Hunger Games Prequel Sets Nov. 20 Date

Jennifer Lawrence has officially confirmed she will return to The Hunger Games franchise. The actress appeared on the Call Her Daddy podcast with host Alex Cooper to discuss the upcoming prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping. She stated that the film will open in theaters on November 20.

Lawrence verified that Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson are also returning to their previous roles. She described the reunion with the longtime collaborators as an emotional experience. "Unbelievable. It was so crazy because it was the same crew. It was the same camera guys, the same AD, who I’ve worked with a million times … and Josh and Woody and it was so emotional," Lawrence said. She noted that she and Hutcherson walked to the bathroom with their arms around each other during the shoot.

The actor Woody Harrelson made an unannounced appearance at Lawrence's hotel during production. Lawrence said he climbed through her window without invitation. "And Woody obviously came through the window of my hotel room uninvited cause it would not be the same. It wouldn't be the same if he listened to boundaries and used a door," she added.

Lawrence also revisited a 2013 incident involving her appearance in the original films. She explained that producers initially refused to let her use a wig for the Mockingjay installment. She grew frustrated with the requirement to dye her hair brown for the role. In response, she cut her own hair into a short pixie cut as a form of protest. "I was in The Hunger Games and I really wanted to use a wig cuz I was tired of dying my hair brown and they were refusing to give me a wig," she recalled.

Sunrise on the Reaping is set 24 years before the events of the first film. The story follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy as he competes in the 50th Hunger Games. This specific event, known as the Second Quarter Quell, requires twice the usual number of tributes to fight. Joseph Zada portrays the young Haymitch, while Ralph Fiennes plays President Snow.

The narrative structure includes legacy characters appearing in flashforwards or a framing device. The film is scheduled to begin showing in theaters on November 20, 2026.