“May the odds be ever in your favor.” The Hunger Games franchise from Suzanne Collins has entered a new era as its latest book: Sunrise on the Reaping. The prequel novel follows a young version of Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, played by Woody Harrelson in the films, as he emerges as the victor in the 50th annual Hunger Games. A film adaptation from Lionsgate was announced simultaneously.
Collins herself was not in attendance during the meeting, but hundreds of fans at the sold-out event were joined by Collins’ longtime publisher and editor David Levithan, as well Scholastic Trade Publishing president Ellie Berger. While Collins would have surely been a welcome presence, Coun, who has been working with Collins and co. on the Hunger Games franchise since the first book was published in 2008, explained why the author prefers to step back from this kind of engagement: “It’s been really scary but I have to say, considering how many books we’ve had out in the world, up until this moment, there have been no big leaks. And that surprised me because it is much, much harder to contain what we used to be able to do in a warehouse and just sort of have guards and cameras and everything. And once those were safe, you knew you were OK. But now with social media and how things can be posted online so quickly, it’s just harder and the stakes are higher.”
Now that the book’s secrets are out, all eyes are on the imminent film adaptation, due in theaters November 2026. Nina Jacobson, who’s produced all the Hunger Games films and is already hard at work on the Sunrise on the Reaping movie, says she’s ready to finally “get out of my little bubble and get to be in a big bubble with the fans.” On the eve of the book’s release, Jacobson spoke to Variety about the franchise’s continued success, enduring legacy, and, of course, what fans can expect from the upcoming film.
Woody Harrelson famously starred as Haymitch Abernathy in the first four The Hunger Games movies, but for the upcoming release, producers must find someone else to play the character. While the first new book (which was adapted into a film released in 2023) revolves around President Coriolanus Snow before he rose to power in Panem, the second prequel explores Haymitch’s origin story. Unfortunately, no names of potential candidates to portray young Haymitch have been leaked. However, if casting producers are searching for the next Harrelson, they would be missing the point of Haymitch’s character in Sunrise on The Reaping entirely.
No one should play Haymitch at 16 years old exactly like how Harrelson portrayed him in his forties in the first four Hunger Games movies. Sunrise on the Reaping interpretation of Haymitch is supposed to feel like a completely different character. The Hunger Games prequel reveals the person he was before he won the Second Quarter Quell and all the trauma that came with that, thanks to the Capitol. Of course, Haymitch’s mischievousness was instilled in him at a young age. However, Haymitch wasn’t yet the cynical man who fans met during the 74th Hunger Games in the first novel. Without spoiling Sunrise on the Reaping, it’s safe to say that Haymitch endured a lot of trauma at the hands of the Capitol after winning the 50th Hunger Games. So, this horrifying experience morphs him into a different person. Haymitch wasn’t always a drunk, broken curmudgeon, which is why the upcoming Hunger Games movie’s young Haymitch actor should separate his interpretation of the character from Woody Harrelson’s.
