Santa Monica, California – Lionsgate recently announced plans for a new installment in the popular Hunger Games franchise, titled “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.” This new movie is based on the just-announced novel by Suzanne Collins, the franchise’s original writer.
The film adaptation was revealed by Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s chair, Adam Fogelson, with Francis Lawrence in talks to direct the movie. The Color Force banner, led by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, will produce the adaptation. Lawrence, screenwriter Michael Arndt, and producer Jacobson previously collaborated on four film adaptations of Collins’ works, including the successful “Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire,” and “Mockingjay” films.
Collins and her publisher, Scholastic, made the exciting announcement of the fifth book in the Hunger Games series, “Sunrise on the Reaping,” scheduled for release on March 18, 2025, in various formats. The upcoming film does not have casting details yet, but Lionsgate has set a release date of November 20, 2026, for “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.”
Set in the Hunger Games universe, “Sunrise on the Reaping” dives into Panem’s world 24 years before the events of the first Hunger Games novel. The narrative is timed around the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Lionsgate’s Fogelson expressed anticipation for the return to Panem, highlighting the legendary status of the Second Quarter Quell and its impact on the Games’ history. The movie will follow the prequel film “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” marking the sixth installment in the Hunger Games movie series.
The Hunger Games franchise, which debuted in 2012, introduced a dystopian version of America and stars Jennifer Lawrence as the lead character, Katniss Everdeen. The films garnered immense popularity and success, helping pave the way for similar young adult dystopian fiction adaptations in Hollywood.
Lionsgate’s involvement in the Hunger Games franchise has not only resulted in blockbuster films but also theme park attractions and live events based on the series. The studio’s collaboration with Collins on the upcoming film indicates a promising continuation of the beloved franchise for fans worldwide.