New Hunger Games Movie Will Explore The Origin Of Another Familiar Character

"The Hunger Games" are far from over. Not only has it been confirmed that author Suzanne Collins is continuing the franchise with a brand new prequel novel, but Lionsgate has also announced that the forthcoming book will be turned into a movie. Titled "Sunrise on the Reaping," the book is due to hit shelves in 2025, with the movie dated for 2026. Most crucially, this new story will fill in the history of a character fans have wanted to know more about for a long time. Namely, Haymitch Abernathy.

According to a press release, the book will hit shelves on March 18, 2025. Lionsgate wasted precisely zero time in getting the rights to the film locked up. Francis Lawrence, who has directed every entry in the franchise save for the original, is in talks to return for this latest installment. That makes every bit of sense given the success of last year's "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." The prequel, which told the origin story of Coriolanus Snow, pulled in $327 million worldwide, reigniting the wildly popular YA series. Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate's motion picture group, had this to say about it:

"Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn't be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later."

There is no word yet on casting, but Woody Harrelson portrayed Haymitch in the original trilogy. However, since this is a prequel, Lionsgate will need to find a new actor to portray the younger version of the character who went on to win the 50th annual Hunger Games. Meanwhile, franchise producer Nina Jacobson, alongside her producing partner Brad Simpson, will return to produce the film. 

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" takes place 24 years before the events of the Katniss Everdeen saga and four decades after "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes." The story will start on the morning of the reaping of the 50th annual Hunger Games, aka the Second Quarter Quell. These are the infamous games in which Haymitch competed and ultimately won. Haymitch would later go on to mentor Katniss and Peeta in the 74th Hunger Games.

For some time, hardcore "Hunger Games" fans have wanted to know Haymitch's backstory and what transpired during the games he won. Haymitch was a mess of a man and a drunk when we met him in the original film, and there is clearly a story to tell there. Lawrence previously said his one condition for a sequel was if Collins had a story to tell. Fortunately, she does. Collins, speaking with the Associated Press, explained her inspirations for the new book:

"With 'Sunrise on the Reaping,' I was inspired by David Hume's idea of implicit submission and, in his words, 'the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.' The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question 'Real or not real?' seems more pressing to me every day."

For Lionsgate, it's a move that makes every bit of sense. "The Hunger Games" was a giant hit, taking in $678 million at the box office in its day. More importantly, it was the start of something much larger; a franchise that has netted more than $3.3 billion globally in ticket sales. But "Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" was embraced as both a novel and a film by the fans. Optimistically, this new prequel will accomplish the same.

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.