UPDATE: Following the announcement for a newHunger Gamesprequel book,Lionsgate revealed the movie adaptation ofThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingwill hit theaters on June 10, 2025.
Summary
Get ready to return to the arena because anotherThe Hunger Gamesprequel movie is all but guaranteed. The franchise’s future has been in question since the release ofThe Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which was set 64 years before the events of Katniss' story.While there has undoubtedly been a demand for movies, there were no moreHunger Gamesbooks to adapt, and it was unclear whether there ever would be.
Of course,the world ofThe Hunger Gamesleaves a lot of room for exploration. Katniss was first reaped for the 74th Hunger Games, and it was following the 75th Games—the Quarter Quell—that she escaped the arena and began her war against the Capitol.The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakesexplored the 10th Hunger Games, which saw a young President Coriolanus Snow participate as one of the first batch of mentors. This leaves 72 unexplored Hunger Games, but author Suzanne Collins is checking another bloody event off this list.
New Hunger Games Novel Releasing In 2025, Timeline Teases Original Trilogy Character’s Return
A new novel in The Hunger Games series is coming out in 2025, as writer Suzanne Collins returns with another entry in the dystopian universe.
Another Hunger Games Book Is On The Way (Which Means A Movie Probably Is Too)
The Next Hunger Games Book Is Likely To Picked Up By Lionsgate
Collins has announced that she has aHunger Gamesbook in the works(viaVariety), which will be set 40 years after the events ofThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. TitledSunrise on the Reaping, Collins has explained that the prequel was inspired by Scottish philosopher David Hume’s ideas about “implicit submission” and ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.” The author said nothing about whether this book, which will be released on June 29, 2025, will be adapted into a movie—though this is inevitable.
While the film rights for Sunrise on the Reaping have yet to be announced, it can be assumed that this is part of a larger plan for the franchise.
It can beno coincidence that Collins is releasing a new book so soon after the 2023 release of theBallad of Songbirds and Snakesmovie. While the film rights forSunrise on the Reapinghave yet to be announced, it can be assumed that this is part of a larger plan for the franchise.Hunger GamesandBallad of Songbirds and Snakesdirector Francis Lawrence has already teased that he would beeager to make more movies set in Panem, but only if Collins writes a book first. Now that these criteria have been met, it seems we need only to sit back and wait.
Sunrise On The Reaping Will Be Set During Haymitch’s 50th Hunger Games
A Haymitch Hunger Games Prequel Movie Has Been Highly Requested
Another reason aHunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingbook is inevitable is that it will feature a highly marketable character. The teased placement of the upcoming book within the timeline is 40 years afterBallad of Songbirds and Snakes, which indicates thatthe story will surround the 50th Hunger Games—AKA, the Second Quarter Quell. This just happens to be when Haymitch Abernathy was crowned victor. As a fan-favorite character, aSunrise on the Reapingmovie would be a shoo-in. In fact, Lionsgate would be foolish not to jump on the opportunity.
Sunrise on the Reapingwill be the perfect capper fortheHunger Gamesfranchisesince Haymitch is the last of District 12’s four victors to get a screen adaptation. The first winner from the coal-minding District was Lucy Gray Baird, whose story was explored inThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The last was Katniss and Peeta, who obviously had their stories told in the centralHunger Gamesbooks and movies. Now,Haymitch, the second District 12 victor, is finally getting his chancein the sun(rise). Without a movie following his story, theHunger Gamesfilm franchise would be incomplete.
District 12 had the fewest victors of on District in The Hunger Games.
A Haymitch Prequel Is Likely To Be More Successful Than President Snow’s
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeswas an excellent book, and the perspective of Coriolanus Snow was invaluable to the overarching themes ofThe Hunger Games. The movie was a fairly done adaptation, too. However, theprequel film didn’t perform as well as its franchise predecessorssince it was a spinoff that movie audiences hadn’t really asked for. Ever since the conclusion ofThe Hunger Games: Mockingjay, fans have been begging forspinoffs that followed Haymitch’s Hunger Games, meaning the hype leading up to a potentialSunrise on the Reapingbook will be massive.
The 50th Hunger Games is an event that is simply begging to be seen on the big screen, and it seems likeHunger Gamesfans won’t have to wait much longer for this to happen.
Haymitch isn’t the only reason that the 50th Hunger Games has been a point of fascination. The Second Quarter Quell required four tributes from each District—two boys and two girls—which means thatthere were twice as many kids battling to the death. Moreover, they were placed in an astounding beauty arena full of rolling green hills, colorful flowers, and fluffy clouds. However, the meadows and forests were as poisonous as they were beautiful. It’s an event that is simply begging to be seen on the big screen, and it seems likeHunger Gamesfans won’t have to wait much longer for this to happen.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a multi-movie franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. The films are based on the young adult dystopian book series by author Suzanne Collins. The first film was released in 2012, followed by Catching Fire in 2013, Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. In 2023, the fifth film in the series was released, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
