Francis Lawrence says ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ brings back what fans loved about ‘Hunger Games’

The film follows Haymitch Abernathy during the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss’s story

Francis Lawrence has explained why The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping feels like a return to form for the franchise, while promising audiences a fresh take on familiar elements of the dystopian series.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Lawrence said reading Suzanne Collins’s novel brought back the excitement he felt when he first joined the franchise to direct The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013. He has since directed every subsequent instalment, including the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Lawrence said the original novel and its film adaptation, along with Catching Fire, connected strongly with audiences through their protagonists, structure and key sequences. These included the reaping ceremonies, chariot processions, interviews and the deadly arena contests.

However, he explained that later entries explored different storytelling approaches. Mockingjay, the final book in the original series, was divided into two films, while The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes focused on the origins of future antagonist Coriolanus Snow.

By contrast, Sunrise on the Reaping returns to the Games themselves. The story centres on Haymitch Abernathy and the 50th Hunger Games, which take place 24 years before the events involving Katniss Everdeen.

Despite the familiar framework, Lawrence stressed that audiences should not expect a straightforward repetition of earlier films. He praised Collins for finding ways to overturn expectations, even during sequences that appear recognisable at first.

“What's great is that Suzanne upends expectations,” he said, explaining that seemingly familiar moments can develop in unexpected directions. He added that the film combines the elements audiences associate with the franchise with a different approach.

Joseph Zada plays the young Haymitch, while the cast also includes Glenn Close and Ralph Fiennes.

Based on Collins’s 2025 novel of the same name, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on November 20, 2026. The film aims to revisit the series’ central competition while exploring a defining chapter in Haymitch’s past.