There are still a few weeks to go until The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping arrives in theaters, but following the world premiere in London last night, we have the first wave of social media reactions from critics (via SFFGazette.com).
While these immediate out-of-theater verdicts are always best taken with a pinch of salt—especially when influencers are watching the film alongside critics—the response so far has been overwhelmingly positive. The Hunger Games franchise has always received largely positive reviews, though The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes left some questioning whether the series was losing steam.
Well, if what you'll see below is any indication, then filmmaker Francis Lawrence has delivered the best instalment yet, with a cast that delivers superb performances and a story which leaves a lasting impression.
It sounds like Joseph Zada is a scene-stealer as the young Haymitch in an exploration of his early years that's as emotional as it is action-packed. The entire cast excels, though, with Jesse Plemons and Mckenna Grace among those also receiving ample praise.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break.
He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.
Directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping's cast includes Joseph Zada, Mckenna Grace, Whitney Peak, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Lili Taylor, Billy Porter, Glenn Close, and Ralph Fiennes.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released in theaters on November 20, 2026.