THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING Gets an Annoying Official Fan Edit Trailer That Feels Like a TikTok Video
I'm actually kind of excited to see The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but Lionsgate's latest promotional trailer isn't doing the movie any favors.
After releasing some great trailers that actually got me pumped for the film, the studio has decided to share an officially released fan edit that's packed with obnoxious visual effects, goofy transitions, and editing tricks that make the whole thing annoying to watch.
The trailer was created by TikTok editor Areq (@areqaep), and it's got glowing eyes, flashy transitions, and a bunch of ridiculous effects that don't really serve any purpose.
Some of these transitions are just silly and make absolutely no sense. The glowing eyes gimmick is particularly irritating, and none of it feels like it belongs in a trailer for The Hunger Games.
I get that Lionsgate is probably trying to appeal to a younger TikTok audience, but turning footage from an exciting movie into a glorified social media edit is a strange way to sell it.
The frustrating part is that the movie itself looks great! The previous trailers have done a fantastic job of getting me interested in returning to Panem, and this latest effort feels like a step in the wrong direction. Thankfully, it's just a promotional fan edit and doesn't reflect the actual filmmaking.
Sunrise on the Reaping takes audiences back to Panem 24 years before the events of the original The Hunger Games. The story follows a young Haymitch Abernathy on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
It's a major chapter in the franchise's history, exploring the brutal competition that shaped Haymitch long before he became Katniss Everdeen's mentor. The film also serves as a follow-up to the 2023 prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
The cast includes Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy, alongside Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Elle Fanning as a young Effie Trinket, and Maya Hawke as Wiress.
The ensemble also includes Whitney Peak, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner. The fan edit does features a fun moment involving Close and Grace, although it's hard to appreciate some of the footage with all the unnecessary editing thrown over it.
Francis Lawrence, who directed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, both Mockingjay films, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, returns to direct. His other credits include Constantine, I Am Legend, Red Sparrow, Slumberland, and The Long Walk. The screenplay comes from Billy Ray, adapting Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel.
Look, I'm all for creative fan edits, and there are plenty of talented editors out there doing awesome things with movie footage. But this particular trailer just doesn't work for me. The constant visual gimmicks are more distracting than entertaining.
Still, this franchise continues to deliver some compelling stories, and Haymitch's experience in the Second Quarter Quell is something I'm looking forward to seeing brought to the big screen.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on November 20, 2026.