The The Hunger Games franchise has just found a new star to play Katniss Everdeen. Based on the novel series by author Suzanne Collins, the first entry in the hit YA dystopian franchise was released in 2012, introducing Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss.

Lawrence reprised the role for three popular sequels, ultimately bidding farewell to the character in 2015 with the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. Since this climactic installment, the franchise has continued with prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2023, and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will release in theaters next year.

Now, the franchise’s most memorable hero is poised to return in The Hunger Games: On Stage in London, with actor Mia Carragher having landed the role. The casting was announced through the play’s official Instagram account, which is included below:

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“Meet our Girl on Fire: KATNISS EVERDEEN,” the caption reads, accompanying a headsH๏τ of Carragher. A follow-up post shows Carragher in action in the role, wielding the character’s iconic bow during rehearsal:

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“I’m really excited to play Katniss,” Carragher says in the video. “I relate to her quite a lot. I think she’s very fearless, but then she’s also got that nurturing quality about her. Everyone needs to come and watch ‘The Hunger Games: On Stage’ because it’s going to be nothing like you’ve ever seen.”

Director Matthew Dunster shared a statement about Carragher’s casting (via Variety), expressing his faith in the star’s ability to capture Katniss’ essence:

“We searched far and wide, and comprehensively, for our Katniss. It is not easy to step into Suzanne Collins’ amazing creation and only one actor combined Katniss’ charisma and combat skills — her quiet, tough determination and her brilliant creativity, athleticism and humor. We’ve found our Katniss in Mia Carragher, and we can’t wait for audiences to see her.”

What This Means For The Hunger Games Franchise

Katniss Remains An Iconic Character

Though the audience reception to Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was generally quite positive, Katniss remains the most important Hunger Games character, having been the protagonist across four movies.

Mockingjay – Part 2 gives Katniss a fairly definitive end, and the character is not currently confirmed to appear in Sunrise on the Reaping, which is another prequel story. That audiences will get to see Katniss in action once more is a major selling point for The Hunger Games: On Stage.

The production could go on to become a major hit when it premieres in London on October 20 at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. Unlike Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Stranger Things: First Shadow, which are new stories in their respective franchises, the new Hunger Games play is seemingly an adaptation of the first book.

Ten years later, Lawrence still remains widely ᴀssociated with the character of Katniss, meaning Carragher has big shoes to fill. The change in medium could help to create distance between the two interpretations, however, as both The Cursed Child and First Shadow found major success with returning characters played by new actors.

Our Take On The Hunger Games: On Stage’s New Katniss

The Role Looks To Be In Good Hands

When it comes to protagonists in YA fiction, Katniss is one of the most celebrated and widely known. Lawrence excelled as this character, making her both relatable and empathetic, as well as a proficient fighter.

It’s too early to say how Carragher’s take on the character will compare to Lawrence’s, but the video certainly suggests she will look right at home wielding a bow. Capturing the character’s physicality is a major thing to get right, meaning Carragher is already on strong footing.

The Cursed Child essentially remains the gold standard when it comes to stage adaptations of beloved YA franchises, and the Hunger Games stage play could face high expectations from audiences. It remains to be seen how the play will fare, but viewers evidently now know to expect a new take on Katniss.

Source: The Hunger Games: On Stage