Last Thursday, Lionsgate dropped the first trailer for “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” the long-awaited adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name that follows the story of Haymitch Abernathy’s games. The teaser racked up a staggering 109 million views in its first 24 hours, instantly becoming one of the most-watched trailer debuts in studio history
With the release date set for Nov. 20, 2026, exactly one year ahead of the trailer’s release, the film, directed by Francis Lawrence, is already generating the kind of early buzz studios dream about.
The prequel dives into the brutal origins of Abernathy, the alcoholic and quick-witted mentor to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the original "The Hunger Games" novel. “Sunrise on the Reaping” will follow Abernathy's own Hunger Games, the second Quarter Quell. This special version of the Games is far more brutal than usual, as the Capitol demands four children per district instead of two, doubling the total to 48 tributes.
Joseph Zada, best known for Amazon Studios’ “We Were Liars,” anchors the film as young Haymitch. Surrounding Zada is one of the franchise’s most star-studded ensembles yet. The film also includes Glenn Close, nearly unrecognizable as Drusilla; Kieran Culkin as young Caesar Flickerman; Ralph Fiennes as a middle-aged President Snow; Elle Fanning as a young Effie Trinket; Maya Hawke (Wiress) and McKenna Grace (Maysilee Donner); Jessie Plemons as young Plutarch Heavensbee and Billy Porter as Magno Stift.
They’re joined by rising talents Whitney Peak, fresh off the 2021 “Gossip Girl” revival “Gossip Girl: XOXO”, and Ben Wang, whose standout role in “The Long Walk" has quickly put him on the film industry’s radar.
The trailer opens with Close’s Drusilla stepping onto the District 12 stage, a moment that feels both ceremonial and unsettling. Setting the tone instantly, it reads as a Capitol ritual steeped in forced grandeur, a polished façade concealing a darker truth beneath.
From there, the teaser pulls viewers into sweeping shots of the arena, blinding summer light, lush greenery and flowers bursting in full bloom. The setting looks almost idyllic, a striking departure from the metallic dystopia fans expect. Instead, it leans into a sun-soaked eeriness reminiscent of Ari Aster’s “Midsommar” (2019), beauty layered over something sinister.
Wide-open meadows, exposed ridgelines and what appears to be the lip of a volcanic mountainside leave nowhere to hide. In quick flashes, viewers see Haymitch forming fragile connections with other children, especially the youngest tributes, Ampert and Louella. Their presence is a brutal reminder of how far the Capitol is willing to go.
Another thread woven throughout the trailer is Haymitch’s relationship with Lenore Dove, a character tied to The Covey and an unmistakable echo of Lucy Gray Baird. The flint striker she hands him appears throughout the teaser, calling back to the object centered on the book’s cover, a small but defining part of Haymitch he’ll carry long after the Games are over.
Midway through, the teaser drops a visual cue hardcore fans will recognize instantly: the aspect ratio shifts, mirroring the iconic transition in “Catching Fire" (2013) when Katniss steps into the arena. It’s a deliberate callback and a signal that the Games have officially begun.
What follows is a breathless sequence of escalating tension. The tributes’ retro-inspired outfits, bright capes, sharp collars and bold colors stand in stark contrast to the violence awaiting them. A countdown begins, and the camera spirals into a cornucopia scene layered with chaos: children sprinting, weapons clashing and screams tearing through the summer air.
The montage widens, revealing jagged mountain ranges, dense forests, a burning house and even a volcanic eruption. The arena feels alive, shifting and hostile; an environment as unpredictable as the tributes inside it.
One of the trailer’s most devastating moments comes in a silent flash: Haymitch on his knees, screaming in agony at a loss the footage refuses to clarify. With 47 other children at risk, the grief is intentionally overwhelming, and it hints at the emotional unraveling that will define his character for decades.
Near the end, a familiar voice cuts through the chaos. Woody Harrelson returns as the older Haymitch, grounding the trailer with a single line destined to echo across fan spaces for months: “I think these Games are going to be different.”
If anything, the trailer makes one promise clear: “Sunrise on the Reaping” isn’t just another installment in "The Hunger Games" franchise. It’s an emotionally charged, visually striking chapter that deepens the story fans thought they knew.
Visually rich, emotionally destructive and unflinching, the film is already positioning itself as one of the franchise’s most ambitious and devastating chapters.
With a full year before it hits theaters, Lionsgate’s early release strategy seems to have paid off. The sun has risen on a new era of Panem, and audiences appear more than ready to watch its light scorch everything in its path.
