May the odds be ever in your favor as we return to Panem for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The upcoming movie acts as a prequel to the original saga, telling Haymitch Abernathy’s tragic origin story. Katniss’ mentor in the original movies is a jaded man from his own experiences in the arena, and this story sums up exactly why that is.
Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, the new movie brings back director Francis Lawrence, who has helmed all of the Hunger Games movies apart from the first one, alongside an all-new cast. Below, we break down all the details you need to know about Sunrise on the Reaping, including who plays who, what exactly happens, and when it’s coming out.
We’ve also got the lowdown on the new trailer as well as how it connects to the original movies. Read on for your ultimate guide to The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. And while you’re at it, why not check out our guide to other upcoming movies you need to know about.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping release date
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on November 20, 2026.
This is only a year and a half on from the release of Suzanne Collins’ novel, which is pretty tight turnaround for Hollywood. However, it seems like the rights for the movie were confirmed when the book was announced, allowing for a quick adaptation.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping plot details
It’s expected that Sunrise on the Reaping will be very faithful to Suzanne Collins’ book, which focuses on 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy.
24 years before the first film, he is selected to compete in the 50th Hunger Games for District 12. However, this year is different: as a Quarter Quell, two tributes are sent from each district to compete as President Snow and Plutarch Heavensbee attempt to make it the most dramatic year yet.
The film will follow Haymitch’s life just before he’s selected, where he lives with his younger brother and mother and often sneaks off to meet his girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird. His world gets turned upside down when he’s selected as one of the tributes, bringing him to the Capitol and into the orbit of a whole load of familiar faces.
But if you know anything about Haymitch, you know he does not play by the rules. Determined not to go without a fight, he sets his sights on bringing down the games from within.
Director Francis Lawrence has promised they mostly won’t be holding back with the darkness of the novel either. “What’s great about Suzanne’s writing is that she pulls no punches,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “The only thing we have to do in the movies is make them PG-13. So there’s certain things she describes in the book that I could never put in the movies. There’s a character holding the head of a child at one point in the book, and that’s just not something you can do in a PG-13 movie.”
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping cast
There are plenty of familiar characters in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, as it tells a story set 24 years before the first movie. Before the names were even announced, there was a whole load of fan-casting going on for the main players, and plenty of them actually ended up in the final film. This means the Sunrise on the Reaping cast is probably one of the most exciting ensembles I’ve ever seen, balancing newcomers and household names. Check out the full list below.
- Joseph Zada – Haymitch Abernathy
- Mckenna Grace – Maysilee Donner
- Whitney Peak – Lenore Dove Baird
- Jesse Plemons – Plutarch Heavensbee
- Elle Fanning – Effie Trinket
- Kieran Culkin – Caesar Flickerman
- Ralph Fiennes – President Coriolanus Snow
- Glenn Close – Drusilla Sickle
- Maya Hawke – Wiress
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. – Beetee Latier
- Ben Wang – Wyatt Callow
- Molly McCann – Louella McCoy
- Iona Bell – Lou Lou
- Billy Porter – Magno Stift
- Iris Apatow – Proserpina Trinket
- Lili Taylor – Mags Flanagan
- Kara Tointon – Willamae Abernathy
- Smylie Bradwell – Sid Abernathy
- Scot Greenan – Burdock Everdeen
- Grace Ackary – Asterid March
Do the original Hunger Games cast appear in Sunrise on the Reaping?
Just a quick warning about this section: we’re about to discuss the ending of the novel. If you want to go in fresh to the movie, scroll past here to the next section.
At the end of Sunrise on the Reaping, there is an epilogue set after the events of the original series. In it, Haymitch speaks with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark about his history, and they speak about how he remembers Lenore Dove, whom he lost all those years ago.
There’s been no official confirmation, but it has been reported by The Hollywood Reporter that this will feature in the film adaptation too. This means that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will reprise their roles, a decade on from Mockingjay Part 2. It’s not clear yet whether they’ll be joined by original Haymitch Abernathy star Woody Harrelson or if the film will change up this scene a bit.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping trailer
There have been several The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping trailers ahead of the movie’s release. The first teaser gave us our first look at the bright, colorful arena as well as Ralph Fiennes’ take on President Snow. The characters work together to try and break the arena from the inside out. “We’re not animals to kill for their entertainment,” Haymitch says.
The second trailer gives us a better look at the carriage scene, which fans of the books will know is one of the story’s darkest moments. As well as this, you see Haymitch stand up to President Snow, something that will be a source of great pain for him in the future.
For more of what’s heading to theaters, check out our guide to all the new superhero movies and the new horror movies you need to know about.