Hunger Games fans, it’s time to rise once again. After the surprising reveal in 2020 that Suzanne Collins would be returning to her much-loved dystopian world with the book and subsequent movie, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the bestselling author has done it again with a new novel in The Hunger Games universe titled Sunrise on the Reaping.
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What is the new Hunger Games book about?
You may recall that The Hunger Games is a tale about a dystopian United States, divided into 12 districts under the rule of the oppressive Capitol, with each being forced to send two teenage tributes to the annual Hunger Games to compete until only one survives.
In The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes we saw, more or less, the origins of the Hunger Games, with the story focusing on a young Coriolanus Snow before he became the dictator of Panem. In The Hunger Games trilogy, we were told the story of Katniss Everdeen, a tribute from District 12 who went on to win the games twice over the three books and eventually incited an uprising across the country that helped overthrow the Capitol.
In Sunrise on the Reaping we are once again going into the past, before Katniss’ time. But this time, Suzanne Collins is giving us a story fans have been asking for for years. The story is set 24 years prior to the first Hunger Games, taking us to the Second Quarter Quell, aka the games that Haymitch Abernathy (Peeta and Katniss’ mentor who was played by Woody Harrelson in the films) competed in and won.
According to the Scholastic synopsis, Sunrise on the Reaping will begin on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games and continue the story from there. Of course, if you’ve read Catching Fire, you’ll know how Haymitch’s games play out and what he does to survive.
Collins issued a statement on the upcoming book, revealing she is intending to dig into some pretty relevant themes. She said, “With Sunrise on the Reaping, I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.’ The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”
Sunrise on the Reaping: Release date
Now that we know it’s happening, how long do we have to wait for the fifth Hunger Games book? It’s been confirmed that Sunrise on the Reaping will be released March 18, 2025, via Scholastic, and will be made available in print, digital and audiobook formats at launch.
Will there be a fifth Hunger Games movie?
Now, you’re probably wondering, with a new book, does that also mean a new Hunger Games movie is on the way?
Despite the book not even being published yet, Lionsgate was quick to confirm that a movie based on Sunrise on the Reaping will be made and even has a release date of November 20, 2026. Get your Haymitch Abernathy casting picks ready.
Beyond the release date, we also know that Lionsgate will once again be the studio behind the new film, having produced the previous five films, so we’re in safe hands!
While you wait the long two years ahead, you can rewatch all the Hunger Games films on PVOD or streaming services. We’ve broken down where you’ll find each of them here.
Happy reaping day!
Lead Image Credit: Lionsgate
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