The Hunger Games universe is officially expanding again, and fans are already a-buzz. Lionsgate has revealed the first details about its upcoming prequel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, a return to Panem set during the infamous Second Quarter Quell. The announcement arrived with perfect dramatic timing—exactly one year before the film hits theaters—and came packaged with a surprise teaser trailer, a striking poster and several first-look images that have already set the fandom on fire. (Don’t worry, no Cinna-engineered flame-retardant capes were involved!)
Set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteered as tribute, the film explores the 50th Hunger Games, one of the most brutal chapters in the Capitol’s history. At the center of the story is young Haymitch Abernathy, portrayed by rising Australian actor Joseph Zada. He leads a powerhouse cast that includes screen legends Glenn Close and Ralph Fiennes, hinting that this prequel is aiming for both emotional depth and spectacle.
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The movie marks the fifth installment in the blockbuster franchise and will officially arrive in theaters on November 20, 2026. With the first footage finally out in the world, fans can now start piecing together what promises to be a darker, more intense dive into the early years of Panem, not to mention a new look at the Games that shaped Haymitch long before he became the mentor we know.
Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Photo Credit: Murray CloseLionsgate
This latest entry takes viewers back in time to witness the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The story begins on the morning of the reaping and centers on a young Haymitch Abernathy—yes, the same mentor who would later guide Katniss and Peeta through their own deadly games. Set 24 years before the original Hunger Games, this prequel explores a pivotal moment in Panem's brutal history.
When does Sunrise on the Reaping come out?
Mark your calendars: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping arrives exclusively in theaters on November 20, 2026.
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Francis Lawrence returns to the director's chair for this fifth Hunger Games film. Lawrence previously helmed Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, Mockingjay Part 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, making him the franchise veteran behind the camera. Billy Ray penned the screenplay adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are producing, with Cameron MacConomy serving as executive producer.
Who's in the Sunrise on the Reaping cast?
Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Photo Credit: Murray CloseMurray Close/Lionsgate
The breakout role of young Haymitch Abernathy goes to Joseph Zada. The 20-year-old Australian actor lands the pivotal role of young Haymitch Abernathy. Born Joseph Cumpston, Zada has built his career with appearances in Australian television series like Total Control and Stan Australia's Invisible Boys, plus films including Bilched and The Speedway Murders. He also appeared in the Amazon Prime Video series We Were Liars. Playing the younger version of one of the franchise's most beloved characters is a major career milestone for the rising star.
Jesse Plemons
Plemons joins the cast as a young version of Plutarch Heavensbee. Plutarch, originally portrayed by the late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, Plutarch Heavensbee, is the Head Gamemaker for the 75th Hunger Games and a commander in the rebellion against the Capitol. Looks like we finally get to see more of his origin story.
The two-time Oscar nominee takes on President Coriolanus Snow in his younger years. Fiennes brings gravitas to the role of Panem's ruthless leader, whom fans last saw as an elderly tyrant in the original trilogy. Known for playing Voldemort in Harry Potter and starring in films like The English Patient and The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fiennes excels at portraying characters with chilling authority.
Glenn Close
Close portrays Drusilla Sickle, the cruel Capitol escort assigned to District 12's tributes. This sinister character serves as a predecessor to the flamboyant Effie Trinket from the original films. The eight-time Oscar nominee recently appeared in projects like The Wife, Hillbilly Elegy, and Albert Nobbs, and continues to prove why she's one of Hollywood's most formidable talents.
The Succession Emmy winner steps into the role of Caesar Flickerman, the charismatic television host who interviews tributes before they enter the arena. This younger version of the character (later played by Stanley Tucci) gives Culkin a chance to show his range beyond the caustic Roman Roy persona that made him a household name.
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Elle Fanning
Fanning plays a young Effie Trinket, years before she becomes the prim and proper escort audiences met in the original films. At this point in the timeline, Effie is still a social climber trying to make her mark in Capitol society. The role offers insight into how the character evolved into the memorable figure Katniss and Peeta encountered.
Grace takes on Maysilee Donner, one of the tributes competing in the 50th Hunger Games. Fans of the books will recognize this as a significant character—Maysilee is Madge's aunt, and her story connects to the origins of the iconic mockingjay pin. Grace has proven her ability to handle emotionally complex roles in projects like Gifted and The Handmaid's Tale.
Maya Hawke
The Stranger Things star portrays a young Wiress, the brilliant but eccentric tribute nicknamed "Nuts" who would later return for the 75th Hunger Games in Catching Fire. Seeing this character's origin story (before her time as a victor and eventual Quarter Quell participant) adds new dimension to the franchise's interconnected timeline.
Peak plays Lenore Dove Baird in the film. The Gossip Girl reboot star continues to build an impressive résumé of high-profile projects.
Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Harrison takes on Beetee Latier, the tech genius tribute who also appeared decades later in Catching Fire as a returning victor. Like Wiress, Beetee's participation in the 50th Hunger Games provides backstory for a character fans already know survives to fight another day. Harrison has delivered powerful performances in films like Waves and The Trial of the Chicago 7.
Billy Porter
Porter joins the cast as Magno Stift, the negligent designer for District 12 and Drusilla Sickle's long-estranged husband.
Yes! A teaser trailer was released exactly one year before the film's theatrical debut, and it gives us a chilling first glimpse of the Second Quarter Quell.
Will Sunrise on the Reaping stream on Netflix or another platform?
The film is scheduled for theatrical release only as of now, with no streaming information announced yet.
How does Sunrise on the Reaping fit into the Hunger Games timeline?
Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Photo Credit: Murray CloseLionsgate
This prequel occurs 24 years before Katniss volunteers as tribute. For context, the 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell) happened when Haymitch was a teenager—the same games he won before becoming the disillusioned mentor we met in the original trilogy. The Hunger Games franchise currently spans five films that have collectively earned over $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office.
The book on which the film is based became a massive bestseller, selling 1.5 million copies in its first week across the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand—with 1.2 million of those sold in the U.S. alone. Those numbers were double the first-week sales of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and triple the first-week sales of Mockingjay.
What happened in the Sunrise on the Reaping book?
Suzanne Collins's novel The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping was published before the film's announcement and instantly became a massive bestseller. So, naturally, readers already know the full story of Haymitch's Quarter Quell, including major plot points, character deaths and how he wins the Games. If you want to go into the movie completely unspoiled, you may want to avoid discussions with book readers or online fan communities where the story has been thoroughly dissected.
BUT IF YOU DO WANT SPOILERS (you've been warned!):
The story follows 16-year-old Haymitch during the Second Quarter Quell, where District 12 must send four tributes instead of two. Among them are Maysilee Donner (a wealthy girl from his district) and Lenore Dove Baird (his secret girlfriend). Throughout the competition, Haymitch works on schemes to damage the arena itself rather than just survive. He forms temporary alliances with different competitors, including Maysilee, who eventually dies.
Haymitch becomes the victor through an unintended stroke of luck: the last opposing tribute throws an axe at him near the arena's edge, but it bounces back from an invisible barrier and kills her instead. Snow retaliates against Haymitch's rebellious behavior by having his family killed, and Lenore Dove is poisoned with candy Haymitch unknowingly gives her. These truly devastating losses transform him into the bitter, alcoholic mentor Katniss and Peeta meet years later.
Next: ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Announces Winner of Fan Casting Call: ‘I’m Blown Away’
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