Art is a tool that reflects and captures humanity, reality and the past, but is it capable of predicting the future as well? The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, was published in 2008, with its most recent prequel novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, published in 2025. After the fourth novel—The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes—many readers and fans of the movies believed Collins would end the world of Panem with the infamous backstory of Coriolanus Snow, Panem’s President.
When Collins announced that the newest novel would follow Haymitch’s story, fans were not just ecstatic but surprised. Haymitch’s role within the original trilogy not only progressed the novels but developed the depth of himself as an individual character. Once the book was released, Lionsgate quickly announced that a film adaptation was underway. The rapid progression of the novel furthered the excitement of fans, as the film is expected to release Nov. 20, 2026. In fact, throughout this year, producers have teased eager fans with content such as casting announcements, hidden clips from previous movies and media engagement which has continued the initial high.
Although, with media engagement comes online conversations discussing themes and the connection a fictional work of art has to the real world. Panem is set in a futuristic version of the United States, where a corrupt government rules over 13 districts. When comparing modern day U.S to Panem, many features remain the same; severe disparities in wealth distribution, power dynamics, divisive competition, and the gluttonous consumption of fashion, food and propaganda. In totality, the U.S contains many features of Panem. So, it raises the concern of what the U.S’s future will look like.
In today’s era, politics could not be more dichotomous. Media is becoming more indecipherable, poverty continues to intensify beyond a plight, capitalistic trends are leading to overconsumption and humanity’s unification is cracking. Are these the factors that lead to a real Panem? With the new book and soon to be movie, much of the public has begun questioning why Collins’ created this book and for what intent. According to a Scholastic Press interview with Editorial Director David Levithan and author Collins, Collins took inspiration from Scottish philosopher David Hume’s definition of implicit submission and the position media manipulation plays in maintaining power.
Collins incorporates these themes within The Hunger Games novels, seemingly taking real world examples to create the concept of Panem. It could be said that recent events such as Coachella, collegiate dinners, the recently announced government funded Patriot Games and the increasingly isolationist policies of the U.S correlate to actual events in the novels.
This year, Coachella tickets ranged from 500 to 1200 dollars, limiting who can attend and how much people spend. Musical events, especially concerts, are becoming more expensive while remaining highly monopolized and thus limited. This exclusiveness highlights the growing wealth gap between the citizens of the U.S and shows who has the ability to attend. Not only does this categorize groups, but it emphasizes the common critiques of capitalism: prioritizing and respecting wealth rather than respecting the people. Within The Hunger Games novels, the capitol is the symbol of wealth, power and capitalism. Every citizen within the capitol wears the next new thing, attends the grandest balls and experiences over-nutrition, while the outer districts starve to death despite leading a work-dominated life.
In fact, the problem with overconsumption reflects onto the U.S’s daily life. When posting about their annual Holiday Dinner, Yale University came under scrutiny by the public, who called out the amount of food wasted at the event. In 2022, Yale student Caleb Dunson, critiqued this tradition when “students lined up near the meal station back of Commons, waiting to grab entire crabs and lobsters to take home with them. They grabbed turkey legs the size of my forearm and munched away at them too. We all feasted like royalty.” Dunson would then go on to realize that “just two blocks away […] homeless people froze and starved in the bitter New Haven night.”
Although this realization occurred within Dunson, many remain unaware of the privilege and opportunity they have. Just like the overproduced and consumed food at the Holiday Dinner, in The Hunger Games, a party in the Capitol occurs where attendees choose to throw up food with the sole purpose of being able to eat more. The juxtaposed realities of having so much and having so little presents in multiple novels and in real life. The overconsumption of not just food, but products, leads to an imbalanced society where majorities and minorities are always at the opposite ends of a scale.
Along with the wealth gap, political tensions have also risen. When the Patriot Games were announced in honor of America’s 250th anniversary, the Trump administration became heavily criticized by the public. The Patriot Games indicate that one high school female and male athletes from each state participate in a four-day athletic event and the winner receives a cash prize. Like in many topics, these games have polarized views, in which supporters of the administration witness this event as an act of patriotism while those who oppose view it as a sign of intensified competition that looks too much like the start of the actual Hunger Games. Although the Patriot Games involve no sense of unmitigated violence, many still feel this resembling characteristic will mold the U.S into Panem’s image.
In any case, topics and events like these are bound to attract disagreement. Today, politicians, activists and lawmakers seem to be divided more than ever. Artificial intelligence, fake news and mass media that acts as a tool for propaganda have significantly chipped at this divide, creating a large ravine of distrust, hate and social injustice. Due to these uses of media manipulation, citizens and their respective corners of the political spectrum are in a knowledge war against each other. Like Panem, President Snow’s use of propaganda has convinced one polarized side to believe in one method democracy while the rebellious side believes in a Panem without President Snow. In both the U.S. and Panem, an incorrigible president rules, perpetuates a fragmented population and an unfortunate fragmented future.
So, why does Collins bring her audience back into the world of Panem in 2025 and 2026? In the beginning of the novel, readers learn about Haymitch’s family, love and work life. Despite knowing minute facts through the original trilogy, readers discover the tragedy of Haymitch. Collins shows readers that President Snow acts as a main catalyst to this tragedy to remind them how a corrupt and egotistical leader never prioritizes their people and in fact seeks the disruption of community lives. When Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released, many characterized young Snow as “hot and evil”, exemplifying the phenomenon of ‘pretty privilege’, which is the idea that when an individual is perceived as attractive they are less likely to be scrutinized. Collins ensures readers see President Snow’s evil and cruelty by showing how Haymitch’s happiness was stripped by Snow.
Additionally, Collins introduces the theme of certainty when Haymitch and Lenore Dove, Haymitch’s love interest, discuss the reaping ceremonies. In her interview with Leviathan, Collins mentions how Haymitch’s belief relies on inductive reasoning, where he argues since the sun has always risen on a reaping day it always will in the future. A key argument Lenore Dove discusses is that they can not know for certain because the future is undetermined. Within Collins’ interview, she discusses how certainty plays a big part in Haymitch’s and Katniss’s story and the uncertainty of eradicating the Hunger Games. She goes on to discuss there was a past without the games and there will be a future without them too. Within Sunrise on the Reaping, the audience’s hindsight bias removes the sympathy in this situation, but in Haymitch’s view, a void of hopelessness remains because he only knows a future with the games.
Overall, the novel includes heightened scenes of gore, violence, cruelty, despair and pure sadness. It seems Collins chose to intensify the tone and mood of this novel in order to accentuate the original themes of the trilogy. As the novel develops into a movie adaptation, many fans are excited to see the world of Panem once again. Although, there is some irony here. In Panem, every district watches the games occur, a tradition and “holiday” in which evokes excitement. With this fictitious plot coming to a visual landscape, it is ironic that fans want to see this movie despite knowing how horrific some scenes will be. So, why do we want to watch another Hunger Games occur and why do we want to watch a tragedy unfold?
As a fanbase, we collectively contribute to the capitalist cycle that encourages entertainment for profit. No matter how violent, foolish, depressing or excruciating it is to watch, we don’t turn away. An argument can be made that the novel’s adaptation is not only to produce entertainment, but to relay Collins message to a greater audience, one who may not read the novels or follow online conversations. This message is important to spread but it is a viewer’s responsibility to recognize this irony and how it contributes to the characteristics of Panem and the U.S. And even though it is ironic, I will be seated at the theater to revisit Panem on Nov. 20.
