Lionsgate’s long-in-the-works The Hunger Games: On Stage has set an October 20 debut at a new 1,200 capacity in-the-round venue: the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre in London’s financial district, Canary Wharf.
As previously announced, Conor McPherson, the 5x Tony nominee behind the plays Girl From the North Country and The Seafarer, adapt the first novel and film of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy The Hunger Games into a straight play. The production is being directed by Matthew Dunster (2:22 – A Ghost Story, Hangmen, The Pillowman).
The Hunger Games: On Stage is produced by Oliver Royds, Tristan Baker & Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Umeda Arts Theater, by arrangement with Lionsgate.
The news comes in the wake of Lionsgate prepping another Hunger Games prequel movie off Collins upcoming Sunrise on the Reaping, which will hit store shelves via Scholastic on March 18, 2025 and will be adapted into a major motion picture event to be released by Lionsgate on Nov. 20, 2026.
Said Hunger Games creator and author Collins said, “I’m thrilled that The Hunger Games is in the hands of gifted playwright Conor McPherson and accomplished director Matthew Dunster. Connor has done a fantastic adaptation, which is quite unique from the screenplay. And Matthew’s immersive, dynamic staging gives the audience a brand-new way to experience the story.”
Dunster added, “Conor McPherson lifts the detail and power from the book and film and has provided us with the kind of taut and dangerous play he is renowned for. He honours the young voice of Katniss Everdeen and puts her front and centre. We’ve been workshopping the play for over a year with our world class creative team; carefully honing our theatrical vocabulary because we want to bring audiences something as impactful and edgy as Suzanne Collins’ novel and as passionate and exciting as the movie. But we are going to do it in our own way – in the theatre. We want our Hunger Games to be uniquely, thrillingly theatrical.”
McPherson said: “As a dad to a teenager myself, it’s especially gratifying working on a story whose values of resilience and moral courage speak to young people in these uncertain times. Our singular focus is to honour Suzanne Collins’ achievement with a faithful adaptation that’s as thrilling on stage as it is on the page. It’s been a great pleasure to watch the theatrical language of this show evolving through explosive workshops under Matthew Dunster’s inspired partnership with choreographer Charlotte Broom and their tireless team of young performers.”
Jenefer Brown, EVP and Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate, said: “The Hunger Games is one of the best book to movie adaptations of all time, inspiring audiences to think deeply about the world around them and the strength of the human spirit. We are honored to bring its powerful story, characters and world to the stage in this latest exciting chapter.”
Tristan Baker & Oliver Royds, joint CEOs and founders of Troubadour Theatres said: “Bringing The Hunger Games to the stage is an extraordinary moment, and we knew it demanded an equally extraordinary team and venue. This specially designed theatre is the perfect home for Panem, allowing our world class team to create a transportive, electrifying experience that fully captures the scale, intensity, and spectacle of Suzanne Collins’ world. Every element—from the staging to the technology—has been tailored to transport audiences right into the heart of the Games like never before.”
The Hunger Games franchise has sold over 100M copies worldwide and been translated into 52 languages with the four Lionsgate movies counting north of $3.4 billion at the global box office.
Lionsgate’s Global Products and Experiences Group offers significant opportunities for the growth of Lionsgate’s major film & television properties. In addition to The Hunger Games stage play, the studio has lined up La La Land, Dirty Dancing, Wonder and an array of other stage plays, a John Wick AAA mobile game, branded attractions and immersive fan experiences.
Tickets for The Hunger Games: On Stage will go on-sale at 1pm GMT on Thursday, 27 March 2025. Sign-up for priority access to tickets at www.thehungergamesonstage.com and be among the first to receive announcements and updates.
Content shared from deadline.com.