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As 鈥淭he Hunger Games: Mockingjay 鈥� Part 2鈥� comes to theaters, one of the most lucrative young adult movie franchises (and most lucrative franchises, period) comes to a close.

The 鈥淕ames鈥� movies, which center on a young teenager (Jennifer Lawrence) forced to enter a deadly competition and go up against a totalitarian government, have been some of the highest-grossing films of the last several years. The movies followed the publication of the incredibly successful dystopian young adult trilogy by Suzanne Collins.聽

What effect have the 鈥淕ames鈥� movies had on Hollywood? Will we still be seeing their influence for years to come?聽

One aspect of the books and movies that was praised by many was 鈥淕ames鈥� protagonist Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers for the deadly Hunger Games to save her younger sister and who is known for her skill with a bow and arrow. The contrast seemed especially stark when moviegoers compared the characters of 鈥淕ames鈥� to a movie series that was still being released when 鈥淕ames鈥� came out, the 鈥淭wilight鈥� films.

鈥淭wilight鈥� protagonist Bella had been criticized by many for her lack of defining qualities and her eager participation in what many considered an unhealthy relationship.

Brainy Hermione of the recent 鈥淗arry Potter鈥� series was widely praised, but it鈥檚 not her name on the book cover.

Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University鈥檚 Newhouse School, spoke recently about female roles onscreen.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a long time coming with good female protagonists," Mr. Thompson said. "Now we鈥檙e seeing many female superheroes.鈥� But Katniss is different, Thompson points out. 鈥淜atniss is much more a regular human being,鈥� he says. She isn't flying like Supergirl.

Is it a good development that women are now picking up the weapons, as Katniss does with her bow and arrow? That of course depends on your point of view. But it鈥檚 certainly something that鈥檚 still unusual. 鈥淲e had had so many years of action heroes,鈥� Thompson says.

The massive success of the 鈥淕ames鈥� films could be said to have created the current dystopian craze. It鈥檚 a popularity boom we鈥檙e still in the middle of, as the 鈥淒ivergent鈥� movie series, based on the books by Veronica Roth, and the 鈥淢aze Runner鈥� films, based on the books by James Dashner, continue to come to theaters (two more 鈥淒ivergent鈥� movies are due and one more 鈥淢aze鈥� movie is on its way). Another movie titled 鈥淭he 5^th Wave,鈥� also based on a book, arrives this January. Some dystopian films haven鈥檛 found audiences, such as this past summer鈥檚 鈥淭he Giver.鈥澛�

Will audiences get tired of these depictions of gloomy societies? They can still hit it big 鈥� the first 鈥淢aze鈥� movie debuted in 2014 and found enough of an audience to spawn the rest of the series. When one dystopian young adult film scores, it does well enough to no doubt give hope to Hollywood and have studio executives plotting new stories. Thompson says he doesn鈥檛 see these going anywhere anytime soon because they continue to appeal to us as a culture. 鈥淲hen did we not feel we were in a dangerous, dystopian society?鈥� he says.

In addition, moviegoers who see 鈥淢ockingjay鈥� this weekend and didn鈥檛 read the 鈥淕ames鈥� books may be surprised by the ending of the story.聽

(Spoilers follow鈥�)

Unlike the ra-ra endings of stories like 鈥淗arry Potter鈥� and 鈥淭wilight,鈥� where the series conclude with the villains being defeated and the characters鈥� problems apparently over, 鈥淕ames鈥� ends on a somewhat more ambiguous note. At the end of 鈥淢ockingjay,鈥� Katniss discovers that the rebel force for which she鈥檚 been fighting has committed deeds at least as evil as the government she has been battling. In the climactic moment, she decides to kill the rebel leader.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 less clich茅,鈥� Thompson says and notes that real revolutions don鈥檛 always have picture-perfect endings, either. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like it doesn鈥檛 reflect history. Look at the ideals of the French Revolution.鈥澛�

What effect does a more ambiguous ending like that have on young viewers? Thompson says young adults and even children want different kinds of stories just like adults do. 鈥淥ne vision of the universe is what we see in Hogwarts and all those characters,鈥� Thompson says. 鈥淕ames鈥� is another.

What also makes 鈥淕ames鈥� unusual? That the series may really be over.

鈥淧otter鈥� writer J.K. Rowling is writing a screenplay for an all-new movie set in the 鈥淧otter鈥� universe titled 鈥淔antastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,鈥� which will come out next year. 鈥淭wilight鈥� author Stephenie Meyer recently held a contest in which female directors created short films based on Meyers鈥� books and the pieces were released online earlier this year. Movie properties that filmgoers believed to be over like 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� are returning.聽

But will moviegoers return to Katniss鈥檚 world of Panem? As far as we know, no. There鈥檚 no news of new books by Collins, a film-only sequel, or a spin-off set in the same world.

Filmgoers may actually be saying goodbye to Katniss and her fictional world.聽

They'll begin doing so on Nov. 20, when "Mockingjay 鈥� Part 2" hits theaters.