Prediction: There Will Be a Hunger Games Prequel TV Show

The Hunger Game: Mockingjay Part 1 made a zillion dollars this weekend to almost no one’s surprise. Specifically, it made $123M, a little short of Catching Fire, but still the 15th highest opening weekend ever, and with a strong international presence, it may very well go on to become the top grossing movie of the year worldwide, depending on the kind of legs it has.

The final film in the series will be released next year, Part 2 of what we saw this weekend, and then the series will be over. There are no more books, and Katniss’s story will be done, as the book makes sure not to leave very many loose ends for more possible sequels. But I suppose anything is possible.

One of those “possible” things? It’s something that’s occurred to me lately as I’m watching the series die down. I think The Hunger Games is kind of tailor made for a TV show. Hear me out.

This would not be a re-envisioning of the existing movies, that would be dumb, nor would there be room for the story to take place inside Katniss’s time period, nor after it with the games dismantled. Rather, I envision a possible Hunger Games show that’s a prequel, with (almost) all new characters, set years and years before the events of The Hunger Games.

As we know from the books/movies, Katniss competes in what are the 74th and 75th annual Hunger Games, meaning there are dozens and dozens of years before then with other Hunger Games. We see many of the victors from those older years in the Quarter Quell of Catching Fire.

But what I’m thinking? We go way, way back, perhaps to the very earliest years of The Hunger Games when it was just starting to take shape under the guidance of the capitol. How was it conceived? What was the reaction from the public when it was first announced and implemented? I think these are interesting questions that could be explored, and I normally hate prequels.

Furthermore, it’s the structure of The Hunger Games itself that lends itself to TV. I’m picturing something like a 10-12 episode yearly series that each focuses on a year of games a new set of competitors. Maybe half the episodes are about the games themselves, half are about everything else happening outside of the world. It would be a kind of anthology, where the cast would mostly reset year after year, though some characters would carry on in some way or another, rebelling against the Capitol or what have you. New heroes, new villains, same interesting Hunger Games universe. I think the potential is there.

The Hunger Games is just such a huge moneymaker that I have to believe that there’s someone else out there somewhere with the same idea as me. While I don’t think there’s a way that Harry Potter would work without Harry Potter, or Twilight would work without its central trio, I think you can have an interesting Hunger Games TV show without Katniss, Peeta and Gale, as the universe is really, really interesting in and of itself, which is something that can’t be said for many young adult series.

I just have a feeling about this one. Perhaps its unfounded and those involved with The Hunger Games will remain satisfied that they’ve made boatloads of money across four films. And yet, whoever has the rights to the series (I’m not sure if it’s only the author) may be thinking about expanding the series in other ways once the movies die down. I think only a few series could effectively pull this off, but The Hunger Games is one of them.

What do you think? Would a Hunger Games TV series work, or does it absolutely need its established roster of characters in order to tell its story? Am I just thinking wishfully here, not wanting to let one of my favorite series go, or is there a real possibility for something interesting here? You know my opinion, and I think TV audiences would absolutely tune in for a literal yearly televised Hunger Games. You know, the fake kind (for now).

[Photos via Sony]