Differences between The Hunger Games Trilogy book to movie adaptations

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The Hunger Games Trilogy has been adapted into four films. From left to right- The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.

The Hunger Games is a dystopian adventure trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. The first book, The Hunger Games, was published in 2008. Its adaptation premiered in the United States on March 23, 2012 and was directed by Gary Ross. During the time of it’s release, its opening weekend gross made $152.5 million, which was the third largest of any movie in North America.

Compared to other YA (Young Adult) book-to-movie adaptations, The Hunger Games film series did an exceptional job at showing a visual example of what actually happened in the books. The first film did not have a lot of differences from the book besides the fact that in the book, the story is told in first person, while in the movie, there are scenes that are shown where Katniss is not present.

In the book, some characters’ descriptions are different than how they’re shown in the film. For example, in the book, Katniss and Gale are described as having an olive skin tone and black hair. In the film, the characters Katniss and Gale have fair skin and brunette hair. Hollywood whitewashed the characters by casting actors and actresses that do not portray their characters’ ethnicity. Characters of ethnicities other than european are not adapted into movies as they’re seen in books.

The riot in District 11 after Rue’s death is not mentioned in the book, due to Katniss being unaware that it had occurred. The rebellion in the film is only mentioned in the beginning of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire after Katniss salutes to the camera and the people of District 11. Although in the book, Katniss only salutes to Rue. Although Katniss was unaware to Rue’s death until the end of The Hunger Games, it is obvious that she cares about Rue in the book from the quote below:

“But I feel as if I did know Rue, and she’ll always be with me. Everything beautiful brings her to mind. I see her in the yellow flowers that grow in the Meadow by my house. I see her in the Mockingjays that sing in the trees. But most of all, I see her in my sister, Prim.” -Katniss Everdeen

The film visually presents a great way of showing Katniss’s attachment to Rue throughout the Hunger Games during Rue’s death. Katniss is distraught after seeing Rue get stabbed in her heart by another tribute. During Rue’s death, Katniss sings to Rue and later places flowers around her dead body. Rue’s death in the film was an emotional scene for The Hunger Games audience being mostly teenagers or young adults.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHM0MyCNyao

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiered on November 22, 2013 in the United States and was directed by Francis Lawrence. Catching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games Trilogy and the second film of The Hunger Games film series. Catching Fire starts after the end of the previous games and President Snow’s anger that Peeta and Katniss both survived. Within 30 minutes into the movie, the government of Panem decides to host the next Hunger Games, which features the existing victory tributes from each district that have won one of the Hunger Games in the past. Since Katniss is the only female tribute that has survived the Hunger Games in district 12, she automatically gets chosen. The two existing male tributes from District 12 are Haymitch and Peeta. During the men’s raffle, Haymitch is chosen, but Peeta volunteers as tribute. Catching Fire, is generally known as the most violent book in The Hunger Games Trilogy.

Mockingjay, the third and final book in The Hunger Games Trilogy, was produced in two parts. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 premiered on November 21, 2014 and was directed by the previous director Francis Lawrence. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 premiered on November 20, 2015 and was also directed by Francis Lawrence. Compared to the movie, the book Mockingjay is not filled with as much action as the previous books, The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, since there is no Hunger Game.

The main focus in the book and film of Mockingjay is Katniss’s goal of killing President Snow. In Mockingjay, the scene where Katniss is chained up in the dungeon is completely missing from the film, and Effie’s whereabouts in the book are unknown, although she appears in the beginning of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.

Overall, The Hunger Games Trilogy is more violent in the books than how they’re shown in the films. This is probably due to the films’ rating being PG-13, limiting the violence shown.

During Catching Fire after Katniss’s speech to District 11, Katniss visually sees the old man getting shot for whistling Rue’s whistle, while in the film, she is physically taken away by the Peacekeepers before she tries to intervene.

In Catching Fire, Katniss’s injury is interpreted worse as she is struck with a whip and receives a face injury. At the ending of the film, after Katniss wakes up on the hovercraft she simply stands up, while in the book Katniss destroys the force field, knocking herself out and smacking herself in the head.

While Gale gets whipped in the film when Katniss intervenes, the Peacekeeper punches Katniss, leaving her with a small cut.

In the first part of the film where Peeta warns District 13 that The Capitol is planning a war, the video is cut short with Peeta being knocked out and the broadcast shutting off. In the book, the video continues, showing Peeta being tortured as the camera is being knocked over with blood splattering on the floor.

In the book after Peeta is knocked out after violently hurting Katniss, the doctors bring in Delly to help him. Whether as in part one of the film, Katniss is seen watching as Peeta struggles to get out of his restraints and in the beginning of part two Prim is seen talking to Peeta instead of Delly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzlkHc41qNc

In conclusion, The Hunger Games film series adaptation from the books differences are apparent and they are recognized by fans. The director for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Francis Lawrence did an incredible job staying true to the books which is one of the most important things to include in book to movie adaptations.

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