All 5 Hunger Games Movies Return to Theaters With Exclusive ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ Sneak Peek

If you’ve been meaning to rewatch the Hunger Games franchise but never got around to it, Lionsgate just gave you the perfect reason to clear your schedule. All five films in the dystopian series are heading back to theaters this September, and here’s the kicker — each screening will include an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming installment, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

The Full Schedule

The five-day event runs from September 3 through September 7, 2026, with one film per day in chronological order. Here’s the full lineup:

• September 3 — The Hunger Games (2012) — Where it all began
• September 4 — The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) — Widely considered the best of the original four
• September 5 — The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 (2014) — The setup for the grand finale
• September 6 — The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 (2015) — Katniss’s final stand
• September 7 — The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) — The prequel that started the franchise’s second wind

The event is a partnership between Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment, and tickets are already on sale. Each screening will feature exclusive footage from Sunrise on the Reaping that you won’t see anywhere else — not in trailers, not in social media clips, just in theaters during this special run.

If you’ve never experienced these films on the big screen, this is your chance. And if you have, you know that Catching Fire in particular was made for the theater experience — the arena sequences, the ticking clock, the sheer scale of the Quarter Quell. It hits different when the seats are shaking.

What Is ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ About?

Set 24 years before the events of the original film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping adapts Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novel of the same name. The story takes place during the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games — also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

For those who need a refresher, the Quarter Quells are special editions of the Games that occur every 25 years with a twisted rule change. The 25th Games had districts vote on tributes instead of a random draw. The 50th? The stakes were doubled — literally. Two tributes from each district instead of one. That’s 48 kids fighting to the death instead of 24.

The story follows a young Haymitch Abernathy — yes, the same Haymitch that Woody Harrelson played with such bitter, drunken brilliance in the original films. The prequel explores how a teenager from District 12 became the cynical, battle-hardened mentor we met years later.

Joseph Zada takes on the role of young Haymitch, a casting choice that fans have been watching closely since it was announced. The supporting cast is stacked: Mckenna Grace, Whitney Peak, Jesse Plemons, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Maya Hawke, Ben Wang, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, and Lili Taylor are all on board. That’s an embarrassment of acting talent for a franchise already known for elevating its young cast.

Francis Lawrence returns to direct, having helmed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire — which is widely considered the franchise’s creative high point. With Billy Ray and Michael Lesslie co-writing the screenplay, the creative team behind this prequel has serious pedigree.

Jennifer Lawrence Returns as Katniss

One of the biggest questions surrounding Sunrise on the Reaping was whether Jennifer Lawrence would return as Katniss Everdeen. The answer, confirmed during filming, is yes. While the story is primarily about Haymitch’s Games, Katniss appears in framing sequences — think of it as the connective tissue between the prequel and the original series.

For anyone who’s been following Lawrence’s career, this feels right. She’s been more selective about roles in recent years, but she’s never been shy about her affection for the franchise that made her a household name. Her return gives Sunrise on the Reaping a sense of continuity that not every prequel manages to pull off.

The Hunger Games franchise has always been about more than just survival — it’s about watching ordinary people make impossible choices and live with the consequences. That theme runs through every film in the series, from the original Games all the way to the upcoming prequel.

Why This Matters

Franchise re-releases have become a staple of the modern moviegoing calendar, but this one feels different. The Hunger Games isn’t a nostalgia play in the same way that, say, a random 90s movie re-release might be. This franchise has genuine cultural staying power. The books have been taught in schools. The films grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide. And Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be one of the biggest releases of the holiday season.

Bringing all five films back to theaters serves two purposes. First, it lets longtime fans relive the series in its natural habitat — the big screen. Second, it introduces a new generation of viewers to the story before the next chapter drops. If you were too young to see The Hunger Games in theaters back in 2012, this September is your make-up call.

The timing also gives Sunrise on the Reaping a massive head start on buzz. Every fan who buys a ticket for the re-release sees that exclusive sneak peek. Every social media post, every group chat discussion, every “oh I forgot how good this was” moment builds momentum toward the November 20 release date.

Lionsgate knows what it’s doing here. The studio has turned the Hunger Games into one of the most reliable franchises in modern cinema, and the box office performance of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes proved there’s still plenty of appetite for stories set in Panem. Sunrise on the Reaping isn’t just another sequel — it’s the bridge between the original series and whatever comes next.

Final Thoughts

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on November 20, 2026. The five-film re-release runs from September 3 to September 7. Tickets are on sale now through Fathom Entertainment and participating theater chains.

Whether you’re a diehard fan who can recite every tribute’s name from memory or someone who’s only seen the original movie once, this is one of those rare theatrical events that rewards both types of viewers. The exclusive sneak peek alone makes it worth the ticket price — and getting to watch Mockingjay — Part 2 on a proper screen with proper sound is a bonus that shouldn’t be underestimated.

See you in Panem.