Hunger Games Franchise Producer Clarifies Next Prequel Movie's Filming Timeline Following Rumors

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has received an update clarifying its production timeline. The upcoming movie will be the sixth installment in the movie franchise adapting the dystopian young adult novels by Suzanne Collins. Set after the events of the President Snow-focused prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes but still 24 years before the original movies, the upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to follow a younger version of Katniss Everdeen’s future mentor Haymitch Abernathy (originally played by Woody Harrelson) fighting to survive during the 50th Hunger Games.




On her official X account, The Hunger Games franchise producer Nina Jacobson responded to a fan’s post about a report that Sunrise on the Reaping was prepping to shoot in January. The fan wrote that “suzanne collins is so powerfulโ€ฆfilming a movie before the book is even released i know that pen was on fire.” However, Jacobson poured water on that idea, replying that “Sheโ€™s very powerful and awesome but the book will come out months before production begins. The post is misinformation.” See her original post below:


What This Production Update Means For Sunrise On The Reaping

The Movie Will Probably Still Be Shooting Soon


The confirmation that the movie will be shooting after the release of the Sunrise on the Reaping book clarifies the prequel’s production considerably. The novel is set to be released on March 18, 2025, pushing back the rumored production kickoff by at least two months. However, the movie already has its own release date set for November 20, 2026. While this could be pushed back if the project is delayed, it seems likely that producers are still aiming to hit that mark, giving them one year and eight months to put the project together after the book’s launch.

Every movie in the
Hunger Games
franchise has had a November release except for the original, which premiered on March 23, 2012.


With a relatively short window for both production and post-production, it does seem likely that the upcoming Hunger Games movie will begin shooting shortly after the book’s release. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes probably sets a precedent that offers insight into Sunrise on the Reaping‘s overall timeline. That movie, which premiered on November 17, 2023, began filming on July 11, 2022 and wrapped on November 5, 2022. Thus, if it follows suit, it seems likely that the new prequel will have a similar timeline and begin shooting by mid-summer 2025.

Our Take On The Sunrise On The Reaping Production Update

More Updates Should Be Coming Soon

Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games with Sunrise on the Reaping's logo as the background
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon


Even though filming is not set to begin on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping quite as soon as these rumors implied, it is highly likely that the project is already deep in pre-production, considering how soon principal photography will need to commence. This most likely means that more major announcements are on their way, including the currently unknown star who will be playing a younger Haymitch. This could help build buzz for the project as it approaches its actual production date.

Source: Nina Jacobson/X

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The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

Release Date
November 20, 2026