Hey, no one said The Hunger Games was all flowers and rainbows. Well… this particular Hunger Games movie does seem to be overflowing with flowers, but that’s beside the point. I’ll chalk the garden aesthetic of arena we’re about to see in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping to a combination of irony, when juxtaposed with so much carnage, and the glamorous folks at the Capitol having an appetite for visual beauty, regardless of the context.
The latest book to screen adaptation for the Hunger Games franchise arrives on the 2026 movie schedule in November and takes place decades before the events of Suzanne Collins’ original series This time around the story focuses on Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson’s character in the original films, now played by Joseph Zada) as he enters the arena as a teen, and fights for his life among other tributes from various districts in Panem.
Given that we know Haymitch goes on to become Katniss Everdeen’s mentor in The Hunger Games, it’s fair to expect that he’ll survive, but as anyone familiar with this franchise knows, surviving also means living with the trauma of this nightmare situation. The Haymitch we know from the earlier books and movies seems like a dude who’s been through it. Well, we’re about to see what “it” is firsthand with Sunrise on the Reaping, as the trailer makes plainly clear..
With just months to go before Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters, Lionsgate has bestowed upon us a new trailer, which shows our hero facing the kind of violence and genetically engineered or modified flora and fauna that only the arena provide. Whether it’s water or fire or some terrifying (though strikingly beautiful) avian or insect creature, Haymitch is seen in some truly terrifying situations.
Amidst the pitfalls of the game board are the players themselves, as it’s kill or be killed in this annual event. And since this particular story is set during the 50th Hunger Games (aka the Quarter Quell), the rules are a bit different: There are twice the usual number of tributes playing.
In addition to Joseph Zada, the cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping includes Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, McKenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Ben Wang. We get a look at quite a few of the lead and supporting players in this new look at the movie.
Just as we’ll get to see a new actor portray Haymitch, we’ll also see other familiar characters with new actors in Sunrise on the Reaping, including Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks’ former role), Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman (formerly played by Stanley Tucci), and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow (Donald Sutherland played him in the original films). Catching Fire‘s Wiress (Amanda Plummer), Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Mags (Lynn Cohen) are portrayed by Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Lily Taylor respectively in this new film.
Who else is ready to “witness the beginning of the revolution”? The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping arrives in theaters on November 20, 2026.
