Summary
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapinghas to face one major issue right away during pre-production. The movie will be the sixth installment in the film franchise, which is adapted from the series of dystopian young adult novels of the same name by Suzanne Collins. The original trilogy, which was published between 2008 and 2010, was adapted into a big-screen quadrilogy with the final novel,Mockingjay, being split into two features released in 2014 and 2015. Altogether, the popular franchise has grossed over $3 billion at the box office worldwide.
TheupcomingThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingwill be the second prequel in the franchise after 2023’sThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, based on the 2020 novel of the same name. In early June 2024, it was announced that Collins was publishing another prequel in 2025 and that it would be adapted into a movie set to premiere in 2026. Despite only recently being announced, the movie, which is being helmed by longtime franchise director Francis Lawrence, alreadyneeds to solve one major problem before it gets off the ground.
When The New Hunger Games Book Is Set Compared To Katniss' Story And Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes
Another Hunger Games novel is on the way, and its (highly requested) story takes place between Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the 74th Games.
A Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Movie Was Inevitable After The Book Announcement
Every Hunger Games Book Has A Movie Adaptation So Far
Although the extremely brief hiatus in between the two announcements isn’t necessarily common, it was perhapsinevitable that aSunrise on the Reapingmovie would be made. Between the original fourHunger GamesmoviesandThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, every one of Collins' books in the franchise has received a big-screen adaptation. While the fact that the latest movie was also the lowest grossing by a significant margin cast the prospect into slightly more doubt, the franchise is still a viable property in theaters and each of the movies has made their money back.
$78 million
$695.2 million
~$130 million
$865 million
~$125 million
$755.4 million
$160 million
$661.4 million
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes(2023)
$100 million
$337.4 million
It does seem entirely possible thatSunrise on the Reapingcould receive a slightly smaller budget, more on the level of the originalThe Hunger Games,to mitigate any more diminishing returns. However, box office has been unusually unpredictable in the pandemic era. Because of this, the new moviehas every opportunity to become a major hitdespite the lukewarm reception to its immediate predecessor, especially thanks to the presence of a returning major character, though that factor introduces problems of its own.
The Sunrise On The Reaping Movie Faces 1 Challenge The Book Doesn’t Need To Consider
The Prequel Will Need To Recast A Major Returning Character
The biggest challenge that is currently facing the movie is the fact thatThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingwill have to recast the iconic character Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch, a former victor of the Hunger Games who becomes a mentor to Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), is a major fixture of the original trilogy. In the original four movies, which took place between the 74th and the (unofficial) 76th Hunger Games, Haymitch was originally portrayed by three-time Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson.
However,Sunrise on the Reaping’s setting will not allow for the actor to reprise his role. The actor, who is now 62 years old, was already slightly older than his 40-year-old character in 2012’sThe Hunger Games, as he was 49 at the time of the movie’s production and turned 50 while filming. The prequel novel will take place during the 50th Hunger Games, in which Haymitch was the victor, but the movie taking place 24 years earlier meaning that the character will be 16 years old,necessitating an actor other than Harrelson stepping into the role.
How Old The Hunger Games Cast Was Compared To Their Characters
The Hunger Games cast features the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth – how old were the main actors during filming?
Why Recasting Haymitch In The Hunger Games Prequel Will Be So Difficult
The Role Was Originally Played By Woody Harrelson
The movie’s position ontheHunger Gamestimelineis where it differs from the previous prequelThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The only major character who appeared in a younger form in that movie was President Coriolanus Snow, with Tom Blyth taking over the role from Donald Sutherland. While Snow was a memorable character in the original trilogy, as he was the primary representative of an oppressive regime and thus essentially the main antagonist, he neverthelessplayed more of a tertiary role in the ongoing storyline.
Tom Blyth was 27 when production began onBallad of Songbirds and Snakes, whereas Donald Sutherland turned 76 while filmingThe Hunger Games.
Haymitch, while still being a secondary character to theHunger Gamesleads, was on the other hand amuch more generally beloved character. The time jump between movies is also significantly smaller, going back 24 years rather than 64. WhileBalladtakes place in an almost entirely different Panem where a different-looking Snow seems to fit, it will be more of an adjustment for viewers ofThe Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingto see a version of Haymitch who is not played by Harrelson.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping explores the dystopian world of Panem 24 years prior to Katniss Everdeen’s story. This prequel focuses on the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell, unveiling the origins of crucial events and traditions in the series.
