The stage adaptation will open next year

'The Hunger Games' is undoubtedly one of the biggest book and film franchises of the last twenty years - and now it's coming to the stage.

Irish playwright Conor McPherson ('The Weir', 'Girl from the North Country') is adapting Suzanne Collins' bestselling book series as a live theatrical production.

McPherson has previously written the screenplay for films like 'I Went Down' and adapted Eoin Colfer's 'Artemis Fowl' fantasy novel for its 2020 film adaptation, as well as Daphne DuMaurier's 'The Birds' for the stage in 2009, amongst others - so is no stranger to tackling big titles.

The theatre production of 'The Hunger Games' - which spawned a trilogy of films with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen - will premiere in London in autumn 2024.

It will be based on the first book in the dystopian trilogy, which sees Katniss volunteer as 'tribute' to take her sister's place in the annual Hunger Games, where selected young people must fight to the death to survive.

Renowned theatre director Matthew Dunster will direct the play, which is described as a “gripping tale of courage, defiance, and the unbreakable human spirit".

Author Collins said she was delighted to be collaborating with McPherson and Dunster in their "dynamic and innovative interpretation" of her work, while the Dublin-born McPherson said it was 'humbling and inspiring' to receive her blessing.

"She has created a classic story which continues to resonate now more than ever," he said. "In a world where the truth itself seems increasingly up for grabs, ‘The Hunger Games’ beautifully expresses values of resilience, self-reliance and independent moral inquiry for younger people especially. This is turbo charged storytelling of the highest order and I’m hugely excited to bring it to a new generation of theatre goers and to Suzanne Collins’ longstanding and devoted fans."

Meanwhile, in related news, the 'Hunger Games' trilogy prequel 'The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes' will be released in cinemas next month.