To no one’s surprise, Lionsgate remains in the “Hunger Games” business. The studio has greenlit an adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ upcoming prequel ahead of its March 18, 2025, release date. And fans of the franchise won’t wait long for the new film. Lionsgate slates “The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” for a premier November 20, 2026 theatrical release; so, roughly a year and a half wait.
And in another non-shocker, Francis Lawrence is in talks to return to direct. If he signs on, that’ll be five “Hunger Games” movies in total for the director, starting with 2013’s “Catching Fire.” Other regular series plan to return, too, like producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. The pair will produce “Sunrise On The Reaping” through their Color Force banner, as they did for the franchise’s previous five films. Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien will oversee production for Lionsgate.
But what is “Sunrise On The Reaping” about? Another prequel, this one takes place forty years after the events of last year’s “The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes” and twenty-four years before the start of the 2012 series-starter, focusing on the 50th annual Hunger Games. Those who know their “Hunger Games” lore well remember that event was christened the Second Quarter Quell, which saw Haymitch Abernathy emerge as victor, the first winner from District 12 in the Games’ history. Woody Harrelson played an older, jaded version of Abernathy that mentors Jennifer Lawrence‘s Katniss and Josh Hutcherson‘s Peeta in the original movies. However, it’s unlikely Harrelson will reprise his role in the prequel.
In a press statement yesterday, Collins spoke about her creative intentions for herthe upcoming prequel book. “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…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.” In an additional statement today, Collins followed up, “From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the “Hunger Games” franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with [Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson] and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”
“The Hunger Games” is Lionsgate’s most prominent franchise, so it makes sense for the studio to greenlight Collins’ book before it even hits bookstore shelves. But the success of this latest prequel is by no means a guarantee. “A Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes” made just $337.4 million worldwide, the worst box office showing in the franchise thus far. And the franchise’s heyday was a decade ago now, so despite theme parks in Dubai and London stage plays based on the series, it’s not as culturally resonant as it used to be. Still, the numbers don’t lie. The franchise has made $3.3 billion at the global box office, which makes it a significant property for Lionsgate, albeit one on the wane.
Stay tuned for casting news for “The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping” as it inches closer to shooting. And it’s too early to tell what the prequel will vie against in theaters on November 20, 2026. The only other wide release dated then is an untitled Warner Bros/New Line movie, which could be anything.