Quentin Tarantino Blasts ‘The Hunger Games’ For “Ripping Off” ‘Battle Royale’

by

Director Quentin Tarantino, known for acclaimed films like Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, believes The Hunger Games borrowed heavily from the Japanese film Battle Royale. He’s a big fan of Battle Royale – based on Koushun Takami’s novel – and has even said it’s a movie he wished he’d directed himself. Tarantino has repeatedly criticized Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, for what he sees as copying the core idea from his favorite film.

The director recently discussed the connections between the novel Battle Royale and the Hunger Games series on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. While The Hunger Games became a hugely successful film franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence, Battle Royale was adapted into two films in 2000 and 2003 that, though popular with a dedicated fanbase, didn’t achieve the same mainstream recognition.

Quentin Tarantino has long been a fan of the Japanese film Battle Royale, even casting its star, Chiaki Kuriyama, in Kill Bill: Volume 1. Recently, in a podcast interview, he questioned why Suzanne Collins, the author of The Hunger Games, never faced legal action, seemingly referencing similarities between her work and Battle Royale.

I’m shocked the Japanese author didn’t take legal action against Suzanne Collins. Her book seems to be a clear copy of his work. Unfortunately, many book reviewers weren’t familiar with the Japanese film Battle Royale, so they didn’t recognize the similarities. They praised the book as incredibly original. But when film critics saw the movie adaptation, they immediately noticed it was essentially a toned-down version of Battle Royale.

How Similar Are ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Battle Royale’?


Toei Company

Since the release of the first “Hunger Games” book in 2008, many people have pointed out similarities between it and other books and movies. The most frequent comparison is to “Battle Royale,” and it’s true that the two share a strong resemblance. While “The Hunger Games” expands on its world, the core idea – young people forced to fight to the death – is the same as in Koushun Takami’s 1999 novel.

Beyond that, The Hunger Games shares similarities with Seventh Victim, a 1950s science fiction short story featuring a world where governments allow people to hunt each other. Suzanne Collins may also have drawn inspiration from Stephen King’s The Long Walk and The Running Man, both of which present futures where deadly competitions are simply part of life.

In a 2011 interview, Suzanne Collins stated she hadn’t known about Battle Royale, either the book or the movie, until after she finished writing her own novel. When it was brought to her attention, she asked her editor if she should read it. He advised against it, not wanting the story to influence her work, and told her to continue as she was.

Read More

2025-11-27 17:08