The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping tracking at $60M+ opening
Lionsgate's prequel, directed by Francis Lawrence, opens November 20; rivals expect the three-day domestic debut could pass $70M.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has entered box office tracking with a projected domestic opening floor of $60M+, according to Deadline. The Lionsgate release is set to open in cinemas on November 20, and rival distributors expect the three-day domestic debut could exceed $70M.
The film is directed by Francis Lawrence. Joseph Zada plays the younger Haymitch Abernathy and Jesse Plemmons plays the younger Plutarch Heavensbee, with Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson reported to make cameos.
The cast also includes Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak and Kelvin Harrison Jr. The trailer drew 109M views in its first 24 hours, the second most watched trailer ever for a Lionsgate movie.
A London fan event with the cast was held recently, with a Los Angeles event planned for the following week.
How it compares
The previous prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, opened to $44.6M domestic in 2023 and went on to $166.3M domestic and $394M worldwide. The franchise's biggest domestic opening remains 2013's Catching Fire with $158M.
Suzanne Collins's novel Sunrise on the Reaping sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, including 1.2 million in the U.S. The Hunger Games franchise spans five novels that have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide in 52 languages and five films that have grossed over $3.4 billion globally.
Quick answers
When does The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping come out?
It opens in cinemas on November 20.
Who directs The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping?
Francis Lawrence, who also directed previous films in the franchise.
Who plays young Haymitch Abernathy?
Joseph Zada plays the younger Haymitch Abernathy, with Jesse Plemmons as the younger Plutarch Heavensbee.