The Hunger Games franchise, a thrilling saga of dystopian rebellion, has captivated audiences worldwide. With the recent release of the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, interest in the world of Panem and its cinematic representation is higher than ever. Fans are eager to know: Where was Hunger Games filmed? This article dives into the fascinating real-world locations that brought Suzanne Collins’ vision to life, from the impoverished District 12 to the opulent Capitol, and the deadly arenas in between. Discover the diverse landscapes that served as backdrops for Katniss Everdeen’s fight for survival and freedom.
District 12: The Coal Seams of North Carolina
For the first Hunger Games movie, filmmakers sought a location that could embody the bleakness and poverty of District 12, the coal-mining district. They found their answer in North Carolina, utilizing its rustic and often overlooked areas to create an authentic portrayal of Katniss’s home. Despite a modest budget of $78 million for the first film, North Carolina’s landscapes effectively conveyed the atmosphere of District 12.
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Alt text: Aerial view of lush green forests and mountains in North Carolina, USA, representing the wilderness surrounding District 12 in The Hunger Games.
Henry River Mill Village: The heart of District 12, the dilapidated town we see on screen, was brought to life at the Henry River Mill Village, an abandoned textile mill village near Hildebran, North Carolina. This ghost town provided the perfect backdrop for the run-down homes and dusty streets of the poorest district in Panem. Its weathered buildings and desolate atmosphere required minimal set dressing to become District 12.
Hildebran Warehouse Lot: The emotionally charged Reaping Ceremony, where tributes are selected for the Hunger Games, was filmed in an abandoned warehouse lot in Hildebran, close to the Henry River Mill Village. This location, with its stark and industrial feel, amplified the grim reality of the Reaping in District 12.
The Arena Cornucopia: North Fork Reservoir, Asheville
The terrifying arena where the Hunger Games commence needed to be both visually striking and practically functional for filming the brutal combat. The filmmakers chose the North Fork Reservoir in Asheville, North Carolina, for the Cornucopia and the initial arena scenes.
North Fork Reservoir, Asheville: This serene location was transformed into the bloodbath arena of the first Hunger Games. While in reality, a peaceful body of water, the reservoir served as the open field where Katniss is first elevated into the arena. The surrounding forests provided a natural boundary and a setting for the initial chaos around the Cornucopia, the structure filled with survival supplies that triggers the “bloodbath.”
The Arena Forest: DuPont State Forest, Cedar Mountain
The vast and treacherous forest of the first Hunger Games arena required a location that offered both seclusion and expansive space. DuPont State Forest in Cedar Mountain, North Carolina, provided the ideal setting for the majority of the arena scenes.
DuPont State Forest: This sprawling forest became the primary arena setting, hosting numerous key moments in the first film. Its diverse terrain, ranging from dense woods to open areas, allowed for dynamic action sequences. Scenes such as Katniss evading the Career Tributes, her alliance with Rue, and Rue’s heartbreaking death and funeral were all filmed within the DuPont State Forest. The forest’s natural beauty contrasts sharply with the violence of the Games, highlighting the dystopian nature of Panem.
Catching Fire: Expanding the Horizons to Georgia and Hawaii
With the immense success of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, the second film, benefited from a larger budget, allowing for more diverse and exotic filming locations. While still utilizing Georgia for some locations, the production expanded to Hawaii to create the unique environment of the Quarter Quell arena.
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Alt text: Scenic beach in Hawaii with white sand, palm trees, and clear turquoise water, representing the tropical Quarter Quell arena in Catching Fire.
District 12 (Again): Pratt-Pullman Yard, Georgia
Although District 12 was revisited in Catching Fire, the location shifted to Pratt-Pullman Yard in Atlanta, Georgia. This abandoned industrial complex became the setting for The Hob, District 12’s black market.
Pratt-Pullman Yard, Atlanta: This historic railway and industrial complex, now abandoned, offered a different but equally fitting visual for District 12’s gritty underbelly. The Pratt-Pullman Yard effectively portrayed The Hob, the clandestine marketplace where Katniss acquires the Mockingjay pin in the first film. Its industrial decay resonated with the oppressed atmosphere of District 12.
