One Year Until the Next Hunger Games

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Get ready for more Hunger Games! Lionsgate has released the first trailer for the next movie, Sunrise on the Reaping, a full year before it hits theaters. The film, based on Suzanne Collins’s book, takes place 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and will reveal the difficult past of Haymitch Abernathy, who later becomes Katniss Everdeen’s mentor. The promotional campaign is officially underway!

What happens in the trailer?

As the sun rises, the 50th Hunger Games are about to begin, marked by the traditional reaping ceremony. We’re introduced to a young Haymitch Abernathy, who, along with the people of District 12, learns about a new and dangerous change to this year’s games from Drusilla Sickle (played by a red-haired Glenn Close): the number of tributes will be doubled, meaning twice as many participants will fight for survival in this special Quarter Quell.

We get a brief look at the other tributes Haymitch will face, including a particularly young competitor played by Percy Daggs IV. Then we meet Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, Haymitch’s girlfriend, who gives him the distinctive flint striker featured on the cover of the book, Sunrise on the Reaping—it’s shaped with a bird and a snake. However, scenes of Haymitch distraught and restrained near a burning building hint that their peaceful moments won’t last.

The story also features younger versions of well-known characters from the Capitol, with Elle Fanning playing a young Effie Trinket and Ralph Fiennes as a middle-aged President Snow after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Jesse Plemons appears as Plutarch Heavensbee, who is working as a cameraman at the Reaping, and is giving Glenn Close a run for her money with his striking haircut, making them both stand out in the trailer.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=MPjxijuBuSo&feature=youtu.be

Who else is in the cast?

The cast of Sunrise on the Reaping also features Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Lili Taylor as Mags, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, and Billy Porter as Magno. Joining Zada as Haymitch are McKenna Grace and Ben Wang, who will play District 12 tributes Maysilee Donner and Wyatt Callow, respectively.

What is Sunrise on the Reaping about?

This special 50th Hunger Games, called the Quarter Quell, features a young Haymitch Abernathy—age 16—competing against 47 other tributes. We know he eventually survives, as he later mentors Katniss and Peeta, but this story lets us see the events that made him so jaded and troubled by his time in the arena. For a detailed recap with spoilers, check out our complete guide to the book.

Why am I getting Midsommar vibes?

I just got a first look at Sunrise on the Reaping, and visually, it’s striking. The tributes are presented near a cornucopia, but it’s all framed by incredibly lush flowers and greenery. It immediately made me wonder if director Francis Lawrence – who’s helmed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire – was influenced by Ari Aster’s unsettling use of flowers in his 2019 film. But this deadly, beautiful aesthetic actually comes straight from the book! The 50th Hunger Games takes place in an arena filled with a gorgeous, yet dangerous, meadow of flowers, and the first poster really emphasizes that contrast. It’s a smart way to visually represent the story’s themes.

Who’s in the crew?

Lawrence will be directing a screenplay written by Billy Ray, known for his work on the first Hunger Games film and the memorable AMC ad featuring Nicole Kidman. Nina Jacobson, who has produced previous Hunger Games movies, will be back as a producer, joined by Brad Simpson.

When is the release date?

The marketing for the new Hunger Games prequel is starting now, so fans still have a bit of a wait before it hits theaters. The release of Sunrise on the Reaping on November 20, 2026, will be worth it!

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2025-11-20 21:54