The movie begins with a strange city, Panem, where a punishment is being imposed on the people of its twelve districts due to the rebellion in the past. Victorious Capitol has formed a new game, where a girl and a boy has to be chosen from each of the twelve districts and they have to fight till death. The boy and girl must fit the criterion of being between twelve to eighteen years of age.
From District 12, a girl named Primrose is chosen at the start, but her sister Katniss volunteers to replace Primrose and becomes a participant in the hunger games. A boy named Peeta Mellark is chosen from the same district. As the game begins, with every level, it becomes more difficult and in order to survive, the participants need to kill one another and reach the next level. Crossing all the difficulties, Katniss and Peeta emerge out as the winner.