Teaser Trailer For THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING Teases Haymitch’s Origin Story
Lionsgate just surprised fans with the first teaser for The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping, and it gives us an early taste of where this next chapter in Panem’s history is heading.
The movie arrives on November 20, 2026, and this teaser sets the tone for a darker, more intimate look at one of the franchise’s most pivotal characters.
This new film steps back twenty four years before The Hunger Games and follows a teenage Haymitch Abernathy, played by rising actor Joseph Zada, on the day of the reaping for the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
The cast includes Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Jesse Plemons, Billy Porter, and Lili Taylor, supported by a younger ensemble that includes Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, and Ben Wang. It is a cool blend of established talent and new faces stepping into major roles.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co President Erin Westerman shared her excitement about the young leads, saying, “The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire.
“After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out — not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise.
“His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
The film is adapted from Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel Sunrise on the Reaping, which revisits Panem during the most dangerous Quarter Quell yet. Sixteen year old Haymitch finds himself thrust into a version of the Games that doubles the horror. Forty eight tributes enter the arena which raises the stakes in a way audiences have never seen in this series.
Francis Lawrence returns to direct with a screenplay by Billy Ray. If the teaser is any indication, Sunrise On The Reaping looks like an exciting and intense return to Panem that digs into the origins of a character fans have been curious about since the beginning.