Why Jennifer Lawrence Likely Won’t Return to ‘Hunger Games’ Franchise

The producers behind the Hunger Games franchise may have just taken the wind out of Jennifer Lawrence‘s sails about any hope of returning to reprise her role as the iconic Katniss Everdeen.

For some context, the 33-year-old actress told Variety back in June that she would “totally” be open to returning. In fact, she said it quite emphatically, telling the outlet, “If Katniss could ever come back into my life, 100 percent.”

Fast-forward to now, the franchise’s producers Nina Jacobson and director Francis Lawerence have all but said that ship has sailed. Speaking to Yahoo Entertainment, Jacobson said the onus would fall on Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins to make the first move by putting pen to paper in a future novel.

“If Suzanne has something to say, then she’ll write a book about it,” Jacobson told Yahoo Entertainment.

Jacobson also added, “Honestly, as much as I love Katniss, I think her story is complete. And I think that Suzanne feels that her story is complete. But if that changes, and Suzanne has something she wants to say, and it involves Katniss, then I would be thrilled. But really any chance to be back in this world, and lead with Francis and Suzanne, I would take regardless of who it was about.”

Lawrence played the iconic role in four Hunger Games films from 2012 to 2015. The franchise is gearing up for the prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which is based on Collins’ 2020 spinoff novel. Rachel Zegler is leading that cast which also includes Viola Davis, Tom Blyth, Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman and Hunter Schafer.

“What I’ve always loved is that Suzanne usually writes these things because she has a thematic idea she wants to explore,” said Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence. “So I think that if for whatever reason she had some thematic idea that made sense to tell another Katniss story, I’d be in, and then I’m sure Jen would be in. But it really all comes from theme and idea, and Suzanne.”

If they don’t get to meet on-screen then at least Lawrence and Zegler already met off-screen. The duo met for the first time in September during Paris Fashion Week. They embraced each other and posed for photographs before enjoying their front-row seats for the Dior show.

They’ll always have that!