President Snow’s Mansion: Swan House, Buckhead, Georgia
To represent the opulence and power of President Snow and the Capitol, filmmakers utilized the grandeur of the Swan House in Buckhead, Georgia, for the exterior of Snow’s mansion.
Swan House, Buckhead: This elegant mansion, part of the Atlanta History Center, served as the imposing exterior of President Snow’s residence. The Swan House’s classic architecture, with its spiraling double staircase and Greek-style columns, perfectly embodied the Capitol’s lavish aesthetic and Snow’s tyrannical power. The location is open to visitors, allowing fans to walk in the footsteps of Panem’s most formidable villain.
Image source:Atlanta History Center
Alt text: Elegant Swan House mansion in Buckhead, Georgia, featuring white columns and a sweeping staircase, used as President Snow’s mansion exterior in Catching Fire.
Arena Cornucopia (Aquatic): Clayton County International Park, Georgia
The unique Quarter Quell arena in Catching Fire was designed around water, requiring aquatic filming locations. Clayton County International Park in Georgia, also known as “The Beach,” provided the setting for the Cornucopia’s water-filled environment.
Clayton County International Park (The Beach): Originally built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, this park’s aquatic facilities became the arena’s water feature. “The Beach” at Clayton County International Park was transformed into the watery arena where the Quarter Quell Games began, adding a new dimension of danger and spectacle to the Hunger Games.
Arena Beach: Kawela Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
For the extensive beach scenes of the Quarter Quell arena, the production moved to the stunning Kawela Beach in Oahu, Hawaii.
Kawela Beach, Oahu: This picturesque Hawaiian beach provided the idyllic yet perilous backdrop for the majority of the Quarter Quell arena scenes. Kawela Beach, with its golden sands and turquoise waters, hosted critical scenes, including the alliances formed by Katniss and her fellow tributes and the emotional moments between Katniss and Peeta. The beauty of the location starkly contrasts with the deadly nature of the Games.
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Alt text: Sunset at Kawela Beach, Oahu, Hawaii, with gentle waves and a warm glow, location for beach scenes in the Quarter Quell arena of Catching Fire.
Arena Jungle: Waimea Valley and Manoa Valley, Hawaii
The dense and obstacle-filled jungle of the Quarter Quell arena was created in the lush valleys of Oahu: Waimea Valley and Manoa Valley.
Waimea Valley and Manoa Valley: These verdant Hawaiian valleys offered the dense jungle environment needed for the treacherous Quarter Quell arena. Waimea Valley and Manoa Valley’s thick vegetation and varied landscapes became the jungle arena, filled with hidden dangers and obstacles that tested the tributes’ survival skills. Despite their on-screen peril, these locations are real-world paradises open to visitors.
Mockingjay Part 1 & 2: International Scope in France and Germany
For the final two installments, Mockingjay Part 1 & 2, the scope of filming expanded internationally to reflect the escalating rebellion and the shift in settings. While some filming remained in the US, key locations were established in France and Germany, representing the Capitol and District 13.
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Alt text: Modern architecture and urban landscape of Berlin, Germany, a key filming location for Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2, representing District 13 and the Capitol.
Snow’s Mansion Interior: Château de Voisins, Louveciennes, France
For the interior shots of President Snow’s opulent mansion, the production journeyed to France and the Château de Voisins in Louveciennes.
Château de Voisins, Louveciennes: This stunning French château provided the lavish interiors of President Snow’s mansion, showcasing the Capitol’s extravagant lifestyle. Château de Voisins, with its white walls, golden paneling, chandeliers, and baroque furniture, perfectly embodied the Capitol’s excessive wealth and Snow’s decadent lifestyle.
District 13: Kraftwerk, Berlin, and Sweetwater Creek State Park, Georgia
District 13, the rebel base, needed to convey a sense of underground resilience and utilitarian functionality. Filming for District 13 interiors took place at Kraftwerk in Berlin, while exterior scenes were shot at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Georgia.
Kraftwerk, Berlin: This former power plant turned nightclub in Berlin became the interior of District 13. Kraftwerk’s vast, industrial spaces, with concrete and steel structures, offered the cold, functional aesthetic of a post-nuclear bunker, perfectly representing the underground District 13.
