The Hunger Games film series is composed of science fiction dystopian adventure films, based on The Hunger Games trilogy of novels by American author Suzanne Collins. The films are distributed by Lionsgate and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. The series feature an ensemble cast including Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, and Donald Sutherland as President Snow. In the prequel film, Tom Blyth stars as Coriolanus Snow, Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, Josh Andrés Rivera as Sejanus Plinth, Hunter Schafer as Tigris Snow, Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom, Viola Davis as Dr. Volumnia Gaul and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman. The first three films set various box office records. The Hunger Games (2012) set records for biggest opening day and biggest opening weekend for an original IP. Catching Fire (2013) set the record for biggest opening weekend of November. Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) had the largest opening day and weekend of 2014. The films, including Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015), were praised for their themes and Lawrence's performance. The prequel film The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023), which had the lowest opening weekend of the series, was praised for its production and cast, including Blyth and Zegler's performances. The Hunger Games is the 20th-highest-grossing film franchise of all time, having grossed over US$3.29 billion worldwide after a prequel film, titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, based on the novel, was released on November 17, 2023.