To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Lionsgate is eager to stay in the Hunger Games business. Last year’s prequel The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, defied middling reviews to earn $337M worldwide, showing the franchise still has more than its share of fans. And now the studio has confirmed it will bring author Suzanne Collins’ upcoming novel, The Hunger Games: Sunrise On the Reaping, to the big screen.
Francis Lawrence, who has directed four Hunger Games movies and all of them since Catching Fire, is in talks to return and helm Sunrise On the Reaping. Lionsgate is moving fast on this one, having already set a release date of November 20th 2026. It’s unclear who will adapt the screenplay.
“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.”
Lionsgate has raked in $3.3B globally from The Hunger Games, and they’re going to keep this franchise going for as long as they’re able. Are you excited to return to the world of Panem? And do you hope to see the return of any familiar faces?
