On September 16, 2008 the first book in a trilogy that would make society turn its heads in awe. The Hunger Games has proven to be a young adult classic that is relevant across all generations, including Generation Z who has seen a lot of the themes expressed in The Hunger Games in the past three years more than ever.

Of course, The Hunger Games’ popularity comes in cycles–it shows up and then leaves again. Many of us saw this in 2020 when COVID-19 first began, some people on TikTok finding patterns between The Hunger Games and what was going on in the world, creating conspiracy theories that implemented curiosity and fear into many. On top of that, only a little over two months after quarantine started, the prequel to The Hunger Games series, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, was released. 

The unrest in society was what caused the resurgence of The Hunger Games in 2020. What caused it this time?

Well, for one, since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ release in 2020, a movie has been rumored to be filmed once the pandemic calmed down. That rumor was soon revealed to be true, and the release date will be November 17, 2023. So, in preparation for the fifth movie in the Hunger Games series, many people re-reading the series, including its prequel. Along with that, Netflix got ahold of the original four movies and put them on their streaming service for a limited amount of time. With this happening, there is another rise in views and more people are beginning to be sucked into The Hunger Games universe again. 

With these views rising again, fan edits on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media platforms are being made of these beloved characters which is spreading the urge to re-watch and re-read the series again. The battle between Team Peeta and Team Gale has once again risen, but so has the understanding of the true meaning of the books, and with it, how much it relates to society. The themes of the series are becoming concerningly-prevalent in everyday life. Pain, a corrupt government, and turning into someone you didn’t think you could ever become.

The Hunger Games is a dystopian series that no one ever thought would come true, but that nightmare is far closer than we think.