‘Sunrise on the Reaping’: Everything We Know About the New ‘Hunger Games’ Film
Before Suzanne Collins had completed her most recent book, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ Lionsgate revealed that a film adaptation was in the works. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group head Adam Fogelson praised Collins during the announcement, calling her a visionary and the driving force behind the franchise’s ongoing success.
The book is currently on sale, and ‘Hunger Games’ series fans won’t have to wait long to see the movie, which is scheduled to open in theatres in November 2026.
The 50th ‘Hunger Games’, also known as the ‘Second Quarter Quell’, will take place in Panem in the fifth instalment of the popular franchise. This chapter will focus on a young Haymitch Abernathy, who fans may recognise from his role as Katniss Everdeen’s mentor in the first two movies, as he is compelled to participate in the most violent Games ever. Each district had to send twice as many tributes as normal for this extraordinary Quell, which turned the arena into a battlefield.
Image Courtesy: NPR
Newcomer Joseph Zada plays Haymitch, while Whitney Peak plays his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird. They will be joined by McKenna Grace as Haymitch’s close friend and fellow tribute, Maysilee Donner, from District 12.
The past of Haymitch is explored in depth in ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’, including his romantic bond with Lenore and his relationships with other tributes from District 12. The movie will also go into more general topics like propaganda, control, and the persuasive power of narrative—all of which, according to Collins, were influenced by philosopher David Hume and his observations on governance and subservience.
Francis Lawrence, who has been involved with the franchise for a long time, is back behind the camera as director. In the past, he directed ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, ‘Mockingjay’ Parts 1 and 2, and ‘Catching Fire’. Billy Ray, the screenwriter for the first ‘Hunger Games’ movie, is returning for this upcoming instalment as well.
–Farheen Ali
