If you loved Haymitch in the original Hunger Games films, a new prequel focusing on a young version of his character is coming soon.

Suzanne Collins is releasing another book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping, set to hit theaters in 2026. Unlike The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which takes place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit Panem 24 years before The Hunger Games.

This prequel centers on the 50th Hunger Games (the Second Quarter Quell), where District 12’s Haymitch Abernathy emerged victorious.

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“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,’” Collins wrote in a statement. “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.”

Along with the upcoming book release, Lionsgate has announced plans to bring the prequel to theaters. Francis Lawrence, the filmmaker behind the last four Hunger Games movies, is in talks to return to direct. “From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for The Hunger Games franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026,” Collins continued.

More than 100 million copies of all four books in Collins’ Hunger Games series have been sold, while the films have grossed over $3.3 billion at the worldwide box office. The star-studded cast has featured Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Viola Davis, Jason Schwartzman, and Peter Dinklage.

Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games prequel Sunrise on the Reaping will be released on March 18, 2025, in print, digital, and audio formats in the US, Canada, the UK and Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

The upcoming film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will hit theaters on November 20, 2026. The cast has yet to be announced.

What Is Sunrise On The Reaping About?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping takes place 24 years before the events of the original films, beginning on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. This significant event saw Haymitch Abernathy crowned as the victor. He and Lucy Gray Baird (from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) are the only other winners from District 12 before Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory. Haymitch, portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original films, serves as a mentor for Katniss and Peeta.

How Did Haymitch Win The 50th Hunger Games?
Haymitch’s victory is detailed in the second book, Catching Fire, though much of it was left out of the film adaptation. At 16, he was reaped for the Second Quarter Quell along with District 12’s Maysilee Donner. They formed an alliance, but Maysilee was killed by bird-mutts after deciding to separate to avoid having to kill Haymitch. Haymitch won by cleverly using the force field at the edge of the arena to kill the District 1 tribute with her own axe.

How Is Sunrise On The Reaping Connected To The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes?
Sunrise On The Reaping is set 40 years after Collins’ 2019 novel, The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes, which explores President Coriolanus Snow’s origin story.

Adapted into a film in 2023 starring Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler, the movie follows a young Snow before his rise to infamy as Panem’s leader. During this time, he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, a traveling musician and District 12 tribute, while struggling between his feelings for her and his ambition for power.

In Sunrise On The Reaping, viewers will likely see an older, more powerful Coriolanus Snow. Two weeks after Haymitch's victory, Snow ordered the execution of Haymitch’s mother, younger brother, and girlfriend.

Stay tuned for more updates on The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping.

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