‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Teases Brutal Arena as Haymitch Abernathy Fights for His Life in a New Trailer
A new chapter in the world of The Hunger Games is on the way, and fans are getting their first real look at it. According to Lionsgate, a trailer has now been released for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the next film in the long-running franchise.
The story goes back in time, long before Katniss Everdeen ever entered the arena. This movie focuses on Haymitch Abernathy when he was young, years before he became a mentor. The plot begins on the day of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, a special edition of the event known as the Second Quarter Quell.
This version of the Games is even more brutal than usual. Instead of sending 24 tributes into the arena, the Capitol forces each district to send twice as many. That means 48 children are chosen and pushed into a fight where only one can survive.
All machines can be broken. #TheHungerGames: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters & IMAX November 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/90wp9cBxeg
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) April 13, 2026
The film is based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, which was released in 2025. It explores how Haymitch became the person fans later meet in the original films.
Joseph Zada takes on the role of young Haymitch. The cast also includes Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow. Other actors joining the story are Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak, and Kelvin Harrison Jr..
The movie is directed by Francis Lawrence, who has worked on previous films in the series. The script comes from Billy Ray, with production led by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, along with Lawrence.
The film is set to arrive in cinemas on November 20. The information about the trailer and release comes from Lionsgate, which is behind the project. Fans of the series can now get a glimpse of what to expect as the story returns to Panem.
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