The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Trailer 2 Unleashes Young Haymitch’s Brutal Battle in Panem

Lionsgate has unveiled the second official trailer for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, taking audiences back into the ruthless world of Panem for a story that promises to reveal another pivotal chapter in the history of the Hunger Games. Serving as a prequel to the original The Hunger Games saga and following the events of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the upcoming film travels 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s story to focus on a much younger Haymitch Abernathy. The new trailer expands the scale, danger and political tension surrounding the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

The story begins on the morning of the reaping, when Haymitch is selected to represent his district in the deadly Games. But this is no ordinary Hunger Games. The Second Quarter Quell comes with its own brutal twist, forcing twice as many tributes into the arena and creating an even more dangerous fight for survival. As Haymitch is thrown into an environment designed to break him, the events surrounding this particular Games will set in motion something much larger—an incident that is destined to change the Hunger Games forever and ultimately shape the man audiences know from the original films.

At the centre of this new chapter is Joseph Zada, who takes on the role of young Haymitch Abernathy. The character is already familiar to fans as the sharp, complicated and often troubled mentor who helped guide Katniss and Peeta through the Games years later, but Sunrise on the Reaping offers an opportunity to see the experiences that shaped him. The trailer hints at a younger Haymitch being forced to confront the brutal machinery of the Capitol while navigating alliances, rivalries and the terrifying reality of becoming a tribute.

The film also boasts an exceptional ensemble, bringing together several major performers in both familiar and new roles. Jesse Plemons plays Plutarch Heavensbee, while Ralph Fiennes steps into the role of President Coriolanus Snow. Glenn Close stars as Drusilla Sickle and Kieran Culkin plays the iconic television host Caesar Flickerman. Elle Fanning portrays a young Effie Trinket, while Mckenna Grace plays tribute Maysilee Donner and Maya Hawke appears as Wiress. The cast also features Whitney Peak and Kelvin Harrison Jr., adding further intrigue to the ensemble heading into the arena.

Once again directed by acclaimed filmmaker Francis Lawrence, who has previously helmed multiple entries in The Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping looks to preserve the series’ combination of spectacular action and darker political drama. The screenplay has been written by Billy Ray and is based on Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name, which was published in 2025. With the story exploring a defining period in Haymitch’s life, the film is positioned as both a new entry point into Panem and a deeper expansion of the mythology fans have followed for years.

The second trailer makes one thing clear: Haymitch’s Hunger Games are about far more than simply surviving the arena. As the Capitol watches, the tributes fight and the machinery of the Games closes in, something extraordinary is brewing beneath the spectacle. With its returning mythology, younger versions of familiar characters and a new story built around one of Panem’s most intriguing figures, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is gearing up to bring another brutal chapter of the franchise to the big screen. The film releases in cinemas on November 20, 2026.

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