Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, Sunrise on the Reaping, will be released in theaters this November, reviving the 18-year-old Hunger Games Saga with this new Lionsgate production. Following the release of the last prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, this sixth installment in the series is set 24 years before the start of the original series. Sunrise on the Reaping tells the story of Haymitch’s time in the Hunger Games, which took place during the second Quarter Quell, and there is a lot to unpack.
I was first captivated by the complex world of Collins’ imagination when my older sister brought me to see Catching Fire in theaters at the young, impressionable age of six. We got the iconic branded popcorn bucket and matching soda cup, and I still remember how she hoarded the merch in her closet for months, spending all her free time fangirling over Peeta. So, I did what any younger sister would do. I adopted her passion and named it mine. In middle school, I read the series for the first time, and my obsession only grew. As a self-proclaimed Hunger Games superfan, I have spent a lot of time thinking about Sunrise on the Reaping.
Haymitch’s backstory
Since the release of the original trilogy, there has been much speculation about Haymitch’s backstory. Fans have wondered how he won his games, why he has become so dependent on alcohol, and why he and Effie seem to have such a close relationship. For years, fans, including me, have fabricated storylines and theorized about his narrative, our thoughts sustained only by the mere crumbs of information Collins has left for us. In the original series, Haymitch is a significant catalyst, but until now, his personal history has remained largely unexplored. This is one reason why I am extremely excited to see how Lionsgate brings his story to life.
cast
In terms of casting, Sunrise on the Reaping is one of the most highly publicized and anticipated casts of the year. Mckenna Grace and Joseph Zada. Ellie Fanning and Maya Hawke. Ralph Fiennes and Jesse Plemons. Not to mention the return of Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, as they play their characters for the first time since the original series. The cast goes on, overflowing with acclaimed and accomplished actors. What I love most about this cast is that, although all of these actors have extremely impressive acting experience, they are not overly booked. I haven’t seen their faces in theaters multiple times this year, like Anne Hathaway or Jacob Elordi. Instead of being tired of the same actors filling different roles, I’m excited to see how this cast brings their characters to life.
soundtrack
In the Hunger Games films that came before Sunrise on the Reaping, we have been spoiled with several great soundtracks and original songs. As Wuthering Heights, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and Heated Rivalry showed us, the music in television and film really does make or break the experience. The original Hunger Games trilogy gave us “Safe & Sound,” an original song by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars, “Atlas” by Coldplay, and “Gale Song” by The Lumineers, among many others. In 2023, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes stood out above the rest, giving us Olivia Rodrigo’s “Can’t Catch Me Now” as well as introducing the world to Rachel Zegler’s rare and exceptional musicality. Already, Noah Kahan’s new song “Draw You Out,” released Oct. 2, has officially been announced as the lead single for Sunrise on the Reaping. Even before its release, fans have anticipated the heartache the music will add to the film. Some online commentary includes people saying that they “won’t make it out of the theater,” and I couldn’t agree more. What makes the Hunger Games soundtracks unique compared to other movie soundtracks is that these songs are multifaceted, meaning they are not only appropriate background music for a dystopian action movie, but I can have them on my daily playlist. I can’t wait to see what songs from the movie I add to my Spotify rotation.
Edits
Anyone who is chronically online knows that the best part of finishing a good show or movie is indulging in the rabbit hole of fan edits afterwards. Already, fans have used teaser footage from Sunrise on the Reaping previews to create captivating edits, sometimes combining clips with footage from the original series. There is a running joke online that “TikTok editors work fast,” meaning that shortly after the release of a movie or show, TikTokers have complementary edits ready to go almost immediately. As someone who runs to my feed after consuming any type of media in an effort to relive the experience in a new way, I couldn’t be more excited to see how fast the TikTok editors work this time.
As a political science student, extreme media consumer, fantasy nerd, and self-proclaimed Hunger Games superfan, November could not come fast enough. In the meantime, I’ll just keep rewatching the original series and any edits that pop up on my feed.