The fire is burning again.
Lionsgate on Thursday released a surprise teaser trailer for its latest Hunger Games movie, Sunrise on the Reaping, exactly one year before the sure-fire blockbuster hits theaters on November 20, 2026.
This first look gave fans their first glimpse of the star-studded cast, including Glenn Close, Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin, Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Whitney Peake, and Joseph Zada as young Haymitch.
Sunrise of the Reaper, the fifth book in Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster book series, hit stores earlier this year and broke records. It sold 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, and domestic sales in its first week were double that of the previous Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and triple that of the third volume, The Manejay.
The latest story set in Panem is a prequel that follows Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the original three films) as he fights for his life in the 50th Hunger Games.
Lionsgate, the studio behind the $3.4 billion box office-grossing film series, announced the big screen adaptation as soon as Collins’ book was released and began developing the project before the novel was in the hands of fans.
This is an unusual order for a movie, but it could work in Lionsgate’s favor to continue its strong record. In recent weeks, the studio released a record-breaking trailer for the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael,” which has already racked up 294 million views (and counting), as well as “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” which topped the box office with an opening of $80.5 million.
But bookshelves and movie screens aren’t the only arenas “The Hunger Games” continues to conquer.
In October, the story from the first book and film was adapted into a much-talked-about London stage version starring John Malkovich as President Snow (played by Donald Sutherland in the original film).
The Troubadour Canary Wharf Theater, a state-of-the-art new theater, was built specifically to host this performance. “The Hunger Games: On Stage” received rave reviews when it first premiered, and sources tell Page Six that ticket sales have already been extended to October 2026 due to strong demand.
Since author Collins published the first “Hunger Games” novel in 2008, the acclaimed dystopian books and films have remained a staple of the cultural zeitgeist.
Excitement around this huge series is at its peak once again in 2025, with a best-selling new book, an explosive trailer release, and a lively stage play opening in London.
It’s still unclear what the future holds for this series, but nearly 17 years after its debut novel first came out, “The Hunger Games” continues to triumph.
