Renowned director Quentin Tarantino has never shied away from expressing his opinion about movies and franchises that he dislikes. From Star Trek to Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Tarantino has openly criticized various movies in the past. In a recent statement, the Academy Award-winning director called out The Hunger Games franchise for being an “unoriginal knock-off” of his favorite movie, Battle Royale.

Tarantino’s Love For Battle Royale

During his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2022, Tarantino revealed his love for Battle Royale, a Japanese dystopian thriller released in 2000, which features a group of high school students fighting to the death. Tarantino expressed his disappointment with The Hunger Games, stating that it “just ripped off” Battle Royale. The director further mentioned that he would have loved to direct Battle Royale himself.

The Hunger Games’ Success

The Hunger Games franchise, starring Hollywood A-lister Jennifer Lawrence, is one of the most successful film franchises in the world. The four titles in the series have earned close to $3 billion, averaging about $750 million each. Despite its commercial success, Tarantino was unimpressed with the Hollywood version of Battle Royale.

Comparison Between Battle Royale And The Hunger Games

While both Battle Royale and The Hunger Games feature young people fighting to the death, the plots are different. Battle Royale shows students forced into a violent game by a totalitarian government, whereas The Hunger Games depicts a girl and boy picked from their districts to fight in televised spectacles. Despite the differences, Tarantino believes that The Hunger Games copied Battle Royale and did not offer anything new to the audience.

Tarantino’s comments about The Hunger Games franchise may not sit well with the fans of the popular movies, but the director has never been one to hold back his opinions. As an artist who values creativity and originality, Tarantino’s criticism of The Hunger Games franchise is not surprising.