**This article contains spoilers for Sunrise on the Reaping**
In 2008, the greatest dystopian book of all time came out and took over the minds of 14-year-olds everywhere. Then, in 2012, that book was made into a movie, and there began the dynasty of The Hunger Games franchise. However, the excitement doesn’t end with the original trilogy.
The author of the series, Suzanne Collins, picked it back up in 2020 with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This new book caused a resurgence in the series and made room for brand-new content.
Now, in 2026, fans are getting another movie following Katniss’ mentor, Haymitch, in the 50th Hunger Games. With the newest movie, Sunrise on the Reaping, coming out this November, the trailer has just dropped, and it’s chock-full of easter eggs and heart-wrenching scenes from the book.
The Trailer
Before moving into what scenes made it from page to trailer, I have to mention the absolute star power we’re seeing in this movie so far. With notable figures like Kieran Culkin, Mckenna Grace, and Maya Hawke, you really can’t lose.
Not stopping there, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will be making an appearance in this film, and my little fangirl heart can’t take it. If that wasn’t enough to make you watch this movie, it’s said that my close personal friends, the casting directors, cast Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket specifically for me.
Besides the fact that this trailer is, in my expert opinion, peak cinema that’s full of incredible actors, it pandered really well to the book. Getting to pick out the scenes and piece each part together has caused a stir in the fandom. Meaning, this trailer left goosebumps on my arms and little crumbs of the book for nerds, like me, to find.
Along with the incredible styling of this trailer, there are distinct nods to scenes from the book that look stellar. As someone who knows plenty of movie truthers who haven’t read the series, these scenes can seem familiar to the original trilogy.
While this is true, there’s a special spin put on them when it comes to Haymitch’s game, only adding to the absolute sorrow this story gives readers. The scenes truly only lasted a few seconds, but here’s what I got from watching them over and over again.
Beginning with the reaping, there is a small flash of the fight Haymitch and Lenore Dove get into with a peacekeeper following the death of Woodbine Chance. There have been three reapings put into movies, but this one is very different from its predecessors, a common theme throughout this particular story. Looking at even a glimpse of this scene had me shaking; it was the second place I cried while reading the book.
One other key Hunger Games scene that we get a moment to watch is the absolute car crash that was the chariot ride.
Instead of the fire and fanfare we get for Katniss and Peeta, Haymitch’s chariot ride began with a literal crash and ended with the too-soon death of Louella McCoy. Along with this specific moment, later in the trailer, you see Louella’s body double, a little girl they call Lou Lou. It’s quick, but if you watch closely, you’ll catch it.
Something that maybe only I find interesting is the very last clip of the trailer. Haymitch has an overhead shot as he comes up into his arena, which can be seen in all the other Hunger Games films.
There’s something about the addition of this scene in the film and trailer, given that it’s one of the most clippable moments from the first movie.
While the scenes they chose to show us are perfect, the craft of them was incredible. The colors, lighting, and camera work were nothing to sneeze at, and only have me more excited for this film.
Easter eggs
Blink, and you may not miss the important scenes that are a large part of the stories, but some of the littlest pieces of this trailer are what make it more special. You may have gathered that I’m a huge fan of this series, so much so that I was a watcher of the 2012 fan film.
Before we had a book and movie about Haymitch, a short was created detailing the 50th game. One scene in the trailer shows Maysilee Donner with a little braid in her hair, one that isn’t described in the book. This little braid was her signature in the fan film and serves as a little homage to it.
Continuing with the Donner twins, one other shot of Mckenna Grace was present in the trailer, and fans immediately assumed it was Maysilee. After further investigation, the Mckenna Grace in the rain is actually Merrilee Donner, Maysilee’s identical twin.
The reason many speculated it wasn’t the former was due to the rumor that Mckenna Bridger would be playing her instead. The twins are such a tragic pair, and including them in the trailer was definitely an emotionally charged choice.
Many have realized that Haymitch and Katniss’ games parallel one another in many ways, and a genius way this is shown is through a line said by Effie Trinket that is said by Haymitch 24 years later.
The line “make them remember you” stuck with Haymitch all that time and alludes wonderfully to the original movie.
A large theme in this book is the idea of the machine and how everyone works within it; the machine, of course, being the Capitol. When choosing pieces to put in a trailer, there’s just no way the scenes were chosen by accident.
Wiress’ line, “The arena, it’s a killing machine… but all machines can be broken,” being included in this isn’t lost on me and will mean so much for the story.
“I love you like all fire” isn’t a quote that was added in the trailer, but the scene in which Lenore Dove yells this to Haymitch is.
While the quote isn’t actually spoken, the addition of that scene does more for the overall theming of the series. Fire is such an important part of the narrative and can be seen multiple times in the trailer, but this line is too incredible for me not to bring up.
Nov. 20 will see me sitting in a theater and sobbing in my seat. With the drop of this trailer, fans are more excited than ever for more content and all the parts of the book that make this series so special.
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