The popular streaming service, Netflix, recently released all four movies from “The Hunger Games” series on March 1. The movies are based on “The Hunger Games” book trilogy series, written by Suzanne Collins. The first book, “The Hunger Games,” was published in 2008, the second book, “Catching Fire,” was published in 2009, and the final book, “Mockingjay,” was released in 2010.

Four movies were made from the book trilogy series as “Mockingjay” was split into two separate movies, “Mockingjay Part 1” and “Mockingjay Part 2,” in order to accurately fit all of the book’s details. The movies were released from 2012 to 2015, with one movie released each year from the book order. The movies were previously unavailable to viewers on streaming platforms unless they were purchased or aired at specialty times and occasions on cable television.

The sudden release of all four movies of the series on one of the most accessible streaming services has led to skyrocketing streams by fans all across the United States. However, the true reason why fans are mass binging all of the movies is due to the fact that Netflix is only leaving the movies for a limited period, March 30 is the last day they will be offered on the platform.The urgency of the short term the movies will be out to audiences on Netflix has driven viewers into binge watching the movies since it will only be on the platform for less than a month. Which has led to what fans are calling the “Hunger Games Renaissance.”

Fans on various media outlets began engaging with and creating their own posts on the book and movie series as a result of the “Hunger Games Renaissance.” TikTok creators such as LuckyLeftie and SoggySoyMilkEnthusiast have gained extreme popularity amongst the fandom for their content where they analyze specific details, themes, characters and events in both the movies and books.

Other creators such as TikTok editors, creators who mash up video clips, audios, fonts and coloring together to create an edit, began to produce “The Hunger Games” edits for specific scenes and characters of the movies. These edits of the movies and characters have boosted audience engagement with the series, causing new fans who have never read the books or watched the movies to binge all the movies while they are still available to them for free on Netflix. These fans have also purchased the books, with the intention of reading their newly discovered book series.

Another driving factor for the series’ increased popularity is pop music artist Taylor Swift’s release of re-recorded songs made for the first movie soundtrack. There were two songs Swift recorded once more, “Eyes Open” and “Safe and Sound” and released on March 17. These songs led the support for the movies in aligning Swift’s fans.

So with book sales rising and movie streams also rising, it leaves fans wanting more. However, Collins’ prequel book to the series, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” written in 2020, is now reaching the silver screen and red carpets. Fans of the series alike will be able to see the upcoming movie in November of the upcoming fall.

It has been speculated that the sole reason for the short return of the movies to Netflix was a marketing tactic by the marketing department of the movies in order to drum up attention for the past movies and books in hopes that it will attract them to reading the prequel book and watching the movie once it reaches theaters.