Lionsgate Live: stream The Hunger Games for free

Jennifer Lawrence blockbuster The Hunger Games is available to stream courtesy of Lionsgate Live! A Night at the Movies. Scroll down for all the details, including all the info on where you can watch it.

What is the story of The Hunger Games?

Jennifer Lawrence shot to mega-stardom with her role as the resourceful Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. Directed by Gary Ross, the movie adapts the first book in Suzanne Collins' hugely successful young adult series, pulling us into a violent and gripping fight for survival.

The gritty atmosphere of The Hunger Games paved the way for later YA adaptations such as Divergent and The Maze Runner. But few were able to match the success of this series, and a significant portion of that is down to the conviction of Lawrence's performance.

In this first film, Katniss volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the annual Hunger Games contest. This is a televised killing spree that's organised by the ruthless leaders of Panem, who preside over the impoverished and starving districts. With the scheming President Snow (Donald Sutherland) watching every move of Katniss and her fellow competitors, it's all to play for.

The movie generated equal amounts praise and criticism for its uncompromising look at young children and teenagers pitted against one another in a fight to the death. Unlike the sweeping sequels helmed by Francis Lawrence, the first film is a somewhat more grounded and intimate affair that rarely leaves Katniss' side, the handheld camera making us feel every aspect of the dangerous world she occupies.

With grosses of more than $690 million worldwide, the film cemented the appetite for more Hunger Games stories on the big screen. As mentioned, it also opened the floodgates to a lucrative genre (admittedly following in the footsteps of the earlier Twilight series), and showed what Lawrence, best known for wilderness thriller Winter's Bone, was really capable of.

Where can we stream The Hunger Games?

The Hunger Games is available for one week from 6PM on Saturday 23rd May. It can be streamed for free on the Lionsgate YouTube channel.

How is Lionsgate Live raising money for charity?

Viewers who stream The Hunger Games are being encouraged to contribute to several charities.

Audiences will have the chance to join Lionsgate UK in helping the NHS Charities Together COVID-19 Urgent Appeal, who are currently supporting NHS staff and volunteers caring for COVID-19 patients. They can also support The Film and TV Charity COVID-19 Emergency Response, supporting the people behind the scenes who bring these stories to our screens.