The Hunger Games (novel) added to the cast, in the roles of Peeta and Gale, respectively. Production began in late spring 2011 and the film was released on March 23, 2012. The film's opening weekend brought in a non-sequel record $152.5 million (USD) in North America. "", based on the second novel in the series, was released the following year on November 22, 2013. The Hunger Games (novel) The Hunger Games is a 2008 dystopian novel by the American writer Suzanne Collins. It is written in the voice of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the future, post-apocalyptic nation of Panem in North America.
The Hunger Games (film) "Empire" magazine said "Lawrence is perfect as Katniss, there's very little softness about her, more a melancholy determination that good must be done even if that requires bad things." Several critics have reviewed the film favorably and compared it with other young adult fiction adaptations such as "Harry Potter" and "Twilight". Justin Craig of Fox News rated the film as "[e]xcellent" and stated: "Move over Harry Potter. A darker, more mature franchise has come to claim your throne." Rafer Guzman of "Newsday" referred to "The Hunger Games" as being "darker than <nowiki>'</nowiki>"Harry Potter",' more sophisticated than <nowiki>'</nowiki>"Twilight"<nowiki>'</nowiki>." David Sexton of