The discharge of Suzanne Collins’ “Dawn on the Reaping” marked a brand new daybreak within the “Starvation Video games” franchise.
The e-book, which hit cabinets on March 19 and bought greater than 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, is the second prequel to Collins’ immensely common dystopian collection, following the 2020 launch of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.”
“Dawn on the Reaping” takes place a number of a long time earlier than the occasions of “The Starvation Video games” trilogy and facilities on a youthful model of Haymitch Abernathy — performed by Woody Harrelson within the unique movie franchise — as he fights for survival as a District 12 tribute within the Capitol area.
Like “Ballad,” the newest installment reveals key lore in regards to the world of Panem, and thankfully for followers, it is also getting tailored for the large display screen.
This is the whole lot we all know in regards to the film, from a launch date to the solid.
Some spoilers forward for “Dawn on the Reaping.”
‘Dawn on the Reaping’ would be the sixth ‘Starvation Video games’ film
Previous to the e-book’s launch, Lionsgate introduced that it was turning the story right into a characteristic movie.
The information of the forthcoming film was shared simply hours after Collins introduced in June 2024 that she was publishing one other “Starvation Video games” story.
Scholastic
On the time, Deadline reported that the movie, “The Starvation Video games: Dawn on the Reaping,” could be launched on November 20, 2026.
Francis Lawrence, the filmmaker who helmed each film within the collection besides the 2012 unique, will direct the film from a script tailored by Billy Ray.
Nina Jacobson and her producing accomplice Brad Simpson are confirmed as returning to supply the prequel below their Colour Drive banner.
The day earlier than “Dawn on the Reaping” was revealed, Jacobson spoke to Selection in regards to the coming adaptation. She informed the outlet her crew has “an amazing draft” of the script nonetheless in progress and that they’d “established our areas” for manufacturing.
“We’re very far alongside for a e-book that is solely going to come back out tomorrow,” she mentioned on the time.
The movie is in early manufacturing, however most of its fundamental solid members have been introduced
“Dawn on the Reaping” is ready to characteristic a large solid. The Starvation Video games that Haymitch is reaped into characteristic double the variety of tributes competing. Collins additionally introduces readers to characters in District 12 who’ve connections to the opposite books within the collection. Plus, the novel consists of appearances from “Starvation Video games” favorites like Effie Trinket and Plutarch Heavensbee.
Lionsgate has been revealing the movie’s solid on social media, exhibiting snippets of the characters’ introduction within the novel bursting into flame to disclose the actor portraying them.
The ‘Dawn on the Reaping’ solid thus far consists of:
- Haymitch Abernathy: Joseph Zada
- Lenore Dove Baird: Whitney Peak
- President Snow: Ralph Fiennes
- Effie Trinket: Elle Fanning
- Caesar Flickerman: Kieran Culkin
- Plutarch Heavensbee: Jesse Plemons
- Beetee Latier: Kelvin Harrison Jr.
- Wiress: Maya Hawke
- Mags Flanagan: Lili Taylor
- Maysilee Donner: Mckenna Grace
- Wyatt Callow: Ben Wang
- Louella McCoy: Molly McCann
- Lou Lou: Iona Bell
- Magno Stift: Billy Porter
- Drusilla Sickle: Glenn Shut
The movie’s star, Zada, is a relative newcomer with only a handful of roles to his identify. In March, Jacobson informed Selection that her crew was trying to Woody Harrelson, who performed Haymitch within the unique “Starvation Video games” trilogy, for inspiration when casting their subsequent star.
She mentioned she hoped the actor who landed the function may seize the “mischief” Harrelson dropped at the function with out “impersonating” him.
Lionsgate
“You need anyone who very credibly appears like they could possibly be a younger model of this character, earlier than the trauma and grief and rage that the fallout of the Video games create,” Jacobson mentioned. “No person will be Woody Harrelson, however Woody Harrelson.”
Of the roles introduced to this point, Fiennes and Fanning’s castings have arguably generated essentially the most buzz.
Fiennes, who isn’t any stranger to movie franchises after enjoying Voldemort within the “Harry Potter” movies, shall be providing the third cinematic iteration of President Coriolanus Snow.
Followers adopted Snow as a younger man within the first prequel, by which Tom Blyth portrayed him, and because the growing older villain within the three unique “Starvation Video games” movies, performed by Donald Sutherland. Snow is the first antagonist in “Dawn on the Reaping,” as he’s within the unique trilogy, and he makes some chilling appearances within the novel.
Murray Shut/Lionsgate
Elizabeth Banks performed Effie Trinket, Katniss and Peeta’s handler from the Capitol, within the unique “Starvation Video games” trilogy, and the character seems as a younger stylist in “Dawn on the Reaping.” Followers have been desperate to see who would step into Banks’ sneakers as a result of her efficiency was so beloved within the movies.
Plemons shall be taking on as Plutarch for Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright performed Beetee Latier earlier than Kelvin Harrison Jr. Apparently, each Plemons and Harrison beforehand performed as Hoffman and Wright’s youngsters in different initiatives. Plemons was Hoffman’s son within the 2012 movie “The Grasp,” and Harrison was Wright’s son in “Monster,” launched in 2018.
A teaser clip saying the discharge date guarantees that ‘these video games are going to be totally different’
Two weeks after the “Dawn on the Reaping” e-book was launched, Lionsgate unveiled the movie’s brand on Instagram in a teaser clip.
The clip consisted of a collection of animated illustrations, beginning with a shot of a volcano. The picture nods to the story’s plot, as a volcanic eruption wipes out lots of the tributes in Haymitch’s video games.
Lava from the volcano explodes within the video, forming a chook and a snake image that connects by means of its tail. The striker, which is illustrated on the e-book’s cowl, performs an vital function within the e-book, so it is a pure alternative for the brand.
As the form of the striker comes into view within the clip, “The Starvation Video games: Dawn on the Reaping” seems on the display screen. Then, Harrelson’s voice will be heard saying, “I believe these video games are going to be totally different.”
Followers are hopeful that Harrelson, in addition to Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, may seem in “Dawn on the Reaping” to play out the novel’s epilogue.
“Forty-eight tributes. One victor,” the caption of the publish learn. “The Starvation Video games: Dawn on the Reaping — in theaters November 20, 2026.”