The Hunger Games Rises Again: Novel Announced for 2025, Film to Follow in 2026

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JUNE 07,2024

Fans of Suzanne Collins' dystopian masterpiece, The Hunger Games, rejoice! Scholastic announced on Thursday that a fifth novel in the series, titled "Sunrise on the Reaping," is set to hit shelves on March 18, 2025. This exciting development marks a return to Panem for Collins and promises to delve deeper into the brutal world of the Games.

Sunrise of the Reaping takes us to the Second Quarter Quell

"Sunrise on the Reaping" takes readers back 24 years before the events of the original novel. The story unfolds on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. This particular Quell, won by the enigmatic Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson in the film adaptations), holds particular significance for fans. The Quell system, a gruesome twist introduced every 25th Games, adds a new layer of cruelty to the already barbaric competition.

This prequel comes four decades after Collins' most recent foray into Panem, "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," published in 2020. "Songbirds and Snakes" functioned as a prequel to the original trilogy, focusing on the events leading up to the 10th Hunger Games and the young Coriolanus Snow, who would later become the tyrannical President Snow.

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Collins' inspiration for the 50th Hunger Games

The first four "Hunger Games" novels have captivated readers worldwide, selling over 100 million copies and being translated into dozens of languages. After seemingly concluding the series with "Mockingjay" in 2010, Collins surprised fans in 2020 with "Songbirds and Snakes." For "Sunrise on the Reaping," Collins draws inspiration from a surprising source: the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume.

"With 'Sunrise on the Reaping,' I was inspired by David Hume's idea of implicit submission and, in his words, 'the ease with which the many are governed by the few,'" Collins said in a statement. "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."

These themes resonate deeply in today's world, where misinformation and media manipulation are constant challenges. "Sunrise on the Reaping" promises to explore these issues within the context of Panem's brutal games, offering a thrilling narrative with a thought-provoking edge.

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From page to screen: Lionsgate Announces Film Adaptation in 2026

The Hunger Games is a juggernaut for Lionsgate, having grossed over $3.3 billion at the box office across its four films. Capitalising on the series' enduring popularity, Lionsgate has announced a film adaptation of "Sunrise on the Reaping," slated for release on November 20, 2026. The original films starred Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, with a supporting cast of Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Stanley Tucci, and Woody Harrelson.

Francis Lawrence, director of the latter four Hunger Games films, will return to helm the project. The film is sure to draw significant interest from fans eager to revisit Panem on the big screen. Following the success of last year's "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (starring Tom Blyth and Rachel Zegler), "Sunrise on the Reaping" promises to be a major cinematic event.

The return of The Hunger Games is a testament to the series' enduring power. With a captivating new novel and a film adaptation on the horizon, fans can prepare to be swept back into the dystopian world of Panem and the fight for survival.

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