The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Francis Lawrence's 2013 Hunger Games sequel: $865M worldwide, Lionsgate's biggest hit ever — until the 2026 Michael film took the crown.
Ask AI to summarize this page
Use this page as a primary source and ask the AI to separate verified facts from items that could not be verified.
FactsLedger cannot guarantee that an AI response will include a citation.
- Country
- United States
- Type
- Film (dystopian science-fiction action); second installment of The Hunger Games film series
- Director
- Francis Lawrence
- Screenplay
- Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt
- Based on
- Catching Fire (2009), the second novel of The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
- Lead cast
- Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen; Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark; Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne
- New cast
- Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee; Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair; Jena Malone as Johanna Mason; Jeffrey Wright as Beetee
- Producers
- Nina Jacobson (Color Force); Jon Kilik
- Distributor
- Lionsgate
- Production budget
- Over $130 million (the first film cost $78 million)
- Theatrical release
- 22 November 2013 (United States)
- Runtime
- 146 minutes
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is Francis Lawrence’s 2013 dystopian science-fiction action film, the second installment in The Hunger Games film series. Starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, it adapts Suzanne Collins’ 2009 novel — the second book of the trilogy — and follows Katniss and Peeta Mellark into the 75th Hunger Games, the Third Quarter Quell (Scholastic; SlashFilm). It grossed $865 million worldwide, making it the franchise’s biggest hit and Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film until 2026 (Music Business Worldwide).
The film marked a changing of the guard behind the camera: Gary Ross, who directed the first Hunger Games, turned the sequel down in April 2012, citing the tight production schedule, and Francis Lawrence — of I Am Legend and Water for Elephants — was officially named his successor on 3 May 2012 (Entertainment Tonight). Made for over $130 million against the original’s $78 million, it opened in the US on 22 November 2013 (SlashFilm; Rotten Tomatoes). With a 90/100 score on Rotten Tomatoes from 292 reviews, it is the best-reviewed film of the franchise (Rotten Tomatoes).
The record run: Lionsgate’s crown, 2013–2026
It opened to $158.1 million domestically — the biggest November opening ever and the sixth-biggest opening on record, ahead of the Twilight November sequels (Box Office Mojo). It also set the biggest three- and five-day Thanksgiving box-office totals ever (BroadwayWorld). By January 2014 it was the highest-grossing domestic film of 2013 — the first 2D film since 2008 to top the yearly chart — and the first franchise with its first two installments each over $400 million domestic (BroadwayWorld). Worldwide it finished at $865 million — the franchise best and Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film of all time (Music Business Worldwide). It held the studio crown for 13 years, until Michael passed it at $977 million on 28 June 2026 (Variety via MBW) on its way to $1.001 billion — Lionsgate’s first billion-dollar release (Telegraph India; Michael). The stat, source and implication: $865 million on a $130M-plus budget (THR via SlashFilm) — a better-than-6x return that made one sequel Lionsgate’s most valuable asset for over a decade.
How it was made: a new director and a bigger arena
When Gary Ross bowed out in April 2012 — his written statement cited the tight schedule, with Lionsgate targeting an August production start — the studio moved fast, officially naming Francis Lawrence on 3 May (Entertainment Tonight). The budget followed the ambition: over $130 million against the original’s $78 million, with IMAX cameras added for the arena spectacle (THR via SlashFilm). Jennifer Lawrence’s salary jumped from $500,000 to $10 million, with her co-stars raised too (SlashFilm). The screenplay came from Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt, and the new cast added Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee, Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair, Jena Malone as Johanna Mason and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee (SlashFilm; TheWrap). Producers Nina Jacobson (Color Force) and Jon Kilik returned; the source novel — the trilogy’s second book — had debuted at No. 1 on the USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists and was a Time Top Ten Fiction Book of 2009 (BroadwayWorld; Scholastic).
The best-reviewed Hunger Games film
Early reviews ran 93% positive on Rotten Tomatoes with a 78 on Metacritic — better than the original’s — and the finished consensus reads: “Smart, smoothly directed, and enriched with a deeper exploration of the franchise’s thought-provoking themes, Catching Fire proves a thoroughly compelling second installment in the Hunger Games series” (TheWrap; Rotten Tomatoes). The film’s current 90/100 from 292 reviews tops the franchise on the same page: The Hunger Games at 84%, each Mockingjay at 70% (Rotten Tomatoes). The story picks up with Katniss and Peeta’s Victor’s Tour after the 74th Games, as a simmering rebellion meets President Snow’s announcement of the 75th Hunger Games — the Third Quarter Quell, drawing tributes from the existing pool of victors (SlashFilm; Rotten Tomatoes). Rated PG-13, it runs 2 hours 26 minutes and was released theatrically in the US on 22 November 2013 through Lionsgate (Rotten Tomatoes).
