ll notice a lot of the stories focus on what happens after Mockingjay, the final book in the series.
No one is really clamouring for a story on what led to the events of Hunger Games, especially when the book already does an adequate job at describing it anyway.
Prequels are historically not well received
This may be more true with film than with books, but is something to be considered, especially since Collins is already in talks to create a movie based around the planned prequel.
One only has to consider the Star Wars prequels to understand how wrong things can go if the story is not handled with the utmost care and consideration.
For every Rogue One there are a dozen movies like Solo. And on that note…
Prequels cheapen the original story
No one wanted to know how Han Solo got his name.
No one wanted an origin story about Han’s dice.
It didn’t enrich the story further to know that Darth Vader built C3PO with his own two hands.
Sometimes backstory is not needed, nor is it wanted.
At best it adds context to mysteries that were better left unanswered. At worst the story seems a bit Frankenstein-y, shoe-horning in elements so that they fit in with the timeline of the original series.
A prequel seems desperate
Remember when Suzanne Collins announced there would be no more Hunger Games in 2015?
Who knows what inspired this change of heart from the author? The immediate thought is greed: while Collins may have been sincere in her intent to end the series with Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Lionsgate went on record to say they wanted another go at the teat of this golden cash cow.
The Hunger Games was meant to be a standalone book, but Collins decided to turn it into a trilogy. Financially, the move paid off handsomely; critically, results were mixed.
While the first and second installments of The Hunger Games are well received, Mockingjay showcases the difficulty in stretching a story. The ending to Mockingjay was unsatisfying, which casts doubts on whether Collins has any more story to tell within the world of Panem.
Loss of The Hunger Games cast
Leading back to the potential for movies, the biggest sin about the prequel is that it would involve an entirely new cast of characters from the ones which fans are familiar.
Fun fact: I had absolutely no interest in The Hunger Games until I saw the first movie trailer. After which, I proceeded to consume the entire trilogy of books.
Jennifer Lawrence is the perfect Katniss Everdeen and I am convinced the movies would not have fared nearly as well if she wasn’t cast as the protagonist.
The idea of creating a new movie without Lawrence or the rest of the Hunger Games cast sounds unappealing, to say the least. Without Lawrence, a movie based on The Hunger Games prequel will feel like a movie that’s Hunger Games in name only, not in spirit.
And that’s my two cents on the upcoming Hunger Games prequel. Do you agree or disagree? Are you excited for any new stories set in the world of Panem, or do you think Suzanne Collins should have left the series alone and created something new?
Please comment below. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @sylvsoulwriter!
