The beloved Hunger Games franchise has become a global phenomenon from both avid book readers and film lovers. Suzanne Collins’ The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes hit the bookshelves in 2020 and three years later, the book was brought to the big screen with massive success.
Last year, fans were surprised to find out that Collins’ will once again bring readers back into the dystopian world of Panem with the announcement of a fifth book, Sunrise on The Reaping. The book is set to release on March 18 while many fans will have to wait until November 2026 to watch the story come to life on the big screen.
Here’s everything we know about the highly-anticipated fifth Hunger Games film.
What is the Plot of Sunrise on the Reaping?
Sunrise on the Reaping will be based on Collins’ novel. The film is set 24 years before The Hunger Games and it follows a young Haymitch Abernathy as he competes in the 50th annual games, which is the Second Quarter Quell. This game was marked as the bloodiest games in Panem’s history and twice as many tributes were drawn at the Reaping from every district.
According to an exclusive book excerpt, the film will also explore Haymitch’s relationship with his love interest, Lenore Dove.
Who are the creatives working behind the film?
Francis Lawrence is set to make his return in directing the upcoming film. He has directed multiple films from the Hunger Games franchise such as Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2 and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Lawrence has talked about the difficult task in trying to cast a young Haymitch.
“It’s a search and you have to dig down and figure out what are the elements that make Woody Harrelson so interesting, right? We’re going to have to find somebody that has all of that. It’s not somebody that just looks like him, or is going to study Woody Harrelson and just act like him.” He also continues explaining how when Tom Blythe played a younger version of Donald Sutherland’s Coriolanus Snow, Blythe wasn’t impersonating him which made it more believable.
Nina Jacobson, who has produced the previous five Hunger Games films will return with Bradford Simpson.
Lionsgate will be working with Color Force to adapt the film.
When will the film be released?
The film is set to release in theaters on November 20, 2026 per Lionsgate.
Do I need to read the books and/or see the films before Sunrise on the Reaping?
The films are a great start if you haven’t read the series. You can currently watch The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 and Part 2 on Hulu. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can be viewed on Starz through Hulu or on the official streaming site. If you want to get more in-depth with the story, you can purchase the books via your local bookseller or library.
