Early on June 4th, 2024, fans of The Hunger Games franchise woke up to a surprising announcement from Scholastic. Suzanne Collins, author of the renowned series, will release another prequel novel on March 18, 2025. This follows the success of the franchise’s first prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which debuted in May 2020 and was adapted into a sucessful film in November 2023.
The upcoming prequel, titled The Hunger Games: Sunrise on The Reaping, will explore the events surrounding the 50th annual Hunger Games – the second Quarter Quell. Notably, this is the game in which beloved character and mentor Haymitch Abernathy from the original trilogy became a victor. While details about the plot remain scarce, Collins told AP News that this installment was heavily inspired by the theme of implicit submission and how propaganda can be used for manipulation and control,
“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 said 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.”
Just when fans thought they couldn’t be more elated, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, producer of all five previous Hunger Games films, revealed that The Hunger Games: Sunrise on The Reaping film is already in production, with a theatrical release date set for November 20, 2026. Hunger Games veteran director Francis Lawrence is in talks to reprise his role
Fans quickly took to TikTok and other social media platforms to theorize about the new novel. Since Sunrise on The Reaping follows Haymitch Abernathy, there is already some information about the second Quarter Quell that may give insight into potential plot points
In Catching Fire, the second installment of the original trilogy, fans learned that the second Quarter Quell featured double the usual number of tributes, with two boys and two girls from each of the twelve districts. The arena was set with snowy mountains, a large meadow filled with flowers, and a golden cornucopia in the center. We were introduced to one of Haymitch’s district partners, Maysilee Donner, who was the best friend of the trilogy’s protagonist Katniss Everdeen’s mother, and the original owner of the Mockingjay pin that symbolizes the revolution to come. Finally, we know that Haymitch’s actions during his games ultimately led to the murder of his family in retaliation.
As fans emerge from the exhilarating experience of the theatrical release of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes last November, they eagerly anticipate a new and unexpected era of the series. This forthcoming chapter promises to be a thrilling addition, continuing to captivate audiences and expand the beloved universe.