The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was only the beginning.
It’s been almost a decade since Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen hung up her bow and arrow in Mockingjay — Part 2, the fiery conclusion to the Hunger Games saga. Back in 2015, no one had any idea that Suzanne Collins’ dystopian story could continue. But the author surprised many by publishing the first of what could be many prequels five years later. Lionsgate, the producers of every film in the Hunger Games franchise, didn’t waste any time greenlighting an adaptation of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — and with yet another prequel out in the world, it’s time to return to Panem once more. Here’s everything we know about Lionsgate’s upcoming adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
When is the Sunrise on the Reaping release date?
Sunrise on the Reaping is set to premiere in theaters on November 20, 2026. That date holds special significance for the Hunger Games saga: Catching Fire and Mockingjay — Part 2 each premiered on the same day in 2013 and 2015, respectively, cementing an impromptu tradition for the franchise.
What is the plot of Sunrise on the Reaping?
Sunrise on the Reaping will adapt the novel of the same name, penned by Hunger Games phenom Suzanne Collins. It’s set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen became a reluctant champion of District 12 by entering the 74th Hunger Games, and follows her mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, during the 50th games. Also known as the Second Quarter Quell, these games were some of the most gruesome in history, with four total tributes collected from the 12 districts of Panem. Sunrise follows Haymitch as he’s drafted into the battle royale and eventually emerges victorious.
Who is directing Sunrise on the Reaping?
Director Francis Lawrence is the unsung king of dystopia. He helmed one of the best apocalyptic thrillers, I Am Legend, along with the DC film Constantine, before directing four of the five films in the Hunger Games saga. Ten years after The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Lawrence returned to direct the franchise’s first prequel, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — so it only makes sense that he comes back for Sunrise on the Reaping.
Lawrence expressed his excitement about the upcoming adaptation at CinemaCon 2025, calling Sunrise on the Reaping his “favorite book in the series.”
“Coming back to a family that we’ve built and to a world we’ve built... and my producer Nina and working with Suzanne, that’s all great,” Lawrence told Entertainment Tonight. “But I think going back in and telling what I think is one of her best stories within the franchise is really exciting.”
Who is in the Sunrise on the Reaping cast?
There was plenty of speculation on the ideal casting for Sunrise on the Reaping, and Lionsgate and Lawrence haven’t disappointed. The team has tapped Joseph Zada, a relative unknown, to play Haymitch Abernathy.
Sunrise’s supporting cast, meanwhile, is packed with faces that fans might already know. Ralph Fiennes will play the latest iteration of President Coriolanus Snow. He’s the third actor to depict the character in live-action after Donald Sutherland (in the original Hunger Games films) and Tom Blyth (in Songbirds and Snakes), and he’s not the only one delivering a new take on an established character.
The prequel will introduce younger versions of tributes we’ll meet later in the saga — like Wiress (Maya Hawk), Beetee (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), and Mags (Lili Taylor) — along with Effie Trinket (Elle Fanning), who serves as a stylist for Haymitch during his games. Jesse Plemons also joins the cast as Plutarch Heavensbee, the gamemaker previously played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Is there a Sunrise on the Reaping trailer?
As the film has only just wrapped up its casting announcements, there’s no trailer just yet. We’ll have updates when Sunrise on the Reaping nears its release date.
Will there be a sequel to Sunrise on the Reaping?
Sunrise on the Reaping is a prequel to Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy, so technically, its follow-up already exists. That said, the door is still open for more stories set before Katniss Everdeen became the savior of Panem. Sunrise on the Reaping follows the events of the 50th Hunger Games and is effectively Haymitch’s origin story, but fans are growing hungrier for depictions of other games, like Finnick Odair’s. There’s no telling if Collins will indulge the fandom and write more prequels, but if it’s in the cards, director Francis Lawrence will likely return for another round in the arena.
