The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is the new adaptation from Suzanne Collins’s famous dystopian universe of Panem. The book was released on March 18, 2025, and since then, fans worldwide have been excited to know how another Hunger Games film will turn out.
Fortunately, we will discover it in just a couple of days! Get ready to enjoy a return to Panem and reconnect with beloved characters on November 19th. But before we get to our seats and enjoy our snacks, here are a couple of things we need to remember:
THE HUNGER GAMES
The Hunger Games tells the story of Panem, a dystopian, post-nuclear nation operated as a totalitarian dictatorship, governed by Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) and divided into twelve districts ruled by the Capitol. Every year, two tributes from each district — one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 — are selected to take part in the Hunger Games, a televised event conceived as both punishment for the Dark Days rebellion and a demonstration of the Capitol’s power. The rules are simple: fight until you’re the last one standing.
Here is where we first meet Sunrise on the Reaping’s protagonist: Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). As District 12’s second and only living winner, Haymitch is in charge of mentoring Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) for the 74th Hunger Games. The problem? He is not the most well-suited man for the position. His constant state of drunkenness and historical failures as a mentor earned him no respect among the citizens of the district. To avoid judgmental eyes, Haymitch refuses to let anyone into his house and his life.
Throughout the narrative, his character grows on us, proving that he can strategize and lead Katniss and Peeta to victory. Alongside District 12 escort Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), he takes advantage of the attention his tributes are gaining to attract sponsors who provide resources. Haymitch is the one who notices Everdeen’s abilities with a bow and arrow and Mellark’s strength, deciding to advise them about improving their skills and training. He also uses them to construct narratives that will guarantee public adoration and deflect the Capitol’s suspicions of an upcoming rebellion.
“You really want to know how to stay alive? You get people to like you.” – Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games
CATCHING FIRE
The sequel, Catching Fire, begins with Katniss and Peeta on a Victory Tour around Panem. Haymitch has to accompany them while struggling with the progression of his drinking compulsion and having to face withdrawals regarding a liquor shortage in District 12.
While the districts are on the verge of rebelling, the Third Quarter Quell — a special edition of the games celebrated every twenty-five years — is announced. This time, previous winners are selected to take part in the Games. Katniss and Haymitch’s names are called, but Peeta volunteers in his place. While they’re reviewing tapes from previous editions on their way to the Capitol, we have a glimpse of Haymitch’s participation in the Games.
The mentor coaches District 12 tributes on keeping up with their ‘madly in love’ act and to take advantage of their popularity to create alliances between other district’s competitors. On his end, Haymitch works alongside Districts 3, 4, and 7 mentors, since Katniss and Peeta aligned with their tributes.
When Katniss blows up the force field, Haymitch rescues her. Aboard a hovercraft, they get into a fight over his secrets regarding the survival of District 13; the revolt of the other districts; the outbreak of the Second Rebellion; and Peeta being captured by the Capitol.
MOCKINGJAY
After being rescued from the arena, Katniss is taken to an underground facility in District 13 — previously believed to have been destroyed by the Capitol — led by rebel leader President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore). Everdeen becomes the Mockingjay, a symbol of the rebellion against the Capitol. She fights to save Peeta and free Panem from President Snow’s totalitarian government, coming face-to-face with lots of destruction and grief.
Haymitch is responsible for strategizing the rebellion’s propaganda spots – commonly known as propos – to promote their cause. He wants to create a more controlled and emotion-driven narrative, but Katniss ignores his recommendations and jumps into combat, showing the truth about the Capitol’s abusing methods.
“Just remember, you’re talking to everybody. Not just the rebels, but The Capitol, the survivors in 2. We want them to lay down their arms. So you might wanna experiment with a little sensitivity, warmth.” – Haymitch Abernathy in Mockingjay — Part 2
Throughout the movie, Katniss and Haymitch’s relationship improves. He takes her under his wing, always making sure she survives another day: insisting she keeps her earpiece in while filming the propos so he can look out for her; comforting her when she breaks down; making sure she eats and takes her medicine; standing by her side against President Coin; and, furthermore, looking after her in her mother’s absence. Katniss becomes the missing piece in Haymitch’s long-broken heart.
Abernathy also shows that he is more than what he lets the world know. He is a man who sees narratives as an important source to achieve victory, he knows the power the population holds and uses it to advance their cause. When Haymitch steps out of his shell and grows as a mentor, we catch glimpses of the young boy who once had the fight in him to win the Second Quarter Quell before his life went sideways.
FROM THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES TO THE 74TH HUNGER GAMES
The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes tells the story of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) during the 10th Hunger Games. Snow, one of the top students of the Capitol’s Academy, is selected to mentor District 12’s female tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). As they grow close together, Snow has an unexpected rise to power as he fights to make sure that Lucy wins at any cost.
As well as offering insight into Snow’s rise, the film shows how the Games became a massive event for over 70 years. In the 10th Hunger Games, they were still developing the logistical aspects, and it was the first time mentors were established, interviews were given, and a sponsorship system was applied. Eventually, different arenas were constructed for every Game and the tributes started receiving pregame luxury treatment.
Initially, the Academy’s top students were the ones mentoring the tributes, who were thrown into a cage one week before the event, eating only if their mentors brought them food; the sponsors’ drones frequently crashed and were also used as weapons. Besides, all past Games were held in the same Arena.
In Sunrise on the Reaping, we may see more transitional aspects of the Hunger Games before they became what we know from Katniss and Peeta’s story.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM SUNRISE ON THE REAPING?
The prequel revisits Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, and it’s established during the Second Quarter Quell.
This time, twice as many tributes are taken from each district, causing great fear among citizens. In District 12, sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) is only looking to make it through the day and be with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove (Whitney Peak). When his name is called, he’s torn apart from his family and the girl he loves. Now, with the eyes of the entire Capitol upon him, Haymitch understands that he’s been set up to fail and to lose everything he loves. But there’s something in him that wants to fight… and that fight reverberates far beyond the deadly arena.
Sunrise on the Reaping gives us insights on how Haymitch turned out to be Katniss and Peeta’s drunken mentor and explains glimpses of his life that we have been introduced to in previous movies.
Played by strong industry names, beloved characters are back and new ones will be introduced. Rumor has it that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will return as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. I bet you don’t want to miss out on it!
Check out The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’s official trailer.
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The article above was edited by Melissa de Melo
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