--- description: "There obviously would be arenas" title: Lionsgate Says You Haven't Seen the Last of 'Hunger Games' image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6e36493b2cce0a3e/69887459ab6d77310f6a77af/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-jennifer-lawrence.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [movies](/tag/movies/) ## movies Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Lionsgate Says You Haven't Seen the Last of the _Hunger Games_ by [Eriq Gardner / The Hollywood Reporter](/author/the-hollywood-reporter/) ## Eriq Gardner / The Hollywood Reporter Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 8, 2015 5:58 PM CUT  Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2." Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2."Murray Close—Lionsgate by [Eriq Gardner / The Hollywood Reporter](/author/the-hollywood-reporter/) ## Eriq Gardner / The Hollywood Reporter Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 8, 2015 5:58 PM CUT Lionsgate entertainment vice chairman Michael Burns compares _Hunger Games_ to _Harry Potter_ and says it will “live on and on and on.” Burns spoke at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in New York as Lionsgate’s latest edition of _Hunger Games_ continues to lead the box office with about $525 million earned worldwide. The film opened just over $100 million in its opening weekend, behind earlier segments. Burns said he was disappointed, but that it was a “high-class problem” to have. Fans of the Katniss Everdeen franchise should definitely expect to see prequels. “The one thing that kids say they missed (from the early _Hunger Games_ films) was there was no arenas,” he said, referencing the stadiums where children killed each other and noting the prior films only covered the 74th and 75th competitions. “If we went backwards there obviously would be arenas.” Burns also spoke how the studio aims to get more out from its other big franchises — including _Twilight_, _The Expendables_ and _Saw_, nodding towards reboots, prequels or sequels for each of them. He also spoke more generally about the company’s strategy and position in the marketplace. In recent months, Lionsgate has been subject to much merger speculation, especially since February when billionaire media mogul John Malone swapped a portion of his stake in Starz for 3.4 percent in Lionsgate, taking a board seat in the entertainment studio. Then last month, Discovery Communications and Liberty Global — Malone owns more than a 25 percent in each — purchased its own 3.4 percent stake in Lionsgate. Analysts were quick to note synergies between the companies and Lionsgate’s stock price has subsequently been on a rollercoaster, reaching a high of $41 on Nov. 10 before crashing down to $33 territory at the end of Monday’s market. Talking about Discovery and Liberty, Burns said, “If i was a betting man, I would expect to see more collaboration between the three companies.” Asked about a possible merger with Starz, Burns commended Starz CEO Chris Albrecht as “executing the right strategy, emphasizing hit shows,” and praising their distribution deals. Burns added that as a Starz shareholder, Lionsgate is pleased. “We think it’s valuable,” Burns said about the Starz stake. From the audience of investors, Albrecht shouted out, “Very valuable!” Burns retorted, “He said we’re kissing cousins. Eventually, he’ll pay up for one of our shows.” At the conference, Burns also called the company’s recent $200 million investment in unscripted producer Pilgrim studios (_Ghost Hunters, Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s,_ _Fast N’ Loud) an_ “overlooked asset” and touted the goals of having a third of Lionsgate production tied to television as well as its aim to “become a more global company.” He also spoke about Lionsgate’s “secret sauce,” identifying it as the ability to really develop the projects it buys. “I think the town has woken up to the fact when they sell property to our major competition, a higher price will be paid but it will never be made,” said Burns, noting turnover at the bigger studios. Burns also considers Lionsgate to be “technology-agnostic,” not taking a position on skinny bundles vs. fat bundles, only to say that the studio represents “content mercenaries, really arm dealers,” able to sell whatever which way. _This_ [_article_](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-vice-chairman-wants-film-846760 "undefined") _originally appeared on_ [_The Hollywood Reporter_](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com "undefined") _More from The Hollywood Reporter:_ * [Hollywood’s Top 100 Films](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/list/100-greatest-films-all-time-713215 "undefined") * [Broadcast TV’s New Shows 2015-16](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/broadcast-tvs-new-shows-2015-794118/1-blindspot-nbc "undefined") * [Broadcast TV’s Returning Shows 2015-16](http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/broadcast-tvs-returning-shows-2015-764729 "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/"},"headline":"Lionsgate Says You Haven't Seen the Last of the Hunger Games","datePublished":"2015-12-08T17:58:01.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T13:12:09.897Z","description":"Fans should expect prequels","url":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/","keywords":["movies","Hunger Games"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6e36493b2cce0a3e/69887459ab6d77310f6a77af/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-jennifer-lawrence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eriq Gardner / The Hollywood Reporter"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6e36493b2cce0a3e/69887459ab6d77310f6a77af/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-jennifer-lawrence.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in \"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.\"","caption":"Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in \"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2.\"","creditText":"Murray Close—Lionsgate","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/movies/","name":"movies"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/","name":"Lionsgate Says You Haven't Seen the Last of the Hunger Games"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Exclusive Interview With Hunger Games Director Francis Lawrence","description":"Francis Lawrence Describes the Legacy of \"The Hunger Games\"","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/1yxPVhiY/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-11-19T22:58:01.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1yxPVhiY.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/","duration":"PT2M41S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4140776/hunger-games-prequels/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```