Pantone paints Panem: Hunger Games reveals the colours behind its districts

Lionsgate is giving fans a colourful look inside Panem ahead of the release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, teaming up with Pantone to reveal the colour language behind the film's 12 districts.

Titled "The palette of Panem", the collaboration with the Pantone Color Institute takes audiences behind the scenes of the upcoming film to explore how colour was used across set, costume and make-up design to build its fictional world.

As part of the project, each of Panem's 12 districts has been matched with a Pantone colour selected by the film's creative teams, with the Pantone Color Institute defining the meaning and associations behind each shade.

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The palette is intended to reflect the industries, environments and identities associated with the different districts while creating a consistent visual language across the production.

For example, District 1, which produces luxury goods for the Capitol, is represented by 'PANTONE 15-0544 Grenoble Green', a yellow-green shade intended to evoke precious gems and luxury materials. 

Meanwhile, technology-focused District 3 takes on 'PANTONE 18-4141 Campanula', a blue associated with trust and dependability, while agricultural District 11 is represented by 'PANTONE 18-0228 Pesto', a green reflecting its fertile landscape.

District 12, known for coal production, is represented by 'ANTONE 19-4003 Black Onyx', a deep black intended to capture both its mining industry and the realities of life underground.

The collaboration also highlights how colour was used across different creative departments to establish locations, power structures and the atmosphere of Panem before these ideas are communicated through dialogue.

"Color carries psychological and cultural associations that audiences read instantly and often unconsciously, which is what makes it such an efficient way to establish an entire world," said Laurie Pressman, vice president of the Pantone Color Institute.

"Color tells us where we are, who holds power, and what life feels like before a single word is spoken. The film's creative teams chose colors that speak volumes about each district, and through The Palette of Panem we wanted to give audiences a deeper look at the meaning behind them," she added.

The collaboration follows another partnership by Pantone earlier this year, when health and beauty retailer Watsons worked with the Pantone Color Institute to introduce "Watsons Evergreen" as part of A.S. Watson's 185th anniversary celebrations.

The signature blue-green hue was developed as a global brand asset for Watsons, combining the retailer's heritage with Pantone's colour expertise. The shade was designed to represent everyday vitality, care and reassurance while establishing a unified visual identity for Watsons across its international footprint.

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