‘The Hunger Games’ Play Heading To London’s West End In Fall 2024; ‘Girl From The North Country’s Conor McPherson To Adapt First Novel & Film
Conor McPherson, the five-time Tony nominee behind the plays Girl From the North Country and The Seafarer, has been set to adapt into a straight play the first novel and film of Suzanne Collins’ trilogy The Hunger Games. It will mark the franchise’s first-ever live stage adaptation, and a fall 2024 debut in London is planned.
London veteran Matthew Dunster (2:22 – A Ghost Story, Hangmen, The Pillowman) has been set to direct the play, which is moving forward with the blessing of Collins, who wrote the now four-novel series that were adapted for the screen and starred Jennifer Lawrence. The fourth novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, is a prequel and its film adaptation starring Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Viola Davis and Hunter Schafer, hits cinemas next month with Francis Lawrence returning to direct.
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McPherson is adapting both the first book and its film version into the play, which is being produced by Tristan Baker & Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Oliver Royds for BOS Productions and Isobel David, by arrangement with Lionsgate.
“I’m very excited to be collaborating with the amazing team of Conor McPherson and Matthew Dunster as they bring their dynamic and innovative interpretation of The Hunger Games to the London stage,” Collins said in a press release today announcing the project.
The play’s creative team are Miriam Buether (set designer), Moi Tran (costume designer), Charlotte Broom (choreographer), Lucy Carter (lighting designer), Ian Dickinson for Autograph (sound designer), Tal Rosner (video designer), Kev McCurdy (fight director), John Maddox for Suspended Illusions (performer flying), Amy Ball (casting director) and Gary Beestone (production manager).
The Hunger Games, with three novels in the series including the first, Catching Fire and then Mockingjay, has grossed nearly $3 billion in global box office with its film adaptations released from 2012-2015. Lionsgate’s latest installment of the film franchise, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, hits theaters November 17.
Set in a dystopian future, The Hunger Games ignite a thrilling battle for survival, where 24 young tributes are pitted against each other in a deadly arena. Katniss Everdeen (played by Lawrence in the film series), a fearless and resourceful heroine, emerges as a symbol of rebellion as she fights not only for her life but for the hope of a nation oppressed by a ruthless Capitol.
“To receive Suzanne Collins’ blessing to adapt The Hunger Games for the stage is both humbling and inspiring,” McPherson said. “She has created a classic story which continues to resonate now more than ever. In a world where the truth itself seems increasingly up for grabs, The Hunger Games beautifully expresses values of resilience, self-reliance and independent moral inquiry for younger people especially. This is turbo charged storytelling of the highest order and I’m hugely excited to bring it to a new generation of theatre goers and to Suzanne Collins’ longstanding and devoted fans.”
Said Dunster: “This might be the most exciting work call I’ve ever had. As soon as the producers said the title, I just said ‘Stop! I’m in’. I loved the Lionsgate film and the brutal and emotional power of this dystopian classic. My children had their heads in the books at the time (it’s definitely the only work call of mine they’ve been excited about) so I stole them and I came to appreciate the beauty of Suzanne Collins’ storytelling. And then to add one of our greatest living playwrights, Conor McPherson, and experience him honouring the voice of Katniss Everdeen so rigorously has been a great privilege. This is theatre. It’s The Hunger Games in the theatre. And with the world class team we have put together we aim to do something that is fully immersed in the novel and the film but is uniquely, thrillingly theatrical.”
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