15 Best Movies Like Hunger Games That You Should Watching Update 04/2024

Movies Like Hunger Games

In the YA genre, The Hunger Games is one of the best-known series. Moreover, if you liked the movies, you might want to check out these other flicks.

In spite of the controversy about whether or not a film adaptation can live up to the incredibly excellent book series, the Hunger Games series is still one of the most popular franchises ever, with legions of dedicated fans worldwide.

There are a few films that draw parallels in tone or contain comparable dystopian, child-killing stories to push them ahead, but the majority of the story is original. If you’re a fan of the Hunger Games, you’ll want to check out these 15 flicks and franchises.

George Chrysostomou updated this page on March 25, 2020.

We’ve revisited this article five years after the release of the final film in the Hunger Games franchise to present you fine folks with even more alternatives to check out if you’re hungry for more!

1. The Percy Jackson Series

The Percy Jackson Series

In many young adult stories, the protagonist is thrust into an unfamiliar environment and must quickly learn to adjust to it. While Katniss prepares for the competitions, Percy Jackson undergoes a similar transformation.

Camp Half-Blood, Percy’s new home, reveals his demi-god origins, and he is tasked with assimilating himself into the mythical world in order to survive and fulfill his destiny. It’s a fast-paced, exciting game!

 2. Stormbreaker (2006)

Stormbreaker (2006)

As a youthful hero, Alex Rider has to meet high standards in order to protect or revenge the death of a family member. While mourning the loss of his uncle, Alex is thrust into the world of spying.

There’s no postapocalyptic tone here because it’s set in current Britain, unlike The Hunger Games, which is based on the best-selling book series.

Action and a teen who’s out of their depth reminds us of another popular franchise, which is why we’re excited about this film.

3. Mortal Engines (2018)

Mortal Engines (2018)

In another post-apocalyptic fiction for young adults, this story takes place in one of the massive cities that travel across the country in a battle for survival and supplies. It appears that this is an alternate reality for Katniss’s life.

If you’re looking for a movie with a strong female lead, look no further than The Hunger Games. But if you’re looking for something a little more futuristic, look no farther than Inception. It’s a trip that any fiction fan would enjoy taking part in.

4. Red Sparrow (2018)

Red Sparrow (2018)

For Jennifer Lawrence fans, this is a must-see picture. Actress Jennifer Lawrence is able to exhibit her career’s progression, but she also relies on her Katniss Everdeen action training for this role.

Taking on the role of a Russian agent, highly educated to be a weapon in every capacity, this is an excellent way to introduce fans of The Hunger Games to a more gritty tale.

5. The Road (2009)

This is another another gritty adaptation of a best-selling post-apocalyptic novel to be added to the list. As they cross the country, a little kid and his father get caught in a zombie outbreak that appears to be escalating out of control.

This is actually about the emotional journey the father and his child go through and the sacrifices he will have to make in order to protect his family, which is what this is all about. Emotional and touching, it touches on several of the Everdeen saga’s themes.

6. The Harry Potter Series

The Harry Potter Series

Actually, I’m sure you’ve seen Harry Potter by now. When it comes to popularity, it is one of only a handful of series that has (hugely) outsold The Hunger Games, making it one of the world’s most valuable brands. As such, it has a lot in common with Katniss and co.’s adventures.

Both programs are able to build a grim environment with moments of joy and practically endless rewatchability by focusing on children who have too much life or death responsibility on their hands. Furthermore, comparing the films and novels allows you to go further into both universes.

7. The Mad Max Series

The Mad Max Series

The dystopian futures shown in Mad Max (especially the latest reboot) and Hunger Games are not exactly the same, yet there are some similarities between the two films.

Surviving Immortan Joe’s army is important to Mad Max: Fury Road, as the key characters do everything they can to stay alive. For more than a year, Katniss has been fighting for her life against President Snow and the terrible society he controls.

8. Enders Game (2013)

Enders Game sees a child forced into training for an oncoming alien invasion, with the extra bonus of also having the word ‘game’ in its title. Despite the sci-fi extraterrestrial themes, Katniss’s training for a conflict she doesn’t want to participate in shares a lot of similarities with Ender’s character.

In this film, rather than the original film, the tone and scope of the entire Hunger Games series are effectively encapsulated by the large-scale drama.

9. Circle (2015)

Circle (2015)

Despite the fact that Circle is a more adult-oriented film, its cruel fundamental plot mechanism produces a clear overlap between the two films. When they try to leave or one by one, the 50 people in the circle are slaughtered. This is based on 12 Angry Men, which is a one-room drama.

Alliances are formed and people are killed off with the idea of “one survivor” entering their thoughts. This is similar to what we see in the games. Familiar?

10. Lord Of The Flies

Lord Of The Flies

However, it is impossible to deny that Suzanne Collins’ Lord of the Flies must have had an impact on her work. In the aftermath of a plane catastrophe, a group of children are forced to build a community. There are some dramatic, violent conflicts among a group of people pushed to mature far too soon, as shown in the interplay between children that is so prominent in The Hunger Games.

As a more modern replica, the 1990 version of the film is usually considered to be a better watch than the 1963 version.

11. The Truman Show (1998)

For a film starring Jim Carrey, there’s no teen overlap. That’s not to say it doesn’t have a frightening 1984-like setting, but it doesn’t have much else to offer in the way of positive vibes.

The process of the reaping, in which the hosts and sponsors happily promote a show that culminates in the death of several children, is akin to watching Truman live his life unknowing that everyone around him is acting and the world is watching his every action.

 12. Hanna (2011)

Hanna (2011)

This picture has a particular quality that goes beyond the youthful drama of the Hunger Games. As a matter of fact, the film’s protagonist is 15-year-old Hanna Heller, a skilled combatant who is just a year younger than Katniss at the start of the first film in the series. Unlike Katniss, Hanna has been trained from the age of two by an ex-CIA operative, who has helped her develop her fighting skills. Consequently, she is an accomplished assassin.

It’s not quite as dismal as the Hunger Games, but there are similarities between the two protagonists.

13. Battle Royale (2000)

Battle Royale (2000)

Battle Royale existed long before the world of the Hunger Games was imagined. Koushun Takami’s novel of the same name was the first to inspire the name of the battle royale video game genre, which is currently growing.

Putting a group of children on an island and letting them fight it out to the death until only one survivor remains seems eerily similar to the Hunger Games. Although this film isn’t shown on television, the only real distinction is that the children used are described as “unruly” rather than picked at random.

14. The Divergent Series

A dystopian future, starring teenagers, and a dismal world to travel through are some of the many parallels between Divergent and the Hunger Games. To begin, in this future world, people are divided into groups depending on their personality qualities. It’s not precisely the same, but the concept of districts has a lot in common with it.

Tris’ outfit in the most of the film instantly reminds you of Katniss’ in the later films. Additionally, this picture features a mix of romance, teen drama, and action that makes it an excellent follow-up to The Hunger Games.

15. The Maze Runner Series

The Maze Runner Series

There is something about this series that ties so closely to the Hunger Games that it’s almost impossible to separate. There is an abundance of young romance and overly heroic action sequences in this dystopian world, making it an ideal follow-up viewing. The only way out of the grassy region where the gang is stuck is through the strange maze, and like the Games themselves, it’s quite difficult to live there.

The Maze Runner may be better than the Hunger Games because of a few interesting twists and turns in the end.