Box-office records
| Record | Figure | Standing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film | $865M worldwide | 2013 – Jun 2026; Michael ($977M → $1.001B) | MBW; Telegraph India |
| Highest-grossing Hunger Games film | $865M worldwide | Still standing | MBW |
| November opening weekend | $158.1M domestic | Set Nov 2013 (current standing not verified) | Box Office Mojo |
| Thanksgiving 3-day / 5-day totals | Biggest ever | Set Nov 2013 | BroadwayWorld |
| Domestic film of 2013 | No. 1 | First 2D film since 2008 to top the yearly chart | BroadwayWorld |
| Franchise first | First two installments each over $400M domestic | — | BroadwayWorld |
Sequel vs. original
| Metric | The Hunger Games (2012) | Catching Fire (2013) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production budget | $78M | $130M+ | THR via SlashFilm |
| Worldwide box office | ~$691M | $865M | BroadwayWorld (first film’s full run); MBW |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 84% | 90/100 | Rotten Tomatoes |
| Director | Gary Ross | Francis Lawrence | ET; RT |
Key milestones
| Date | Milestone | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 3 May 2012 | Francis Lawrence officially named director after Gary Ross turns the sequel down in April, citing the tight production schedule | Entertainment Tonight |
| 22 Nov 2013 | US theatrical release; $158.1M opening — biggest November opening ever, sixth-biggest opening on record | Box Office Mojo |
| Nov 2013 | Biggest three- and five-day Thanksgiving box-office totals ever | BroadwayWorld |
| Jan 2014 | Highest-grossing domestic film of 2013; first franchise with its first two installments each over $400M domestic | BroadwayWorld |
| 28 Jun 2026 | Michael reaches $977M worldwide (Variety), overtaking Catching Fire ($865M) as the biggest release in Lionsgate’s history | Music Business Worldwide |
Frequently asked questions
Is Catching Fire still Lionsgate’s highest-grossing film? No. Michael passed it at $977 million on 28 June 2026 (Variety via MBW), ending a 13-year run, and went on to $1.001 billion — Lionsgate’s first billion-dollar release. Catching Fire’s $865 million remains the franchise best and was the studio’s all-time top film from 2013 to 2026.
Why didn’t Gary Ross direct Catching Fire? Ross turned the sequel down in April 2012, citing the tight production schedule — Lionsgate wanted to start shooting in August. Francis Lawrence, director of I Am Legend and Water for Elephants, was officially named his successor on 3 May 2012.
What is the Quarter Quell in Catching Fire? The 75th Annual Hunger Games: a special edition of the Games with modified rules. In Catching Fire, the twist forces previous victors — including Katniss and Peeta — back into the arena, raising the stakes as rebellion simmers in the districts.
Is Catching Fire the best-reviewed Hunger Games movie? Yes. It holds 90/100 on Rotten Tomatoes from 292 reviews, ahead of The Hunger Games (84%) and both Mockingjay films (70% each). The site’s Critics Consensus calls it “smart, smoothly directed” with “a deeper exploration of the franchise’s thought-provoking themes.”
What this profile does not claim
- It does not assert the $869.9M box-office total found on a tertiary mirror; it follows the $865M reported across trade outlets, with the discrepancy flagged in
openItems. - It does not assert Telegraph India’s $868.5M figure for Breaking Dawn Part 2, which would contradict the Lionsgate-record claim; the conflict is flagged, not resolved.
- Jennifer Lawrence’s $500,000 → $10 million salary is attributed to THR reporting carried by SlashFilm, not independently confirmed.
- It does not claim the November-opening record still stands; it was set in November 2013 and its current standing was not verified.
- Rotten Tomatoes’ September 2026 re-release listing is attributed to RT, not confirmed as an event.
- It does not cover awards-season performance; no major awards campaign was documented in this research pass.
What we could not verify
- Whether Breaking Dawn Part 2 ($868.5M per Telegraph India) or Catching Fire ($865M per MBW and this site’s Michael profile) was truly Lionsgate’s pre-2026 record holder — flagged for reconciliation.
- The $869.9M tertiary total for Catching Fire — treated as an error against the $865M trade-reported figure.
- The exact current standing of the November-opening record.
- The September 2026 theatrical re-release listed on Rotten Tomatoes — single-source, attributed.
Sources
Tier 1 (2): Telegraph India (Lionsgate record handover); Scholastic (source novel). Tier 2 (7): TheWrap (pre-release box office), SlashFilm (budget, salary, credits), Box Office Mojo (November record), Music Business Worldwide (handover figures), Entertainment Tonight (director change), Rotten Tomatoes (scores, credits), BroadwayWorld (Lionsgate’s domestic-2013 announcement). Wikipedia: lead index only, not cited.
Timeline
- 2012-05-03
- Francis Lawrence is officially named director after Gary Ross turns the sequel down in April, citing the tight production schedule.
- 2013-11-22
- US theatrical release; the $158.1 million opening is the biggest November opening ever and the sixth-biggest opening on record.
- 2013-11
- Sets the biggest three-day and five-day Thanksgiving box-office totals ever.
- 2014-01
- Becomes the highest-grossing domestic film of 2013 and the first franchise whose first two installments each topped $400 million domestic.