Sweetwater Creek State Park, Georgia: In contrast to the underground bunkers, Sweetwater Creek State Park in Georgia provided the setting for the limited exterior scenes of District 13. This park’s natural beauty, with forests and a flowing river, offered a glimpse of the surface world accessible to District 13 residents, as seen in scenes of Gale and Katniss hunting.
The Quarry: Bellwood Quarry, Atlanta, Georgia
A brief but significant location in Mockingjay is the quarry where Katniss sings “The Hanging Tree.” This scene was filmed at Bellwood Quarry in Atlanta, Georgia.
Bellwood Quarry, Atlanta: Now part of the Westside Reservoir Park, Bellwood Quarry served as the location for the poignant “Hanging Tree” scene. This quarry, with its dramatic rock faces, became the setting where Katniss’s song ignited the rebellion, a pivotal moment in the Mockingjay storyline.
The Capitol: Noisy-le-Grand, Paris, and ICC Messedamm, Berlin
Representing the Capitol in Mockingjay required locations that conveyed both futuristic architecture and a sense of imposing power. Filmmakers utilized Noisy-le-Grand in Paris and ICC Messedamm in Berlin for key Capitol scenes.
Noisy-le-Grand, Paris: This Parisian suburb, with its distinctive semi-circular apartment complex, Les Espaces d’Abraxas, became a recognizable part of the Capitol cityscape. Noisy-le-Grand’s unique architecture, particularly Les Espaces d’Abraxas, represented the sleek, modern, and sometimes unsettling aesthetic of the Capitol, featured in scenes where Katniss and her squad face deadly traps.
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Alt text: Les Espaces d’Abraxas apartment complex in Noisy-le-Grand, Paris, featuring its iconic semi-circular architecture, representing the Capitol in Mockingjay.
ICC Messedamm, Berlin: The Internationales Congress Centrum (ICC) in Berlin, a now-decommissioned convention center, provided the underground subway setting for the Capitol escape scenes. ICC Messedamm’s brutalist architecture, with concrete floors, orange tiles, and massive lighting fixtures, created the tense, subterranean environment where Katniss and her team navigate the sewer Mutts and their escape from the Capitol.
Snow’s Greenhouse Exterior: Rambouillet, near Paris
The exterior of Snow’s greenhouse, the location of the final confrontation in Mockingjay, was filmed at Rambouillet, a château near Paris.
Rambouillet Château, near Paris: This historic château outside of Paris provided the elegant exterior and gardens surrounding Snow’s greenhouse. Rambouillet Château’s beautiful gardens and classic French architecture offered a stark contrast to the grim events unfolding within Snow’s greenhouse, creating a visually striking and symbolically charged location.
The Meadow: Dawsonville, Georgia
The peaceful meadow in the epilogue of Mockingjay, representing Katniss and Peeta’s hard-earned peace, was located in Dawsonville, Georgia.
Dawsonville Meadow, Georgia: This serene meadow in Dawsonville, Georgia, became the symbol of hope and peace at the end of the Hunger Games saga. The Dawsonville meadow, with its rolling hills and idyllic setting, provided the perfect concluding image of tranquility and a future free from the Hunger Games. Fans have noted its visual similarity to locations in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, hinting at a cyclical return to peace and nature.
Image source:The Hunger Games, Reddit Post
Alt text: Tranquil meadow in Dawsonville, Georgia, bathed in sunlight and dotted with wildflowers, representing the peaceful epilogue scene in Mockingjay.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Poland and Germany Return
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, being a prequel, revisits the Capitol and a different version of District 12. Filming took place primarily in Poland and Germany, utilizing locations that could represent a Capitol still recovering from war and a District 12 with a different character.
Arena (10th Hunger Games): Centennial Hall, Wroclaw, Poland
The arena for the 11th Hunger Games, a simpler stadium compared to later arenas, was filmed at Centennial Hall in Wroclaw, Poland.
Centennial Hall, Wroclaw: This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wroclaw, Poland, provided the imposing circular structure for the 10th Hunger Games arena. Centennial Hall, with its grand dome and historical significance, embodied the Capitol’s attempt to project power even in the early, less technologically advanced Hunger Games.
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Alt text: Majestic Centennial Hall in Wroclaw, Poland, a large domed structure used as the arena for the 10th Hunger Games in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Tribute Zoo: Britzer Garten, Berlin
The disturbing Tribute Zoo from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was constructed within Britzer Garten, a park in Berlin.
