Film Preview: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026)

Film Poster

Page Revisions:

(April 6, 2025) Original
(November 30, 2025) New Trailer (#2) — New Poster (#1)
(April 19, 2026) New Trailer (#3) — New Posters (#2-#3)

Release Date:

November 20, 2026

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “Explores Panem 24 years before Katniss’ saga, starting on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, where a young Haymitch Abernathy participates.”

Poster Rating: B / B / B-

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Review: (#1, B) A beautiful little design that sticks to a familiar style of the prior Hunger Games designs but changes up the aesthetic enough to make it interesting.

(#2, B) Tacking into the wind of the titular sunrise, this design is stark and has modest pops of color to draw the eye. There’s not a lot of excitement in detail but it will thrill fans of the series. (#3, B-) This one has more detail and focuses slightly more on the Haymitch character but it also lacks the depth and excitement one would hope for. That said, the looming volcano is an intriguing element that’s not yet been revealed in the trailer. I could also see this being adapted to a series of character posters. We’ll see if that’s what they do.

Trailer Rating: C / B / B

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Review: (#1, C) These kinds of teasers are rather pointless. They give no real impression of what the film’s about except for a brief comment by Woody Harrelson at the end. The visuals are cool looking and fans will already be invested in the series so this won’t do much to create anticipation.

(#2, B) The countdown aesthetic was intriguing, seeming to come directly from the film itself (and probably is when introducing the various districts) but it’s handled with suspense and that makes the film look like it’s a lot more intriguing than its predecessor appeared. The problem then is that there’s not a lot here to excite anyone not already interested in the series and that’s a problem considering how inadequately the prior prequel performed.

(#3, B) In an effort to keep the film from revealing too many of the film’s twists and turns, the effort has ended up looking like a generic adaptation that pays lip service to its source material rather than evoking it. There are a few highlights such as Elle Fanning as a young Effie Trinket but for the most part the film reminds audiences that the first films were significantly better and that they shouldn’t expect lightning to strike again.