The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Will Tell Haymitch’s Story
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch in The Hunger Games
Fans of Haymitch Abernathy from the original Hunger Games films have exciting news to look forward to—a prequel focusing on his character's backstory is in the works. Suzanne Collins is set to release a new book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping, which will be adapted into a film scheduled for release in 2026. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming book and movie.
The Storyline
Unlike The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which occurs 64 years before the original trilogy, The Sunrise on the Reaping will take place 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games. The narrative centers around the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, where District 12’s Haymitch Abernathy emerged as the victor.
“With Sunrise on the Reaping, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few…,” Collins wrote in a statement. “The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”
Book Release Date
Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on March 18, 2025. It will be available in print, digital, and audio formats across the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Movie Release Date
The film adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026. Although the cast has yet to be announced, Francis Lawrence, who directed the last four Hunger Games movies, is in talks to return as the director.
Plot Details
The book and film will begin on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, highlighting Haymitch’s journey to victory. Haymitch, at 16, was reaped along with District 12’s Maysilee Donner. The two formed an alliance until Maysilee's tragic death. Haymitch won the games by cleverly using the force field at the arena's edge to kill the District 1 tribute.
Connection to The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes
Sunrise On The Reaping is set 40 years after The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, which explores President Coriolanus Snow’s origin story. In this prequel, viewers will likely see an older, more powerful Coriolanus Snow. Two weeks after Haymitch's victory, Snow ordered the execution of Haymitch’s mother, younger brother, and girlfriend.
