Sunrise on the Reaping is an upcoming dystopian novel written by the American author Suzanne Collins. It is the second prequel novel to the original The Hunger Games trilogy, following The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, released in 2020. It is set 24 years before the events of the first novel. It is set to be released on March 18, 2025, by Scholastic.[2] A film adaptation was announced to be in production on June 6, 2024, and is set to be released by Lionsgate on November 20, 2026.[3]
Synopsis
The synopsis for Sunrise on the Reaping reads as follows:[4]
“As the day dawns on the 50th annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor 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.”
Background
The prequel begins on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, which was won by character Haymitch Abernathy. As told in Catching Fire, for the Second Quarter Quell, the Capitol reaped double the amount of tributes to compete in the Hunger Games.[5] The arena for the games appears to be luscious, but nearly everything was poisonous. While in the arena, Haymitch allies himself with fellow District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner, who saves his life by shooting a poisonous dart into another tribute. Haymitch realizes that a forcefield surrounds the arena and that anything thrown at it bounces back before hearing Maysilee be killed by genetically modified birds. In his final showdown with a Career girl from District 1, Haymitch strategically dodges her axe throw and allows it to hit the forcefield, where it bounces back and hits her in the face, killing her and making him the winner of the games since he has outlasted the other tributes.[5] As punishment for using the arena to his advantage, Haymitch's mother, brother, and girlfriend are all murdered by orders of President Snow.[6]
Collins was inspired by Scottish philosopher David Hume, specifically his ideas of implicit submission and "the easiness with which the many are governed by the few".[7] Questions surrounding the use of propaganda and the power of media narratives also inspired Collins to explore the concept of what is ‘Real or not real?’ in the upcoming novel.[8]
