<em>The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping</em>: What We Know So Far
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After the film release of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in 2023, the mid-2020s Hunger Games resurgence is only growing stronger. The series’ creator, Suzanne Collins, published a fifth book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, in March 2025, and the news only gets better for fans of Collins’ dystopian universe: A movie adaptation of the book is on its way.
In a press release, Adam Fogelson of Lionsgate said of the upcoming film: “Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know Hunger Games fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”
Here’s what to look forward to when Sunrise on the Reaping at last arrives.
In April 2025, a bevy of casting news was released, including who would star as Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the original Hunger Games films): Australian actor Joseph Zada. Deadline also reported that Whitney Peak would play Haymitch’s love interest, Lenore Dove Baird. The outlet then shared that Jesse Plemons had landed the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, and McKenna Grace will play Maysilee Donner, one of the District 12 tributes.
In May 2025, even more cast updates were announced. Kelvin Harrison Jr. will play Beetee Latier, the winner of the 34th Hunger Games and father of Ampert Latier, a Tribute in the 50th Hunger Games. Variety announced that Maya Hawke will take on the role of Wiress, a District 12 mentor and former Hunger Games champion. Lili Taylor will play another mentor, Mags. Ben Wang will play Wyatt Callow, a District 12 Tribute. Ralph Fiennes has taken on the role of the infamous President Snow (portrayed by Donald Sutherland in Hunger Games and Tom Blyth in the prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes). Elle Fanning will play Effie Trinket (played by Elizabeth Banks in the original films). And Kieran Culkin will play the host, Caesar Flickerman (originated by Stanley Tucci).
In June 2025, Deadline revealed two new cast additions: Glenn Close and Billy Porter. Close will play Drusilla Sickle, escort to the District 12 Tributes, and Porter will play Magno Stift, Sickle’s distant husband and the Tributes’ designer.
Porter shared the news in a joint Instagram post with Lionsgate and The Hunger Games’ official account.
In December 2025, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will return as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, respectively. While Hutcherson has not commented on the news yet, Lawrence addressed speculation about her joining the film in January 2026. While on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the actress spoke about “maybe” reconnecting with director Francis Lawrence. “Maybe we already have [met],” she teased.
She also commented on the online rumors about her return, quipping, “Oh, yeah, it is out on the internet, isn’t it?”
Lionsgate has not officially confirmed Lawrence’s involvement.
Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on Nov. 20, 2026.
On June 6, the official Hunger Games Instagram account shared the news, mere hours after Scholastic announced that Collins was at work on another book.
“Welcome to the Second Quarter Quell,” the caption reads.
The fifth installment of The Hunger Games series will be a second prequel, this time focused on protagonist Haymitch Abernathy. Fans will remember Haymitch as Katniss and Peeta’s mentor during their games, as well as the second-ever victor from District 12 (behind Lucy Gray Baird). Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 40 years after the events in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and will depict Haymitch’s backstory, as well as his time in the Quarter Quell, well before the events of the main Hunger Games trilogy.
“Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the Reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell,” according to Scholastic. (Read our full breakdown of the book’s ending here.)
Collins also shared that Scottish philosopher David Hume served as one of her inspirations for her newest work.
“With Sunrise on the Reaping, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few,’” Collins revealed in a statement. “The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”
Yes! The official teaser trailer was released in November 2025. In the short clip, we’re introduced to the new cast members, including Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Glenn Close, Jesse Plemons, and Elle Fanning.
The official trailer for the movie arrived on April 13, 2026, and sees Zada as Haymitch sitting down with President Snow before stepping into the arena. “I bet I know a thing or two about you,” Snow tells Haymitch in the trailer. “You love her and she loves you. But now, you are on your own.”
Other scenes from the trailer include the tributes getting ready for the pre-games interview with the help of assistants. Caesar Flickerman (Culkin) interviews Haymitch, and asks him what he thinks about there being 100 percent more tributes for the second Quarter Quell. “From what I’ve seen, they’re 100-percent stupid as usual,” Haymitch cheekily replies.
The seeds of the rebellion also appear to be present, with Haymitch being one of the voices leading the charge. “I’m sick of living in fear,” he says in a passionate moment. Just surviving. We’re not animals to kill for their entertainment.” And as a call back to Catching Fire, a scene of Haymitch rising up into the arena—while facing all the other tributes—offers a chilling look at the moments before the games truly begin.
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