The Hunger Games franchise got a big resurgence in 2023, and soon you will finally be able to stream all four original movies on Netflix. The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2 will all be added to Netflix on March 31, 2024. Unfortunately, the new prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will still only be available to rent or purchase on PVOD services like Prime Video.
The Hunger Games was one of the biggest breakout franchises of the last decade, adapting Suzanne Collins’ trilogy of novels into four movies by splitting the third book into two installments. The films star Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the teenage heroine who becomes the champion of a violent system only to find that she is still at its mercy. Collins revived the world of Panem in 2020 with a prequel novel, which was adapted for the screen last year in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. At the time, it was hard to find the four original movies on different streaming services, but now they will all be in one place on Netflix.
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A Hunger Games binge-watch is easier than ever, which is great for fans who are ready to revisit The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes at home. Here’s a guide to find the films and watch them in order:
‘The Hunger Games’ Series Streaming
Part of the reason The Hunger Games was difficult to stream in one place is likely because the first movie in the series had a surprisingly tenuous funding situation. It was co-produced by Lionsgate – which was struggling at the time – and Color Force – an independent production company founded by former Disney executive Nina Jacobson. That’s relevant here because these two companies would remain the dominant studios in the series going forward, and neither has a “home turf” when it comes to streaming. So, while you might look for a Disney movie on Disney+ or a Warner Bros. movie on Max, there’s no natural home for The Hunger Games.
In fact, from July of 2023 to March 31, 2024, there was no unified streaming home for the series. The studios were free to license the movies to the highest bidder, which ended up being PVOD stores in most cases. Last year, you’d have had to rent or purchase each of the movies, but starting next month you can stream them all on Netflix. They will still be available to rent or purchase on digital stores as well.
‘The Hunger Games’ Series on DVD
If you’re trying to watch all the Hunger Games movies but you have a few days to spare, it’s probably worth it to wait until you can find a hard copy – or get it delivered. The series is sold in a four-movie box set, and at the time of this writing the DVD collection costs just $13.94. The Blu-ray is also quite affordable at $22.92, whereas the 4K Ultra HD collection costs $43.96. Hard copies are safe from licensing agreements – though admittedly vulnerable to wear and tear once they are in your hands. Even when a series is on Netflix like this, there’s no telling how long it might stay there.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was released on DVD and Blu-ray on Feb. 13, 2024 by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. So far, it does not appear to have been included in any official box sets or collections from the studio.
‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Streaming
These days it’s fair to wonder if a blockbuster movie will be a theatrical exclusive since so many get a simultaneous streaming release. In this case, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes played in theaters when it was released on Nov. 17, but it went to PVOD stores starting on Dec. 18. It is still available now to rent or purchase on services like Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube TV. This is the only movie in the franchise that is joining Netflix next month.
Viewing Order
Since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel it’s fair to wonder about the proper viewing order for this series. Technically, there’s no need to watch The Hunger Games series before watching this prequel, as it was designed to make sense on its own. Whether viewers start here and then go on to Katniss’ adventure or circle back around to the prequel, both should serve to enrich each other. However, most fans would probably recommend watching the movies in release-order to catch all the callbacks and Easter eggs. That means the viewing order would look like this:
- The Hunger Games (2012) on Netflix
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) on Netflix
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) on Netflix
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) on Netflix
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) on PVOD services
‘The Hunger Games’ Novels
Die-hard fans who really want a refresher on the series can always seek out The Hunger Games trilogy in its original form. The books were published by Scholastic and released in print, digital and audiobook formats. Any of these can be found at a local library, or purchased either used or brand new. Adaptations like these are also a great way to get younger fans interested in reading or listening to books on their own.
