The Hunger Games movies were wildly popular upon their release, making the world of Panem into a global sensation. The book to screen adaptations were quite successful, and made household names out of Jennifer Lawrene and Josh Hutcherson. The latter played fan favorite Peeta Mellark, and the 33 year-old actor recently explained why he's got FOMO thanks to the new entries in the film franchise.
Panem returned to theaters with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which performed well at the box office. Yet another prequel is on the way with a film adaptation of Haymitch's story Sunrise on the Reaping. In an interview from ET's TikTok, Hutcherson explained how he feels about the film franchise moving on without him, saying:
It's a mix man. Like, part of me is so happy to have been part of creating something that can live on in new iterations with new cast and a new world. But at the same time, I'm like I have this nostalgia for it. And I miss it, because it was like such a good time in my life.
Honestly, can you blame him? He spent years working on the original Hunger Games movies (which are streaming with a HBO Max subscription). And while he's proud of the legacy of those titles, there's a part of him that's missing out on all the dystopian fun that Panem has to offer. Because he's only got positive feelings about that period of his life.
These comments make a great deal of sense, and it's heartening to heart just how fond Hutcherson's memories of those Hunger Games movies are. He spent a ton of time filming and promoting each of the four titles, but the work and mega fame that accompanied those titles doesn't overshadow his happy memories.
Spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping ahead!
Of course, there is the potential to see Hutcherson in the next Hunger Games prequel that's heading to theaters. The epilogue of Sunrise on the Reaping's book show Haymitch in Victor's Village with Peeta and Katniss, opening up about his past and caring for goose eggs in memory of his lover Lenore Dove. If the film version is going to shoot for accuracy to its source material, maybe we could see Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence get cameos. Fingers crossed!
While the Hunger Games was gone from theaters and book shelves for a few years, it certainly seems like Suzanne Collins and Lionsgate have become re-invested in more stories set in Panem. It should be interesting to see what comes next after Sunrise on the Reaping; there are plenty of moviegoers hoping Songbirds and Snakes gets a sequel.
Fans can re-watch the original Hunger Games movies on HBO Max, and Sunrise on the Reaping is set to arrive in theaters November 20th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Let's just hope that Hutcherson gets to cameo in that next blockbuster.
