Scholastic has just released the book cover and official synopsis of the eagerly awaited prequel to the Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping, set to hit shelves on 18 March 2025. This latest entry delves into the tumultuous Second Quarter Quell, a pivotal event in the series’ lore that fans of the films will recall Haymitch Abernathy, played by Woody Harrelson, famously survived.
Suzanne Collins, the mastermind behind the Hunger Games universe, sets Sunrise on the Reaping 24 years before the original trilogy. The prequel’s official synopsis is as follows:
“When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.
When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.”
Sunrise on the Reaping promises to add depth to the character of Haymitch and explore the impact of his actions both inside and beyond the arena. This narrative arc aims to enrich the complex world of Panem, providing insights into the origins of the rebellion that defines the later books.
Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, who produced the original Hunger Games films, which have grossed a staggering US$3.3 billion globally, making it one of the highest-grossing film franchises, will return to produce the film adaptations of Sunrise on the Reaping.
The Hunger Games series continues to expand, with Collins’ 2020 prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes having already been turned into a successful film in 2023, starring Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth, which pulled in US$337.4 million worldwide.
Fans of the series can mark their calendars for 18 March 2025, when Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled for release. For now, they can pre-order their copy on the Amazon website.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
