It’s here. After reading the book back in March (and reviewing it), we finally got our first taste of what The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will look like. I was completely unprepared. Did we get the trailer for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes this early before the movie? Regardless, the movie theater employees will have to drag me out of that theater when the movie comes out, because I don’t know how I’m going to survive it.
Everything looks incredible but the set is something else. It reminds me of Ari Aster’s Midsommer in the best way possible. The rolling fields and beautiful colors that surround the cornucopia really makes you forget that these kids are in an arena. The cloud covered mountains shimmer in the distance and invite the watcher in, making it the spectacle The Hunger Games were intended to be.
The outfits interested me the most and I’m not sure how I feel about them. Joseph Zada, our young Haymitch, wears a cape that looks like it could have been bought off of Shein for Halloween, but I think I just need to see it in relation to the entire movie. Though, Mckenna Grace, Maysilee, seemingly took inspiration from the fanmade movie based on Haymitch’s Hunger Games from 2011 with her bangs, and it fits perfectly.
We see so many characters in this short teaser including Glenn Close’s Drusilla, Jesse Plemons’ young Plutarch, Whitney Peak’s Lenore Dove, Ralph Fiennes’ middle aged President Snow, and of course, Elle Fanning’s young Effie is to die for. The one character played by a big star that we don’t see in this teaser though, is Kieran Culkin’s Caesar Flickerman. Arguably one of the best characters, so where are you, Kieran? The costumes and sets throughout the clips are also mouth watering, but there is one thing I do notice between this movie and Songbirds and Snakes versus the original movies, and that’s the color grading. I would think these movies should be darker just because they are set in an older time while Jennifer Lawrence’s Hunger Games would be brighter and more vibrant because they are supposed to be in the present. I understand that those were made first and film has changed, but I am confused why they made the lighting in these two movies so vibrant. (This is also why I am not in film.)
This is not to say I didn’t love Songbirds and Snakes, because I did. This is just something I noticed. I am excited to see what they do with this arena though, because of the way it was described in the book. The arena itself is supposed to have bright colors, so I’m glad to see green, pink, and yellow in the teaser.
Seeing all of the characters and devastating moments from the book in this first trailer– not even the main one –made me understand how big and scary of a ride I’m in for. Little Ampert and Louella are two that I know will make me sob in the theater. I saw someone say that Haymitch has a Rue and that’s so true. Except I think my reaction to Rue and Katniss will be tame compared to Haymitch and Ampert, given the history and future between them.
There is one other thing in this trailer that is so important, and yet hardly anyone seems to be talking about it. We hear Woody Harrelson at the end of the teaser! Why is no one mentioning this? Will Harrelson be in more of the movie than we thought (which was none)? Will we get the epilogue with him? I’m not even sure the employees would be able to drag me out of the theater if that were to happen, but I am manifesting to the max.
You will most likely be hearing more from me about this movie before its release so get ready. I’m here and ready to hype up this movie like there’s no tomorrow and if you speak to me, I will also be hyping it up in person. Being alive at the same time as Suzanne Collins is a blessing and I couldn’t imagine anything else. This series has definitely shaped who I am and I’m ready for this movie to change my life. Again. It’s Wicked: For Good this year, but prepare yourself for the Sunrise on the Reaping takeover next year.