Harry Potter and The Hunger Games were each successful as books and movies. Their stories reached wide audiences with their magical fantasy charm or future dystopian intrigue. As different as the two franchises could be, some things were similar about them. Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen each had to go on a journey of no return.

The events of their lives would shape who they would become as they got older. Each series had moments of light and darkness, but while they shared things in common, each series had events or storylines that were handled better than the other.

10 Harry Potter: Backstories Explaining Present World Events

By the time Harry attends Hogwarts or Katniss volunteers for the Hunger Games, there have been notable events in each world that have been building to a war. In the wizarding world, everyone is happy that Voldemort is dead, and his followers have been thrown in Azkaban or have been hiding amongst society.

Still, Dumbledore knows it is only a matter of time before Voldemort returns. Yet, it is a known fact that Voldemort is not the first dark wizard to attempt domination. Previously, Gellert Grindelwald had tried to do the same thing. There is a history embedded in the series.

9 Hunger Games: Katniss’s Influence

Katniss Everdeen is never meant to be “The Chosen One.” Unlike Harry Potter, that fate is not affiliated with her identity when she was a baby. Instead, it was Katniss’s actions that caused people to follow her. By standing with Rue and Peeta, Katniss gained love from the districts and fans of the Games.

The Mockingjay became a symbol of hope for the rebellion. When the uprising tries to feed Katniss lines of dialogue for Propos, it does not sit right. However, when Katniss speaks and acts without being told what to do, she becomes a leader that people respect and follow.

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8 Harry Potter: Harry’s Destiny

While Katniss gained her following through her behavior, Harry was always destined to be “The Chosen One.” Armed with the power Voldemort knows not, Harry must prepare to kill the Dark Lord. However, even before knowing the truth about his fate, Harry had always been a leader.

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Still, because Voldemort was obsessed with killing Harry, Harry gained far more defense training from real-life experience. Since Harry had survived going up against Voldemort, others were willing to follow him. However, people were not just fighting for Harry. It was always far more significant than him.

7 Hunger Games: Underground Rebellion

The Order of the Phoenix is an impressive group, as was Dumbledore’s Army, but District Thirteen’s rebellion has them both beat.

Due to the Capitol letting the other districts believe that District Thirteen had been destroyed, only a few had thought to go there, believing they had been lied to. The underground rebellion had managed to stay relatively secret long enough so that when the time came to announce themselves, their ranks were large enough to succeed.

6 Harry Potter: Friendship

The Harry Potter franchise understands the power of friendship and utilizes it throughout the series. No matter which installment, Harry’s relationships with Ron and Hermione are Harry’s most essential bonds. Harry needs both of his best friends to help him get through life and defeat Voldemort.

While Hermione and Ron always remain Harry’s most vital friends, others such as Ginny, Luna, and Neville grow to become crucial to Harry and the story over time. Friendship, and the love that comes with it, is one of the most central aspects of the series.

5 Hunger Games: Horror Of Children’s Involvement

In many ways, Harry Potter is a coming of age story. Introduced at eleven and concluding the main story at seventeen, Harry and his friends face several awful things. However, for much of the story, others are not as included in the overall horrific events.

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The Hunger Games thrives off the fear it reaches in every aspect. From the ages of twelve to eighteen, anyone can be reaped for the Hunger Games. Children are forced to kill each other in an arena for the entertainment of the Capitol.

4 Harry Potter: Corrupt Government

Both franchises have excellent examples of a corrupt government. However, what makes the wizarding world have a better portrayal of a corrupt government is how it begins as slightly corrupt and then slowly becomes worse.

Minister Fudge is not an ideal leader, choosing to blatantly ignore any possibility of Voldemort’s return and instead turn the narrative against Harry and Dumbledore, claiming they are liars. Ministry employee Dolores Umbridge works at Hogwarts for a year and is continually spying on the students. As Voldemort begins making broader moves, he gains control of the Ministry, turning the wizarding world against Harry, painting him as Undesirable Number One.

3 Hunger Games: The Rebellion Has Villains Too

In Harry Potter, there may be gray moments, but for the most part, there are either Death Eaters or those fighting against them. Those fighting on the light side wish to defeat Voldemort and his army and do not actively show to have ulterior motives. However, this is not the case in The Hunger Games. In “Mockingjay,” Katniss meets President Coin, one of the leaders of the rebellion. Although Coin may want President Snow dead, her vision for the future alludes more to her being in power and less legitimate change in the world.

After the rebellion wins, Coin suggests one last Hunger Games using the Capitol’s children. Knowing that President Snow is dying and preventing Coin from taking power, Katniss takes her one chance to kill Snow and uses it to take Coin’s life instead.

2 Harry Potter: The Final Battle

It was only a matter of time before Harry and Voldemort faced each other in one final battle. Harry spends months searching for Voldemort’s Horcruxes to prevent him from latching onto life. Voldemort can only be killed after his Horcruxes are all destroyed.

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The final battle is not just Harry against Voldemort, though. The war shows Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, and several others playing their part to kill Death Eaters. Regardless of the film portrayal of the war or the novel, everything about the war had far more build-up than the war in The Hunger Games did.

1 Hunger Games: Survival

Harry Potter may be about a lot of things, but survival is not one of them. There may be moments where surviving is an essential part of the story, but it is not the entire thing. In The Hunger Games, the games are all about survival.

What does it take to come out of the arena alive? The tributes are given time to practice and learn different skills as they prepare to enter the arena. Surviving not only other people, but injuries as well, and understanding the difference between food that is safe to eat or could kill are all vital tools.

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About The Author


Lindsay Press
(274 Articles Published)

Lindsay Press is a freelance writer. As a graduate of SUNY Purchase College with a degree in Screenwriting and Playwriting, Lindsay has loved television shows and movies since childhood. In addition, she loves to create stories and enjoys dystopian futures, teen drama, and fantasy worlds.

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