Lionsgate Interested in More Hunger Games & Twilight

Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer hints the studio is interested in more movies set in The Hunger Games and Twilight Saga universes. Over the last two decades, Hollywood saw an influx of adaptations on popular young adult properties - no doubt inspired by the massive success of Warner Bros' Harry Potter franchise. Two of the more successful YA-based series include Lionsgate's Twilight Saga, based on Stephenie Meyer's novel, and The Hunger Games, adapted from Suzanne Collins' book. The Twilight Saga included five movies, wrapping up with Breaking Dawn Part 2 in 2012, while The Hunger Games series spanned four movies, concluding with Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015 - with the franchise's lowest box office earnings.

The dwindling success of The Hunger Games franchise - and YA adaptations as a whole, including the Divergent series, which is moving to TV - has inspired somewhat of a break in studios adapting young adult sci-fi properties to the big screen. While certain adaptations of this genre are set to hit theaters in the coming years, such as the final installment in The Maze Runner trilogy and Doug Liman's Chaos Walking, many are stuck in development for the time being. However, Lionsgate is looking to revive their previously successful YA-based franchises for new cinematic adventures.

Variety is reporting that Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer hinted either or both YA franchises could be revived to tell new stories in their respective universes, though not until Meyer and Collins sign off on continuations. During an earnings call, Feltheimer said of The Hunger Games and Twilight series, "There are a lot more stories to be told, and we’re ready to tell them when our creators are ready to tell those stories."

Meyer's four-book Twilight Saga revolves around the love story of vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and human Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). The series also includes a pack of werewolves, with Bella enmeshed in a love triangle with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) for much of the franchise. Collins' Hunger Games, meanwhile, is set in a dystopian future wherein the country of Panem forces children compete against each other in a deadly game for the amusement of the citizens. The series sees Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) reluctantly lead a rebellion against the country's leaders.

While Twilight and The Hunger Games reside in incredibly different worlds, both are ripe for spinoffs - and this isn't the first time Lionsgate has teased the possibility of expanding their two successful YA franchises with spinoff films. Last year, Lionsgate co-chairman Patrick Wachsberger said a new Twilight Saga movie was possible depending on Meyer, while Feltheimer previously discussed how The Hunger Games could continue on the big screen. Of course, neither series will be revived without the consent of Meyer or Collins, but it seems that if the authors sign off on additional movies, Lionsgate is eager to continue these franchises.

Of course, whether viewers are interested in expanded Twilight and Hunger Games universes remains to be seen. The final installment of The Hunger Games series underperformed at the box office - which Lionsgate blamed on Star Wars: The Force Awakens - seemingly indicating audiences had grown tired of either the franchise or the genre of dystopian sci-fi adapted from young adult novels as a whole. Still, both franchises have proved to maintain dedicated fans who may be interested in more stories from these book-inspired worlds. For now, we'll have to wait and see if Lionsgate actually puts additional installments of The Hunger Games and the Twilight Saga into development.