Quentin Tarantino claims The Hunger Games franchise has “ripped off” the Japanese cult classic Battle Royale. He questions why no lawsuit targeted the author of the book, Suzanne Collins.
During a recent episode of The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast, Tarantino expressed shock that Battle Royale’s creators did not sue Collins, claiming they “ripped off the f***ing book.” He faulted book critics for proclaiming Hunger Games original, saying film critics when the 2012 movie came out labelled it “Battle Royale except PG.” A longtime fan of Battle Royale since catching it early at festivals, Tarantino ranks it among his top 21st-century films.
Both series are set in dystopian futures in which authorities compel teenagers to participate in fatal, televised games of survival until only one victor remains. Since its 2008 novel release, Hunger Games has repeatedly been compared to Battle Royale, part of a plagiaristic argument. Battle Royale-a film adaptation of Koushun Takami’s 1999 book- features Japanese students in a violently ruthless competition that was released over a decade before Hunger Games reached the market. Collins has denied any knowledge of Battle Royale until after her manuscript had been completed and points to inspirations such as reality television and war footage.
The Hunger Games series sold over 100 million books and grossed $3.3 billion across five films, with a sixth, Sunrise on the Reaping, slated for 2026. Tarantino recalled a Pulp Fiction-themed meme dubbing Hunger Games “Battle Royale with cheese” during its opening weekend. Online discussions highlight world-building differences but acknowledge core premise overlaps.
