In 2026, cinemas will be graced with a captivating new "Hunger Games" prequel, offering fans a deeper dive into the dystopian world of Panem. Following the remarkable success of last November's "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," which garnered an impressive $337 million at the box office, Lionsgate teased that the story of Panem was far from over. Adam Fogelson, the chairman of the studio's motion picture group, commented that "The film opened an endless series of possibilities that Suzanne can go, and that [Lionsgate] can go with her."
To fulfill this promise, Suzanne Collins is embarking on a new journey with her upcoming novel, "Sunrise on the Reaping," set to release in 2025. And just as the sun rises to illuminate a new day, the film adaptation will grace the big screens on November 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence, the director who has steered every "Hunger Games" installment since 2012's "Catching Fire," is in negotiations to helm this latest chapter.
"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" will transport us back to the world of Panem, 24 years before the events of the iconic Katniss Everdeen saga and four decades after "The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes." It will commence on a fateful morning, the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, where Haymitch Abernathy, portrayed memorably by Woody Harrelson, once competed. Haymitch, who later mentored Katniss and Peeta in the 74th Hunger Games, will once again play a pivotal role in this new chapter.
"Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star," said Fogelson in a statement. "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."
With Meredith Wieck and Scott O'Brien overseeing the production, and Patricia Laucella and Phil Strina managing the book rights for Lionsgate, this latest installment is sure to captivate audiences worldwide. The "Hunger Games" film franchise has already amassed over $3.3 billion at the global box office, with "Catching Fire" standing as the crown jewel with $865 million. While "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" didn't quite match the original saga's ticket sales, its modest $100 million budget allowed it to turn a profit and pave the way for this exciting new prequel.
