Sunrise On The Reaping’ Will Tell Haymitch’s Story—All About The Prequel

If you loved Haymitch in the original Hunger Games films, a new prequel focusing on a young version of his character is coming soon. Suzanne Collins is releasing another book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping, coming to theaters in 2026. Read on to learn everything about the upcoming book and movie.

Unlike The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which takes place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, The Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit Panem 24 years before The Hunger Games. It will center on the 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell), which saw District 12’s Haymitch Abernathy crowned as the winner.

“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.”

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Along with the upcoming book release, Lionsgate has already announced plans to bring the prequel to theaters. Francis Lawrence, the filmmaker behind the last four Hunger Games movies, is in talks to return to direct. “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 Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026,” Collins continued.

More than 100 million copies of all four books in Collins’ Hunger Games series have been sold, while the films have grossed more than $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office. The star-studded cast has featured Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Viola Davis, Jason Schwartzman, and Peter Dinklage.

Here’s what to know about The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping so far.

What Is The Sunrise On The Reaping Book Release Date?

Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on March 18, 2025, in print, digital, and audio formats in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

When Is Sunrise On The Reaping Coming To Theaters?

The upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20, 2026. The cast has yet to be announced.

What Is Sunrise On The Reaping About?

The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping will take place 24 years before the Jennifer Lawrence films, beginning on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, according to a press release.

The games are particularly important because Haymitch Abernathy emerged as the victor. He and Lucy Gray Baird (as seen in the Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes) are the only other winners from District 12 before Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory. Haymitch, portrayed by Woody Harrelson, serves as a mentor for Katniss and Peeta in the original films.

How Did Haymitch Win The 50th Hunger Games?

Haymitch’s victory is revealed in the second book, Catching Fire, but the details of his win were mostly left out of the film adaptation. At 16, he was reaped for the Second Quarter Quell along with District 12’s Maysilee Donner.

Haymitch and Maysilee formed an alliance and remained together until there were only five tributes left. Maysilee eventually decided to go her own way to avoid having to kill him, but she was tragically attacked and killed by bird-mutts. He held her hand while she died.

Haymitch won the 50th Hunger Games by cleverly using the force field at the edge of the arena to kill the District 1 tribute with her own axe.

How Is Sunrise On The Reaping Connected To The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes?

Sunrise On The Reaping is set 40 years after Collins’ 2019 novel, The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, which explores President Coriolanus Snow’s origin story. Adapted into a film in 2023 starring Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler, the movie follows a young Coriolanus Snow before his rise to infamy as Panem’s leader. During this time, he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, a traveling musician and District 12 tribute. Snow is torn between his deep feelings for Lucy and his increase lust for power.

In Sunrise On The Reaping, viewers will likely see an older, more powerful Coriolanus Snow. Two weeks after Haymitch’s victory, he ordered the execution of Haymitch’s mother, younger brother, and girlfriend.

Stay tuned to learn more about The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping.