The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is receiving positive reactions following its London premiere, with critics praising Joseph Zada’s performance as a young Haymitch Abernathy. Some have described the prequel as a potential high point for the franchise. One critic compared the film to Rogue One and Andor, highlighting its focus on rebellion, loss and sacrifice. The film also features the return of Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson in a flash-forward epilogue that connects the new story to the original films. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the prequel is scheduled to arrive in theatres on November 20, 2026.
Joseph Zada plays Haymitch Abernathy at 16, long before audiences know him as the mentor to Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. In the original films, Woody Harrelson portrayed the older Haymitch, a man whose drinking and sharp remarks often concealed the pain of his past. The prequel explores the events that shaped him. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff praised Zada for capturing both Haymitch’s charm and the anger and heartbreak he experiences. His performance offers audiences an opportunity to understand what the character endured before Katniss and Peeta entered his life.
Griffin Schiller compared The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping to Rogue One and Andor, two Star Wars stories known for examining the difficult choices people face when fighting an oppressive government. The comparison suggests that the prequel gives considerable attention to the human cost of resisting the Capitol. Other critics have praised the cast, production design and emotional impact of the film’s third act. These remain early reactions from the London premiere, however, rather than a comprehensive set of published reviews.
Based on Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel, the story takes place 24 years before Katniss Everdeen begins her fight against the Capitol. Haymitch is selected to compete in the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. For this anniversary edition, the Capitol doubles the number of tributes, sending 48 young people into the arena instead of the usual 24. The change makes an already dangerous competition even more brutal, illustrating how the Capitol maintains control over the districts by forcing them to watch their children fight for survival.
Zada leads a cast that includes Whitney Peak, McKenna Grace, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Billy Porter and Kieran Culkin. Francis Lawrence, who has directed four previous films in the franchise, returns to explore Haymitch’s early life. The story examines the experiences that shaped him long before he became the mentor who guided Katniss and Peeta through their own struggle against the Capitol.
Jennifer Lawrence’s return as Katniss provides a direct connection to the original films. She last played the character in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, released in 2015. Eleven years later, Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are returning as Katniss and Peeta in a flash-forward epilogue. Harrelson also reprises his role as Haymitch. Their appearances take place after the main events of the prequel, reconnecting the new story with familiar characters. Rather than making Katniss the central character again, the film uses the epilogue to link Haymitch’s past with the future depicted in the original series.
Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Lawrence described returning to the role after 11 years as “unbelievable” and “so emotional.” She discussed reuniting with Hutcherson and members of the crew who worked on the original films, recalling how close she and her co-star had become during their time on the franchise. In another anecdote, Lawrence shared that Harrelson had once entered her hotel room through a window without being invited.
The reunion carries particular significance because Haymitch’s past has always been central to his character. In the original films, audiences encounter a man who survived the Hunger Games but continues to live with the consequences of that experience. By exploring his younger years, Sunrise on the Reaping offers viewers a chance to understand how those events shaped him. The appearances of Katniss and Peeta then connect that history to the people Haymitch eventually helps.
Early reactions have highlighted Zada’s performance and the film’s exploration of rebellion, sacrifice and the human cost of oppression. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping revisits Panem through a character whose past has long been part of the franchise’s mythology. The film arrives in theatres on November 20, 2026, bringing Haymitch Abernathy’s story to audiences while reconnecting it with the characters who helped establish The Hunger Games as a global film franchise.