Suzanne Collins is set to expand the dystopian world of Panem with her new novel, Sunrise on the Reaping. This book, announced by Scholastic, marks the fifth instalment in the acclaimed The Hunger Games series. Scheduled for release on 18 March 2025, the story sets its stage 24 years prior to the events of the original The Hunger Games and 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
The plot of Sunrise on the Reaping will revolve around the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, a pivotal moment in the series’ lore. It’s a time when the character Haymitch Abernathy, who later becomes a mentor to Katniss Everdeen, claims his victory.
Lionsgate, which has successfully adapted all previous books of the series into blockbuster films, also announced a cinematic adaptation of this upcoming novel. The movie is slated for a theatrical release on 20 November 2026. Francis Lawrence, the veteran director of the franchise, returns to helm this new chapter.
Adam Fogelson, chairman of Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, citing Suzanne Collins’ storytelling prowess as a guiding force for the film, “The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”
Last year, Lionsgate brought The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to the silver screen, which starred Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth. Despite not achieving the staggering box office numbers of its predecessors, the film still managed a commendable gross of US$337.4 million globally against a production budget of US$100 million, proving profitable enough for Lionsgate to continue exploring the Hunger Games universe.
With a track record of generating over US$3.3 billion in worldwide ticket sales, the Hunger Games film franchise remains a formidable player in the entertainment industry, with Catching Fire reaching an apex as the highest-grossing instalment at US$865 million. As Sunrise on the Reaping gears up to bring fans back to the theatres, Lionsgate and Suzanne Collins aim to capture the magic and intensity that has defined the series, promising another gripping chapter in the saga of Panem.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping novel will be released on 18 March 2025, and the film adaptation will open in cinemas on 20 November 2026.
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.
Kevin Low