Britzer Garten, Berlin: This expansive park in Berlin became the unsettling location for the Tribute Zoo. Britzer Garten, transformed into the open-air zoo where Capitol citizens could gawk at the tributes, highlighted the dehumanizing aspects of the early Hunger Games.
Heavensbee Hall: Berlin’s Museum Island and Leipzig
Corolianus Snow’s university, Heavensbee Hall, was represented by multiple locations, primarily in Berlin and Leipzig. The exterior was filmed at the Altes Museum on Berlin’s Museum Island.
Altes Museum, Berlin: Located on Berlin’s Museum Island, the Altes Museum provided the imposing exterior of Heavensbee Hall. The Altes Museum’s neoclassical architecture, with its grand columns, conveyed the prestige and intimidating atmosphere of the Capitol’s elite university.
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Alt text: Grand Altes Museum in Berlin, Germany, featuring neoclassical architecture and columns, used as the exterior of Heavensbee Hall in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
Tieranatomisches Theater, Berlin: This historical veterinary anatomy theater in Berlin served as the classroom within Heavensbee Hall. The Tieranatomisches Theater, a unique and historic building, provided the setting for university classroom scenes, adding to the academic and somewhat macabre atmosphere of Heavensbee Hall.
Völkerschlachtdenkmal, Leipzig: The Hall of Statues, where Snow faces a pivotal moment, was filmed at Völkerschlachtdenkmal in Leipzig, a monumental stone structure. Völkerschlachtdenkmal, or the Battle of the Nations Monument, in Leipzig, with its imposing stone architecture and hall filled with statues, became the dramatic setting for key scenes within Heavensbee Hall, including Snow’s confrontation and turning point.
The War Department: Crematorium, Berlin
Dr. Gaul’s sinister War Department and lab were appropriately located in a former crematorium in Berlin.
Crematorium, Berlin: A crematorium in Berlin, with its stark and functional architecture, served as the chilling War Department and Dr. Gaul’s laboratory. Utilizing a former crematorium for the War Department underscored the sinister and morally ambiguous nature of Dr. Gaul’s experiments and the Capitol’s cruelty.
Command Center: Olympic Park, Berlin
The Command Center for broadcasting the Hunger Games was situated in an old building within Berlin’s Olympic Park.
Olympic Park, Berlin (Fencing Hall): A building in Berlin’s Olympic Park, originally used for fencing events in the 1936 Olympics, became the Command Center. This historical location within Olympic Park, repurposed as the Hunger Games Command Center, added a layer of historical context and repurposed grandeur to the Games’ broadcast hub.
Thriving District 12: Landschaftspark, Duisburg-Meiderich
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes depicts a District 12 that is more functional than the dilapidated one seen later. Landschaftspark in Duisburg-Meiderich, Germany, was used to portray this earlier, somewhat more vibrant District 12.
Landschaftspark Duisburg-Meiderich: This former steel mill in Germany, now a public park, provided the setting for the more functional and less impoverished District 12 of the prequel. Landschaftspark Duisburg-Meiderich, with its industrial structures interwoven with nature, offered a unique and visually interesting backdrop for Lucy Gray’s District 12, showing a district that is working but still under Capitol control.
Outskirts of District 12: Polish Countryside
The natural landscapes surrounding District 12, including lakes and meadows, were filmed in the Polish countryside.
Polish Countryside (Unspecified Lakes and Meadows): The idyllic outskirts of District 12, where Lucy Gray and the Covey spend time, were filmed in the beautiful Polish countryside. The unspecified lakes and meadows in Poland captured the natural beauty surrounding District 12, contrasting with the industrial heart of the district and providing a haven for Lucy Gray and her family. While the exact location remains elusive, the Polish countryside effectively depicted the natural world of Panem.
From the coal-dust laden villages of North Carolina to the tropical beaches of Hawaii and the historical landmarks of Europe, the Hunger Games franchise has utilized a vast array of filming locations to construct the world of Panem. These real-world settings not only provided visually stunning backdrops but also added depth and authenticity to the story, making the Hunger Games a truly immersive cinematic experience. For fans seeking to step into the world of Katniss Everdeen, exploring these filming locations offers a unique way to connect with the beloved series.
