Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping first reactions call it the franchise's 'Rogue One', out 20 November

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in cinemas on 20 November 2026, and the first reactions after its premiere are the best the franchise has had, with several critics calling it the series' "Rogue One" and singling out newcomer Joseph Zada as young Haymitch Abernathy. The film had its red-carpet premiere in London on Wednesday 28 October, TheWrap reported.

What the first reactions say

Reactions are not reviews: they are short posts by critics and journalists who saw early screenings, and full reviews come later. With that caution, the early verdict is close to unanimous.

• Griffin Schiller, a film critic, compared it to Star Wars spin-offs Rogue One and Andor and called it a "sobering, yet powerful" and "perfect" adaptation of the book, according to the reactions collected by Variety and syndicated on Yahoo.
• Perri Nemiroff of Collider named Zada one of the film's biggest highlights and said the movie rests heavily on his shoulders.
• Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture praised some of the year's best casting, picking out Glenn Close as a scene-stealer and Jesse Plemons' take on Plutarch.
• Gavin Spoors of Filmhounds Magazine called the third act "stellar".
• Nikita Francois of Nerds of Color called it the best film in the franchise and a must-see in cinemas, TheWrap reported.

What the film is about

Sunrise on the Reaping adapts Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel. It is set 24 years before Katniss Everdeen's story, on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, the second Quarter Quell, when twice the usual number of children are sent into the arena. Its hero is the 16-year-old Haymitch, the drunken mentor Woody Harrelson played in the original films.

It is the sixth Hunger Games film and the second prequel, after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023). Francis Lawrence, who has directed every film in the series except the first, directs again for Lionsgate.

Cast

• Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
• Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove
• Mckenna Grace, Glenn Close and Elle Fanning in new roles
• Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee
• Ralph Fiennes as President Snow
• Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman
• Maya Hawke as Wiress and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson return as Katniss, Peeta and the older Haymitch, Yahoo reported, which suggests the film keeps the book's flash-forward epilogue.

When can you watch it in Pakistan?

Lionsgate's release date is Friday 20 November 2026. Pakistani chains such as Cinepax, Nueplex and Universal Cinemas had not opened bookings in any listing we could find on Thursday; we will add the date and ticket prices for Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad when they do.

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