Hungry for the Next Big Thing in Tween Movies?

With the Twilight saga and the tomes of Harry Potter, it seems like these days Hollywood’s gamble on turning tween novels into movies has paid off. In fact, it is starting to hardly seem like a gamble at all with bastardized versions of Twilight like Vampire Diaries helping to resurrect the likes of the CW. (For the record, Vampire Diaries was written before Twilight.) Well folks, I think I have found it . . . the Next Big Thing – Hunger Games and its sequel, Catching Fire. Now, I’m far from the first person to uncover the magic of these little gems, but I want to go on record with this prophecy. Mark my words, Muggles – in the years to come, this series will become a household name, its story and characters infused into every pore of society, its title on the tip of every tongue. Here is a quick synopsis to get you up to speed and put you ahead of the game. Hollywood . . . pay attention!!

Hunger Games was written by Suzanne Collins, who unlike British ex-welfare mom J.K. Rowling, is an American writer who is best known for her popular shows on Nickelodeon: Clarissa Explains It All, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, and Little Bear. The series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world called Panem, reminiscent of what we know as America but differing in important ways. There is an all powerful Capitol surrounded by thirteen districts. Years before, the districts rebelled in an attempt to gain their independence. However, their attempt failed and the ruthless leaders destroyed the district that spearheaded the mutiny and

*Hunger Games Scene by damnskippy (deviantart.com)

established the annual Hunger Games to remind their subjects of their unwavering and indisputable power over their lives. Every year, a boy and a girl from each district between the ages of 12 and 17 are chosen at random to participate in the Hunger Games. What are these games, you ask? Well, the stakes are higher than vampire baseball or a sissy game of Quidditch. The participants in the Hunger Games fight to the death in an arena specially designed to maximize the entertainment value for the viewers and sponsors in the Capitol. At the end, only one contestant emerges alive and the Capitol heaps accolades, money, and food upon their home district.

At the epicenter of the story is 16 year old Katniss Everdeen, a girl who has worked to keep her family alive since the death of her father in the coal mines. She is from District Twelve, the poorest of them all, and is underfed, under clothed, and generally under cared for. Her best friend Gale taught her to hunt, fish, gather, and helped Katniss feed her depressed mother and delicate younger sister Prim. She believes she owes him their lives, and she probably does. When Prim, only twelve, gets pulled for the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. The boy drawn from her district is Peeta, a strong guy who Katniss has known for years and always respected. Together they embark on their journey to the Capitol and the entrance to the Games that will cost at least one, and likely both of them their lives.

I threw the word Twilight out in the opening paragraph so that I could catch your attention, but actually beyond the love triangle subplot these books have little in common with the wildly popular vampire romance novels. A fact that probably bodes well for this franchise, as it has the ability to appeal to both sexes despite its female protagonist. The books are more comparable to the later Harry Potter books, maybe volumes four through seven. The themes, events, and world altering decisions make it more appealing to the Harry Potter crowd as opposed to Twilight. Like Harry, Katniss is a normal girl, perhaps even a bit below average, who is thrust into the limelight. She is handed an extraordinary task, and her survival and ultimate triumph will have consequences far beyond her life, immediate family, or district.

Hunger Games stands on its own and separates itself from the crowd of other Young Adult novels with little effort. Although there is a blossoming love story, it is by no means the central plot. Katniss Everdeen is a heroine worthy of emulation, a relief for parents who are concerned about their daughters wanting to be like Bella Swan (Twilight). I mean, I enjoyed those novels as much as the next girl, but if I have a daughter I hope to instill in her the values of self reliance and independence. Katniss is strong, she’s more concerned about taking care of others than herself, and her personal relationship with both suitors takes a back seat to the larger issue: the oppression of the districts by the Capitol. The story is one of being willing to sacrifice yourself for the greater good, of being willing to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what the cost. (Reminds me of the line in Dirty Dancing, when Patrick Swayze says Baby has taught him that “there are people willing to stand up for other people, no matter what it costs them.”) Also, unlike Harry Potter, this world is recognizable. It may be set in the future, but remains similar enough to our present that kids won’t have the excuse of getting lost in the made up terms or not understanding the world Katniss lives in. The themes, also, are relatable, dealing largely with discrimination, oppression, and terrorism. If you’re looking for a story that provides ample discussion opportunity for you and your kids, you will be up to your knees in Hunger Games.

So how can I predict the Next Big Thing? Isn’t all about lightning in a bottle, catching the right story at the right time, throwing money at it, casting it perfectly, and getting decent directors involved? That’s a big part of it, no doubt. Although I think Twilight has taught us that sometimes it really is all about the story and pretty faces. Hunger Games has been green lit for a film, estimated release 2011. By that time, the Twilight films will be complete, and Harry Potter will be releasing its last installment. This spring (2010) the first Percy Jackson film, The Lightning Thief, is set to be released. It should do decently, based on the popularity of the books, but I don’t think its going to blow up into a sure thing at the box office. Hunger Games has relatable characters, much more than Twilight and measuring up to the main three on Harry Potter. The characters in Twilight are so hard to relate to, with the exception of Bella (I guess) because of their other-worldliness. To a certain extent, so are Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They face challenges and have access to talents so far from our own that some readers, especially younger ones, might miss the moral impact of their decisions.

Katniss is an every day girl, struggling to help her family and do the right thing. Peeta, the other child playing the games with her, comes from a more middle class background but has always been shunned by his parents for not being more successful and for caring too much. Gale is the best friend, the protector, the all around nice guy with no skeletons in his closet. He’s also willing to stand up and fight with Katniss. They are both willing to die for her, and the cause she represents. With the right casting, this love triangle – with so much more at stake than one life – could blow the lid off Robert Pattinson-Kristen Stewart-Taylor Lautner.

Casting, marketing, and attaching the right behind the scenes folks will of course play a big role in the franchise’s ultimate success. All I can do now is hope that the studio realizes what potential they have sitting in their hot little hands and does right by these books. The memory of Twilight causes nightmares. The studio must not have realized what a loyal following these books had going into the original film, though they rectified their error somewhat with New Moon. The special effects, directing, and even acting improved from the first to the second, but some aspects (like the cast) are too firmly established to be altered at this juncture. It just makes me sick to watch the movies and know how much better they could have been with the production values assigned to, say, the Harry Potter films. The first two Hunger Games books have been firmly entrenched on the best seller list, and expect the third installment (released August 2010) to break some records as well. Not only are the storylines fresh and the characters engaging, but the life lessons embedded beneath the surface are well worth learning. Presented in this entertaining package, they will hopefully remain with readers (and moviegoers) for long after they put the story down or leave the theatre.

So, for the record, I think Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and the last installment could rival Harry Potter in both sales and at the box office if the studio takes it on with the right mindset. If they spend the money on special effects, hire an experienced director, and cast actors who not only look the part but who show promise and ability. For now, me and the other thousands of readers keeping it on the best seller list will just have to hope. And bite our fingernails waiting for August and the last piece of the story. For those of you who haven’t read it, or are looking for another book to engage your young reader – you’re welcome. I promise you won’t regret the purchase when you see your child (girl or boy) so engrossed in a novel they can’t put it down. Or when you are up reading it until the wee hours yourself.

Editor’s Note: The Movie Hunger Games has recently been green lighted and in production with anticipated release 2011 by Lionsgate. This article was written before the status was known by the author.

*Art/Photo: Hunger Games Scene by damnskippy at deviantart.com