David Bridges
Key Highlights
- Release Date: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
- Plot Focus: The film centers around a young Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games.
- Character Appearances: Fans will see younger versions of characters like Effie Trinket and President Snow.
- Production Success: Following the success of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, this adaptation is highly anticipated.
After the Hunger Games franchise returned with Suzanne Collins’ 2020 prequel book The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, it didn’t take much time before Lionsgate decided to bring it to film. That ended up being a hit, so, to no one’s surprise, they’ve decided to also adapt Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel that was released earlier this year.
Set decades after Ballad, the new film focuses on a young Haymitch Abernathy, played first by Woody Harrelson in the original movies and here by Joseph Zada. As a candidate in the 50th Hunger Games, Haymitch is fighting against 47 other kids handpicked by the Capital. “Twice the number of tributes, twice the glory,” beams Glenn Close’s Drusilla Sickle.
Longtime fans of the books will recognize young versions of series characters like Effie Trinket (Elle Fanning) and President Snow (Jesse Plemons), alongside other young players Haymitch encounters, played by the likes of Mckenna Grace and Ben Wang. It’s not going to be a good time for Haymitch and the other kids, but Lionsgate is hoping it’ll be a good time for the audience when The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters one year from today—November 20, 2026.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters & IMAX November 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/9XJZ7BzgLv
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) November 20, 2025
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Daniel Mercer
