What It Was Like Wrapping Up The Hunger Games Series

Everything must come to an end, even beloved film franchises. 

For the film adaptations of the "Hunger Games" books, this was especially apparent. After all, there were only three books in the series to adapt, so when Jennifer Lawrence and the rest of the cast & crew began turning these texts into flesh-and-blood motion pictures, the finite nature was ingrained from the start. Nevertheless, it didn't make the emotionally overwhelming process of saying goodbye to close friends and allies any less difficult after four films in just as many years.

It wasn't just an abundance of goodbyes that defined wrapping up the "Hunger Games" franchise, however. "Mockingjay — Part 1" (released in 2014) and "Mockingjay — Part 2" (released in 2015) were two big blockbusters filmed consecutively, presenting a logistical nightmare. Add in the fact that series star Jennifer Lawrence had become arguably the hottest actor in the world, the earth-shattering news of Phillip Seymour Hoffman's passing ("Part 2," released posthumously, would mark the Oscar-winner's final film), domestic moviegoers' fluctuating opinions around the latest 3D fad and other factors, and the "Mockingjay" experience felt like the perfect storm of Hollywood unpredictability.

Regardless, the two films combined grossed more than $1.4 billion worldwide, proving that the odds were forever in their favor. Below, we take a look back at the unusual circumstances that surrounded the goodbye of "Games."

You can't make a movie without a director, and wrapping up the "Hunger Games" franchise meant selecting a filmmaker with action chops, an awareness of the source material, and the ability to maintain (and evolve) the look Gary Ross had created with the first film in the franchise.

Fortunately, they didn't have to look far. "Constantine" director Francis Lawrence had stepped in capably for the second film in the franchise (2013's "Catching Fire"), so the only question was whether he, like Ross, would be a one-and-done filmmaker in this saga. However, a year before "Catching Fire" hit theaters, Lawrence officially signed on to direct the sprawling "Mockingjay" production.

Going this route ensured that there would be a level of high consistency between the last three "Hunger Games" movies. In approaching the pair of series-ending blockbusters, Lawrence had a very specific approach as a filmmaker. 

"One of the big pitches I made was that I didn't want to reinvent, I wanted to make the book. Everybody was with me on that; obviously so was (series writer) Suzanne Collins," he told the LA Times in 2015. "Luckily, Suzanne isn't a total stickler about everything; she's a great collaborator." 

With Lawrence and his intent to "make the book" onboard to steer the "Mockingjay" ship, one of the biggest obstacles in bringing the book to the screen had been cleared.

Ask any filmmaker who's tackled shooting blockbusters back-to-back and they'll tell you it's a grueling process not for the faint of heart. Gore Verbinski found himself "wiped out" during the making of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"; making the "Hobbit" movies was a creatively challenging experience for Peter Jackson; Robert Zemeckis was known to film "Back to the Future Part III" during the day in Northern California, then fly to oversee editing and dubbing on "Back to the Future Part II" in Burbank, then fly back to the set the next morning. Filming the two "Mockingjay" movies back-to-back was no exception, as this lengthy creative endeavor took its toll on Francis Lawrence.

The biggest problem for him and other members of the production with being on the set for so long was missing loved ones. "We'd been away from home for a long time and so that was emotional," Lawrence said. "It was a relief to be done, but it was sad to be over." 

Though the thought of seeing those loved ones again may have been inspiring, even the difficulties of crafting two blockbusters without a break couldn't shatter the bonds formed between members of the "Hunger Games" crew. In fact, Lawrence openly admits things got emotional on the last days of filming. 

"I cried for sure," Lawrence recalled. "There were a lot of tears and a lot of hugs ... it really felt like the end."

Everyone working on "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" had an emotional experience finishing up this pivotal blockbuster. But nobody had an experience quite like director Francis Lawrence, tasked with being the filmmaker who would juggle a lengthy back-to-back shoot and provide a sense of satisfying closure to fans worldwide. No pressure or anything.

As Lawrence explained to Uproxx, it didn't help that audiences responded positively to his work on "Catching Fire," as paradoxical as that may sound. "I felt a different kind of pressure," he explains. "[On 'Catching Fire'], I had to prove myself a little bit as the new guy in the game. It was a relief that it was received well by the fans. Even though I was relieved, it was only momentary; it sort of set the bar higher for the next one!"

That "higher bar" ensured that Lawrence didn't sleepwalk through this expansive project — but, apparently, he had to keep himself on alert due to the behavior of his actors. Lawrence recalled that lead performers like Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were prone to goofy antics that made controlling them akin to "wrangling puppies" at times. 

In a post-"Avatar" world, and with filmmakers like James Cameron insisting the format was the future, most blockbusters were getting released in the digital 3D format. This approach ensured higher ticket prices, and tended to attract international moviegoers. 

Initially, the "Hunger Games" franchise had eschewed digital 3D with its first two installments. But, as the end of the franchise neared, it appeared that Katniss Everdeen and company would finally be jumping onto the 3D bandwagon with the final installment in the saga. 

Eyebrows were raised just three months after an initial announcement that the last "Hunger Games" would be presented in digital 3D when those plans were drastically altered. Lionsgate made the bold decision to restrict the digital 3D version of "Mockingjay — Part 2" only for moviegoers in China. As a result, domestic moviegoers would no longer get to experience the closing story in an extra dimension.

Publicly, director Francis Lawrence expressed happiness over the decision. "I love the 3D format and I know that 'Mockingjay — Part 2' will play perfectly in 3D and 2D internationally," he said in a statement. "But I'm pleased that we're maintaining the 2D only (and IMAX) formats domestically. It is the best of all worlds." 

In retrospect, Lionsgate's decision clearly reflected the rapidly-waning domestic interest in digital 3D at the time — even if audiences in China were still turning out for the format. 

Saying goodbye to friends is never easy, especially fellow performers you've worked with for so many years. It's an emotionally tortuous process that Hutcherson dealt with as the "Hunger Games" series came to a close. The actor behind Peeta was open about how winding down this franchise left him with a complicated mixture of emotions.

In a 2015 interview, Hutcherson expressed hope he and Jennifer Lawrence could remain close friends. "We talked about doing a reunion with everyone," he explained. "We've passed the cast zone and we're just normal-life friends now."

In 2020, he looked back again, saying that he still missed his "Hunger Games" family. "[Goodbyes are] always weird. After I finished 'The Hunger Games' and stuff, leaving that whole world was like such mixed feelings. Missing the crew, the people, the cast and the experience," Hutcherson recalled. "Anytime you do a project that lasts over multiple years and you're connected to this character, this world, and these people, there's such a mixed feeling."