Thescreescore – Josh Hutcherson, known for his role as Peeta in The Hunger Games, has offered a nuanced perspective on Quentin Tarantino’s recent accusations that Suzanne Collins’s blockbuster series is a blatant rip-off of the Japanese cult classic Battle Royale. Tarantino’s fiery comments, made on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, ignited a debate about originality and inspiration in storytelling.
Speaking to Variety at the premiere of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Hutcherson acknowledged the thematic similarities between the two properties but dismissed the notion of outright plagiarism. "There are similar themes, for sure," Hutcherson stated, "But, you know, everyone borrows from everyone." He suggested that in today’s creative landscape, achieving complete originality is a near-impossible feat, and echoes between storylines and characters are inevitable.
Tarantino, a vocal admirer of Battle Royale, had expressed disbelief that Collins hadn’t faced legal action, even labeling book critics "stupid" for failing to recognize the alleged similarities. He was quoted saying "I do not understand how the Japanese writer didn’t sue Suzanne Collins for every f** thing she owns. They just ripped off the f** book! Stupid book critics are not going to go watch a Japanese movie called ‘Battle Royale,’ so the stupid book critics never called her out on it. They talked about how it was the most original thing they’d ever f** read. As soon as the film critics saw the film, they said, ‘What the f***! This is just ‘Battle Royale’ except PG!"
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Despite Tarantino’s scathing critique, The Hunger Games franchise continues to thrive. A prequel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise of the Reaping, is slated for release in 2026, with a teaser already generating buzz. While Hutcherson admitted he hasn’t yet seen the trailer or read the source novel, he expressed enthusiasm for the franchise’s future. "I’m so excited to see the series continue and the amazing cast they’ve gotten for it," he said.
Hutcherson, who played a pivotal role in the first four Hunger Games films, has neither confirmed nor denied a potential appearance in Sunrise of the Reaping, even though his character, Peeta, features in the book. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
Jennifer is a TV News Editor at thescreescore.com. She began her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to thescreescore.com. Jennifer loves TV, especially science fiction. She also loves late-night talk shows, due to her insomnia. Alien: Earth is definitely one of her favorite shows, and she jumps on any chance she gets to write about it. Even on her days off, she will claim an Alien Earth article if one is available. Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are two of her favorite late-night hosts, and Conan O’Brien before he left his show. Her Alien: Earth coverage for thescreescore.com is by far the work that she is most proud of so far. She began her career as an editor in 2014. She was initially a finance editor, but her passion for pop culture convinced her to transition into entertainment journalism. During her off time, she loves to binge-watch cooking shows such as Kitchen Nightmares. Jennifer also loves spending time with her daughter and cherishes every moment of it.
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