Comic-Con: Are there more 'Hunger Games' movies on the way?
When actor Josh Hutcherson appeared on the talk show 'Conan' at Comic-Con, it certainly looked like he let something slip while talking about the possibility of a 'Games' sequel or prequel. Where would the franchise go from here?
The 'Hunger Games' films star Josh Hutcherson.
Murray Close/Lionsgate/AP
Will there be more movies set in the 鈥淗unger Games鈥� universe?
Talk show host Conan O鈥橞rien recently broadcast an episode of his show from Comic-Con in San Diego and his guests for his July 9 episode included 鈥淕ames鈥� actors Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. The next 鈥淗unger Games鈥� movie, 鈥淭he Hunger Games: Mockingjay 鈥� Part 2,鈥� is set to be released this November.聽
O鈥橞rien inquired about other possible 鈥淕ames鈥� movies during the show. 鈥淭his is the last film in the franchise and Lionsgate obviously must be thinking, there鈥檚 got to be some way we can keep this going,鈥� he said when speaking with Lawrence, who plays 鈥淕ames鈥� protagonist Katniss Everdeen. 鈥淭he books are over, the story鈥檚 over, there鈥檚 been talk there鈥檚 going to be a sequel or a prequel. Where are you on that?鈥澛�
鈥淭here is,鈥� Hutcherson told O鈥橞rien. Lawrence turned around and shot him what certainly looks like a reproving glance. 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry,鈥� Hutcherson quickly said. 鈥淣o, I can鈥檛 say that. I鈥檓 sorry. We鈥檒l see what happens.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the worst lying I鈥檝e ever seen,鈥� O鈥橞rien said.
The next film, 鈥淢ockingjay 鈥� Part 2,鈥� finishes out the book series written by Suzanne Collins. However, there seemed to be no source material for another film set in the 鈥淗arry Potter鈥� universe until recently, when 鈥淧otter鈥� author J.K. Rowling announced she herself would be writing the screenplay for a movie based on 鈥淔antastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,鈥� a slim book by Rowling about magical creatures in the "Potter" universe. The movie 鈥淔antastic鈥� will center on the book鈥檚 fictional author, Newt Scamander, and the first "Fantastic" film is set to be released in 2016. The "Games" universe does seem to offer opportunities for more stories, either focusing on the next generation after Katniss and her friends or looking back at what led to the dystopian world in which they live.
Few if any properties seem truly over in Hollywood now. After all, next year, the third new Spider-Man in 14 years will hit the big screen. Lawrence herself referred to the reboot-happy nature of the movie community right now in her appearance on 鈥淐onan.鈥� 鈥淚 know that there鈥檚 going to be a reboot [of 鈥楾he Hunger Games鈥橾 with younger, hotter people in our lifetime,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ike, within 10 years.鈥