The Hunger Games was released in 2012, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne. Based on Suzanne Collins’ novel, The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian future where 24 children (called tributes) are forced to fight to the death in a televised competition.
The film follows Katniss as she volunteers to take her sister’s place in the deadly Hunger Games. Alongside her fellow tribute, Peeta, she must survive the brutal arena. If you’re looking for films just like The Hunger Games, here are some of the best ones to watch.
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Divergent (2014)
Based on the book by Veronica Roth, Divergent stars Shailene Woodley as Beatrice “Tris” Prior. Set in a dystopian future, Chicago society is divided into five factions, each based on a different virtue: Abnegation (selflessness), Amity (peacefulness), Candor (honesty), Erudite (intelligence), and Dauntless (bravery). Every year, 16-year-olds must decide which faction they will join for life. Tris, coming from the selfless Abnegation faction, faces a difficult decision and discovers something about herself that puts her in grave danger.
The Maze Runner (2014)
The Maze Runner follows our main character Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), as he’s placed inside the Glade, having no memory of his past. Along with a group of other boys, he discovers that they are trapped inside the maze, surrounded by towering stone walls and deadly creatures known as Grievers.
Battle Royale (2000)
Battle Royale is a brutal Japanese film set in a dystopian future where the government forces a horrific annual event. A group of high school students are randomly picked and transported to a remote island, where they are forced to fight each other to the death in a deadly game, until only one person survives.
The Giver (2014)
Based on Lois Lowry’s novel, The Giver is set in a dystopian society where you can’t share your emotions and the memories of the past are erased to maintain a controlled, “perfect” world. It follows Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young boy chosen to be the “Receiver of Memory,” where he has to learn about the world before it changed. Under the guidance of The Giver (Jeff Bridges), Jonas begins to uncover the truth about his society and must decide whether to accept or change his world. The film also stars Meryl Streep and Katie Holmes.
The 5th Wave (2016)
The 5th Wave (2016) follows Cassie Sullivan (Chloë Grace Moretz) as she survives an alien invasion that devastates Earth. After losing her family, she teams up with Evan Walker (Alex Roe) as she attempts to rescue her brother, while realising shocking truths about the aliens’ plans. It also stars Liev Schreiber, Maggie Siff, and Nick Robinson.
Snowpiercer (2013)
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the last survivors live on a train that never stops moving, a man named Curtis (Chris Evans) leads a revolt to fight the rich people at the front of the train and take control of their future.
Ender’s Game (2013)
In Ender’s Game, we follow a character named Ender Wiggin. He’s a brilliant young strategist who is recruited by the International Military to lead the force defending Earth from a genocidal alien race bent on annihilating humankind.
The City of Ember (2008)
The City of Ember aired in 2008. It is an action-packed dystopian film set in a post-apocalyptic world, where two young heroes try to save their city. The film stars Bill Murray, Saoirise Ronan, Tim Robbins, Harry Treadaway, and more.
Chaos Walking (2021)
Based on Patrick Ness’s The Knife of Never Letting Go, Chaos Walking follows Viola, a girl stranded on a planet where women are gone and men’s thoughts are audible. She teams up with Todd, a young man on the run from a corrupt mayor, in a desperate fight for survival.
Ready Player One (2018)
Ready Player One is set in a dystopian future where people escape into a virtual world called OASIS. Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) enters a contest made by the game’s dead creator, hoping to find an Easter egg to win a huge cash prize and control of OASIS. The film also stars Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, and Simon Pegg.
The Darkest Minds (2018)
A 2018 film, The Darkest Minds, follows a group of teens with supernatural abilities as they are imprisoned by the government and fight to break free.
V for Vendetta (2005)
A dystopian thriller, V for Vendetta follows a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of V, who plots to overthrow the tyrannical government.
Equilibrium (2002)
A law enforcer in an emotionless future rebels after regaining his feelings. It stars the likes of Christian Bale, Kurt Wimmer, and Emily Watson, among others.
The Postman (1997)
Set in a post-apocalyptic neo-Western United States in the then near-future year of 2013, the film follows an unnamed nomad who, after finding a United States Postal Service uniform, unwittingly sparks a movement to restore the United States that challenges the rule of a tyrannical warlord.
I Am Number Four (2011)
Based on the 2010 novel of the same name, I Am Number Four follows a teenage alien on Earth fleeing other aliens who are hunting him down.