The Hunger Games is a 2012 American
dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by
Gary Ross and based on the
novel of the same name by
Suzanne Collins. It is the first installment in
The Hunger Games film series and was produced by
Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, with a screenplay by Ross, Collins, and
Billy Ray. The film stars
Jennifer Lawrence,
Josh Hutcherson,
Liam Hemsworth,
Woody Harrelson,
Elizabeth Banks,
Lenny Kravitz,
Stanley Tucci, and
Donald Sutherland. The story takes place in a
dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of
Panem, where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games, a televised annual event in which the "tributes" are required to fight to the death until there is only one survivor.
Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister's place. Joined by her district's male tribute,
Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson), Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor
Haymitch Abernathy (Harrelson).