Over a decade after the original films’ release, “The Hunger Games” series has returned with renewed interest and content on TikTok and other platforms. Marking the 11th anniversary of the first film, Neflix released the movies for users on March 1.  Fans were quick to pick up right where they left off in their love for the series. 

Freshman Avery Clement said TikTok helped her and others get more engaged with the fandom. 

“I think [TikTok] has brought attention to many theories and edits of things in the books and movies that makes people want to watch [the series],” Clement said. “They might not have read about it, but they see stuff on TikTok and it sparks interest.” 

Despite the series’ recent TikTok revival, its fan base has been steadily expanding since 2022. In June of last year, Lionsgate announced that it would release “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” movie in November 2023. 

According to Vogue, Rachel Zegler will play the role of Lucy Gray Bird and Tom Blyth will play Coriolanus Snow, the original story’s antagonist. Unless the film significantly departs from the novel, most of the actors from the original films are not anticipated to return for filming. 

The prequel is set during the 10th annual Hunger Games, 64 years before the events depicted in the original films. Seeking fortune for his family, Snow mentors Lucy Gray from District 12, the country’s poorest district. He sees potential in her and plots to help her win. 

Despite Snow’s seemingly protagonist role, the prequel references his villainous characteristics. Junior Audrey Holick believes that people won’t sympathize with Snow. 

“I don’t think that any book will cause people to sympathize with Snow because he is such a bad guy. I’m sure that no matter what backstory we get, he will still be a hate-able character,” Holick said via text.

The movie series has helped cement each actor as the face of our favorite and least-favorite characters. Reading the book series has helped Clement attribute certain characteristics to characters that the movies failed to capture.

“I would say my favorite characters are probably Joanna, Finnick, and Peeta,” Clement said. “I think that they have a lot of character depth, and I like how that is revealed throughout the books.” 

Holick’s favorite character is the protagonist of the original series, Katniss Everdeen. Everdeen is relatable through personal narrative in the books, and Holick is able to see things from Everdeen’s perspective. 

“The movies do a good job events wise, but character wise they differ because you’re not inside Katniss’ head. You don’t often see her opinion on things,” Holick said.

The universal love for the plot has allowed people to come up with their own speculations about the actuality of events in the series. 

 “I saw a TikTok once about the bowl and how the [characters] got reaped for the first time. It was all Prim’s name. Snow wanted Katniss to volunteer, which I don’t think was ever true. He saw her hunting or something and wanted to have her volunteer,” Holick said. 

These theories can change the meaning to the overall plot of the series, Clement said. 

“It could change [the plot] by making it even more real,” Clement said. “Like, that the Capitol had really planned out everything going on. To think of what we knew could have been even more.”