The world of Panem is expanding once again. Lionsgate has released the highly anticipated first trailer for Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the next installment in the Hunger Games franchise and the cinematic adaptation of the 2025 novel by Suzanne Collins.
Set decades before Katniss Everdeen’s story, this prequel dives deeper into the brutal legacy of the Games while exploring the origins of one of the series’ most beloved characters. With a star-studded cast, a returning director, and a darker chapter of Panem’s past, Sunrise on the Reaping is already shaping up to be one of 2026’s biggest releases.
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Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Trailer
The first footage offers a tense, emotionally charged look at a young Haymitch Abernathy, played by Joseph Zada, as he faces the unimaginable stakes of the 50th Hunger Games—also known as the second Quarter Quell.
The trailer highlights the somber mood of District 12, sweeping Capitol visuals, and the escalating dread of a reaping that will soon send 48 tributes into the arena. Fans also get quick glimpses of several key characters, including a younger Effie Trinket and a chilling early performance from the future President Snow. Watch the trailer below.
Cast and Plot
The film follows Haymitch Abernathy as he’s selected as a tribute in the Quarter Quell that requires each district to send twice the number of participants. This deadly twist forces 48 children to fight to the death, laying the foundation for the hardened, cynical mentor fans later meet in the original films.
The cast includes Elle Fanning as a young Effie Trinket, Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow, and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman. Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Glenn Close, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, Billy Porter, Whitney Peak, and more round out the ensemble.
Directed by Francis Lawrence with a screenplay by Billy Ray, the film reunites producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson.
Sunrise on the Reaping Release Date
Sunrise on the Reaping arrives in theaters on November 20, 2026, marking a major return to Panem and the legacy of the Hunger Games.
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