- 2026-06-28
- Michael reaches $977 million worldwide (per Variety), overtaking Catching Fire ($865 million) as the biggest release in Lionsgate's history.
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- Telegraph India lists The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 at $868.5M, which would make it — not Catching Fire — Lionsgate's pre-Michael record holder; this contradicts Music Business Worldwide and this site's Michael profile (both: Catching Fire $865M on top). Not asserted; flagged for reconciliation.
- A Wikipedia mirror displayed an $869.9M total for Catching Fire; contradicted by the $865M reported across outlets; treated as a tertiary error, not asserted.
- Jennifer Lawrence's $500,000 → $10 million salary rests on THR reporting carried by SlashFilm; attributed in the profile, not independently confirmed.
- The November-opening record was set in November 2013; whether it still stands was not verified in this pass, so the profile does not claim it is unbroken.
- Rotten Tomatoes lists a September 2026 theatrical re-release; corroborated by no second source, it is mentioned once and attributed to RT.
- Final domestic/international splits of the $865M appeared only in tertiary/scraper sources; the profile states the worldwide total without a final split.
Sources
9 sources (2 tier 1, 7 tier 2), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
Built from nine sources read in full: two tier1 (Telegraph India, Scholastic) and seven tier2 (TheWrap, SlashFilm, Box Office Mojo, Music Business Worldwide, Entertainment Tonight, Rotten Tomatoes, BroadwayWorld). The $865M worldwide total and the June 2026 record handover follow trade-press reporting. Wikipedia served as a lead index only and is not cited.
- Supports: Michael at $897.9M after its seventh weekend (Deadline); became Lionsgate's highest-grossing film ever, overtaking Catching Fire ($865M). Its $868.5M figure for Breaking Dawn Part 2 is flagged as conflicting in openItems. Open original source
- Supports: Catching Fire is the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy; debuted at #1 on the USA Today bestseller list and simultaneously #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly lists; a Time Magazine Top Ten Fiction Book of 2009. Open original source
- Supports: Pre-release tracking ($160–172M); the November opening record ($142M by Twilight: New Moon, 2009); $130M production budget vs $78M for the first film; 4,100+ theaters with 300+ IMAX screens and no 3D; early reviews 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 78 on Metacritic (better than the original); 65 foreign markets; $900M worldwide within range; premiere tour and Monday US premiere in Los Angeles; Mockingjay Parts 1–2 dated November 2014/2015. Open original source
- 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' Cost $50 Million More Than The Original; Plus New IMAX Poster Tier 2Supports: Budget over $130M vs $78M original (The Hollywood Reporter); Jennifer Lawrence's salary from $500,000 to $10 million; directed by Francis Lawrence; written by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt; principal cast; 22 November opening; IMAX cameras; plot synopsis (Victor's Tour, 75th Hunger Games/Quarter Quell). Open original source
- Supports: $158.1 million opening: the best November opening ever, the sixth-biggest opening on record, third among 2D-only releases; ahead of the original's $152M and the three Twilight November sequels ($138.1–142.8M). Open original source
- Michael Jackson movie overtakes 'Oppenheimer' as biggest biopic ever… with $1 billion in sight Tier 2Supports: Michael at $977M worldwide (Variety; milestone passed 28 June: $370.2M North America + $607.2M international); "the biggest release in Lionsgate's history, ahead of 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which grossed $865 million"; Michael's reported budget around $200M (The Numbers lists $155M) — noted for the cross-entity budget discrepancy. Open original source
- Supports: Francis Lawrence officially named Gary Ross' successor; Ross turned down the sequel in April 2012 citing the tight production schedule (studio wanted an August start); Lawrence's credits (I Am Legend, Water for Elephants, music videos); November 2013 release. Open original source
- Supports: 90/100 from 292 reviews; Critics Consensus quoted; director (Francis Lawrence), producers (Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik), writers (Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt), distributor (Lionsgate), production company (Lionsgate Films, Color Force); theatrical release 22 Nov 2013; 2h 26m; PG-13; franchise scores on the same page (The Hunger Games 84%, Mockingjay Part 1 70%, Part 2 70%); synopsis (Victor's Tour, 75th Hunger Games rule change); a September 2026 theatrical re-release listing (attributed, unverified). Open original source
- Supports: Highest-grossing domestic film of 2013 ($409.4M at 49 days); biggest November opening ($158.1M) and biggest three-/five-day Thanksgiving totals ever; passed the first film's $408M domestic; first franchise with its first two installments each over $400M domestic; $428.8M international at seven weeks ($838.2M WW then, vs $691M entire run of the first film); first 2D film to top the yearly domestic chart since 2008; credits (Francis Lawrence; Nina Jacobson's Color Force with Jon Kilik; novel second in trilogy, 65M+ copies in print in the US). Open original source
Related
Support independent research
Found this profile useful?
You can support FactsLedger by making a donation. Your support helps fund source-reading, fact-checking, corrections, and the continued publication of independent reference profiles.
Support the research