With news of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping — and the return of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson — you, like the RUSSH team, might suddenly be craving more stories about rebellion, corrupt governments, and reluctant heroes. And who could blame you? If you're looking for something to fill the void while we wait for the long-awaited prequel to land, we've got you covered. Below are seven films like The Hunger Games, that capture the same mix of action, dystopian politics, emotional intensity, and perhaps a little bit of romance for good measure.

1. Divergent (2014)

Arguably an obvious choice, but a great film nonetheless. Set in a society divided into rigid factions, Divergent follows Tris (played by a young Shailene Woodley), a girl whose resistance to classification makes her a threat to those in power. It mirrors The Hunger Games because its teen-driven rebellion, with themes of government manipulation and a heroine at the centre of it all who is forced to fight her way toward freedom.

2. The Maze Runner (2014)

It seems 2014 was a great year for this genre. In The Maze Runner, a group of boys trapped in a shifting maze (yes, the title is quite literal) must escape to uncover the truth about the organisation experimenting on them. Every day, “Runners” attempt to map the labyrinth in the hope of finding a way out, but the maze resets nightly, making escape feel impossible. It carries the same survival-challenge tension and conspiracy-heavy world-building as Catching Fire.

3. Battle Royale (2000)

Often described as the blueprint for The Hunger Games, this Japanese cult classic centres on a class of students forced to fight to the death by a totalitarian government. It’s darker and sharper than the story of Katniss and Peeta, but still very much feels like the story that started it all.

4. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

Yes, this is technically within the world of The Hunger Games, but there are different characters, so we'd say it counts. If you want more from Panem itself, this prequel follows a young Coriolanus Snow during the 10th Hunger Games. It expands the lore of the original film, while also deepening the politics, and laying the groundwork for the cruelty Katniss later rebels against.

5. Snowpiercer (2013)

In this post-apocalyptic world, the last of humanity survives aboard a single, perpetually moving train, where passengers are divided by a rigid class system. Much like the districts of Panem, the tail-section passengers live in squalor, while the front enjoys luxury and control, creating an inevitable tension that sparks a violent rebellion. We won't give too much away, but like all of Bong Joon Ho's work, it's worth a watch.

6. Children of Men (2006)

Set in a bleak near-future where humanity has become infertile and society is on the brink of collapse, Children of Men follows Theo, a man tasked with protecting Kee, a young woman who miraculously becomes pregnant. But as they navigate a world rife with political unrest and violent extremism, their journey becomes a desperate fight for hope and survival.

7. V for Vendetta (2005)

Set in a dystopian near-future England ruled by a totalitarian government, this film follows a masked revolutionary known only as V as he orchestrates a campaign to overthrow the oppressive regime. For fans of The Hunger Games, we'd call this the adult, political cousin.