The Hunger Games shares many similarities with Battle Royale. Both take place in a future dystopia where teens are forced to fight to the death by the government. The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins has claimed that she wasn’t aware of Battle Royale until after she had finished writing the novel, but Quentin Tarantino is calling bullshit.
Quentin Tarantino says The Hunger Games ripped off Battle Royale
“Battle Royale is based on a novel. I do not understand how the Japanese writer didn’t sue Suzanne Collins for every f***ing thing she owns,” Tarantino said on The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast. “They just ripped off the f***ing book! Stupid book critics are not going to go watch a Japanese movie called Battle Royale, so the stupid book critics never called her on it. They talked about how it was the most original thing they’d ever f***ing read.“
He continued, “As soon as the film critics saw Hunger Games, [they said,] ‘What the f***! This is just Battle Royale except PG!’” Tarantino also recalled a meme which popped up after the release of The Hunger Games. “The weekend that Hunger Games opened, there was a meme of Sam Jackson and John Travolta driving down the street,” he said. “[It said,] ‘Hey, you know what they call The Hunger Games in France? Battle Royale with cheese.“
When Was the Original Battle Royale Released?
Battle Royale was written by Koushun Takami and published in 1999. It was adapted into a feature film the very next year, which proved to be highly controversial; naturally, it spawned a large cult following that couldn’t get enough. Tarantino has long referred to the film as one of his favourites. A sequel, Battle Royale II: Requiem, was released in 2003, but was seen as a disappointment compared to the original.
An American remake was in development for many years, but ironically, it was shelved after the release of The Hunger Games because producers believed that audiences would perceive the new Battle Royale as a copy of The Hunger Games.
In a 2011 interview, Suzanne Collins explained that she had no idea Battle Royale even existed until she turned in her final draft. “I had never heard of that book or that author until my book was turned in,” she said. “At that point, it was mentioned to me, and I asked my editor if I should read it. He said: ‘No, I don’t want that world in your head. Just continue with what you’re doing.’“
Do you think The Hunger Games ripped off Battle Royale, or are they just unintentionally similar?
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