A prequel greeted as a high point
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has now premiered, and members of the film press are describing the sixth entry as a perfect adaptation that injects fresh energy into the series. The movie is the second prequel in the franchise, arriving after 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Several outlets covering the first reactions framed the film as the strongest installment yet.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
Griffin Schiller, a film critic, compared the new movie to Rogue One and Andor within the Hunger Games universe. He characterized it as a sobering but powerful account of devastating loss and of the sacrifice rebellion demands for a dawn that may never arrive. As a longtime admirer of the series and particularly of the book, he said the adaptation exceeded anything he could have hoped for.[S1]
Praise for the third act and the ensemble
Gavin Spoors, editor-in-chief of Filmhounds Magazine and a Tomatometer critic, singled out the film's third act as stellar, saying it pulls the rug out from under the audience. He credited the cast's strong performances, calling Zada a star, and argued that the emotional thriller lands its ideas about the price of revolution and the need for everyone to play a part.[S1]
Matt Neglia, editor-in-chief of Next Best Picture, wrote that the film boasts some of the year's best casting. In his view, many performers refresh familiar characters while keeping the traits that made them compelling originally. He highlighted Glenn Close's chilling presence and Jesse Plemons channeling the spirit of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, and he praised Zada for meeting the physical and emotional demands of the role, capturing Haymitch's sympathy, charm and bitterness. Neglia also credited Francis Lawrence with finding new thematic and stylistic layers, pointing to the production and costume design, and suggested that if this is Lawrence's farewell to the series, it is a fitting one that brings the franchise full circle around its central character.[S1]
Lauren LaMagna, another Next Best Picture editor, wrote that the rebellion ignites in the new film and that Francis Lawrence keeps breathing life into the world. She said the distinctive production design prevents familiar beats from growing stale and described Zada as heartbreakingly radiant, calling the role a star-making turn.[S1]
Zada's Haymitch draws the loudest cheers
Perri Nemiroff of Collider named Zada among the film's biggest highlights. She said her expectations were already high after We Were Liars, but that he astonished her repeatedly here, blending Haymitch's warmth and charm with the rage and heartbreak the Games provoke. Much of the movie rests on him, she wrote, and he rises to every part of it, suggesting this is only the start for the actor. She added that Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes enriched her rewatches of the original films and expects the same from this prequel, noting that lasting change takes time and sacrifice and that the franchise is stronger for including Haymitch's story.[S1]
Nina Starner, a writer at Static Media, also backed the casting as ideal. She called the film a worthy addition that looks and feels frighteningly real and bridges the original stories and Ballad seamlessly, giving it top marks.[S1]
Cast, timeline and a November release
Adapted from Suzanne Collins's 2025 novel, the film follows a young Haymitch, played by Zada in the role Woody Harrelson originated, as he struggles to survive the 50th Hunger Games. The ensemble includes Jesse Plemons as Plutarch, Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Maya Hawke as Wiress and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, with Mckenna Grace, Glenn Close and Whitney Peak among those playing new characters. The story unfolds 24 years before the first Hunger Games movie, and Francis Lawrence, who has directed every installment except the first, returns.[S1]
Much of the anticipation has centered on Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Harrelson returning as Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch, since Collins's novel closes with a flash-forward epilogue featuring the trio, and the adaptation appears to follow that path. Jennifer Lawrence recalled the experience on the Call Her Daddy podcast as unbelievable and emotional, noting the same crew and an assistant director she has worked with many times, and describing how she and Hutcherson stayed close throughout. Lionsgate opens the film in theaters on Nov. 20.[S1]
