Mockingjay – Part 1 was the first of two split films for the end of The Hunger Games series. The film saw District 13 recruit Katniss Everdeen to be their symbol of hope during a mass rebellion against the Capitol, while an abducted Peeta Mellark was forced to be that same figure for President Snow. It was a major cinematic experience. Now, are you ready to feel old? Because Part 1’s 10th anniversary is coming up, and Josh Hutcherson had the same surprised reaction as I did!
On November 21st, 2014, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay–Part 1 premiered and became the highest-grossing film of that year. That was no surprise, as advanced ticket sales set records of accounting for Fandango at the time. When Josh Hutcherson -- who played Peeta -- was told by Esquire that next month will mark his movie’s forthcoming anniversary, the actor's reaction couldn't have been more relatable:
That is crazy. That’s wild. I don’t know how to process that.
Same here, Mr. Hutcherson! Seriously, it’s hard to believe how fast time goes. The movie was at the top of my watchlist at the time, considering how Catching Fire ended with that cliffhanger. It was revealed that after Katniss destroyed the area in the third Quarter Quell, The Capitol took Peeta while Katniss and Finnick were rescued by District 13. Also, it was a heartbreaking to find out that Katniss’ district was destroyed. Considering all of that, it’s no wonder Mockingjay–Part 1 led Fandango’s most anticipated movies of 2014.
Josh Hutcherson may not have had a huge role in Mockingjay–Part 1, but his short screen presence still carried a lot of weight. Peeta’s tragic decision to follow President Snow’s orders and tell District 13 to lay down their weapons. There's also his hijacking and attempt to kill Katniss. The Five Nights at Freddy’s actor went on to discuss what he found to be the dystopian film’s strong points and how grateful he was to be part of the franchise:
I think it has an amazing message—anti-tyranny, pro–giving the people a voice, supporting each other, anti–big government taking over the world. There’s so much great thematics that are at play there, and the fact that it has such a reach and people connect with it, that it’s such a big piece of so many young people’s lives … it’s very cool to be a part of it. And now to see it grow—there’s new versions of it and there’s a new cast, new stories that are being created—to know that I was part of the seed that was planted is very cool.
I can only imagine what an incredible feeling it must be to know you were part of a franchise that's still so beloved by so many. Katniss and Peeta’s story may have ended, but the work that Josh Hutcherson and co. did within the world author Suzanne Collins created set the tone for what would come.
What I'm specifically referring to is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which educated fans on President Snow’s backstory. That film also won the weekend box office and struck a chord with audiences. Interestingly, enough, that film will hit its first anniversary in November as well, which is further indication as to just how quickly time flies.
Like Josh Hutcherson, it may take some time for me to process that it was 10 years ago that I first saw Mockingjay – Part 1 in theaters. Similar to how the Beekeeper actor loves that he shaped history by planting “the seed” of The Hunger Games franchise, veteran fans can take comfort in knowing that they were part of history by seeing the box office hit when it opened years ago.
Although he won't be re-entering the Hunger Games franchise anytime soon, Josh Hutcherson will return for the Five Nights at Freddy’s sequel. That film hits the 2025 movie release on December 5th.
