Summary
Four years after the release ofThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,The Hunger Gamesseries is set to continue with a new prequel that will follow a trend the franchise has used in its previous books and movies.The Hunger Gamesmoviesare based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel of the same name. The franchise is set in Panem,a dystopian world where two children from 12 districts are made to fight to death in the Hunger Games. Yet while differentHunger Gamesmovies haven’t always relied on this setup, there is one trend the franchise won’t break.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingis the upcoming installmentin the series that might continue a trendThe Hunger Gamesbookshave followed. Not much is known about the new prequel except the scant details that Suzanne Collins has revealed.The Hunger Gamesfranchise has been so successful that Lionsgate announced therelease date on the same day the company revealed it would be adapting the prequel into a movie. Yet while most of the information about the projects is carefully under wraps, some details confirm a crucial franchise trend is continuing.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping May Not Follow The Character You Think
Suzanne Collins' new Hunger Games book is assumed to follow a specific existing character, but Sunrise on the Reaping’s POV has yet to be confirmed.
Hunger Games Has Only Explored The Years When District 12 Won
The Other Districts In Panem Have Not Been Thoroughly Explored
The Hunger Gameshas 12 districts, each playing a unique role in supporting Panem’s economy, but so far the serieshas only explored the years in which District 12 won. The first book in the series,The Hunger Games,focused on the year Katniss and Peeta, two tributes from District 12, became victors. The prequel toThe Hunger Games,The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,which was set 64 years before Katniss and Peeta’s time, explored the year Lucy Gray Baird won the 10th Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reapingwill be published on June 20, 2025.
The newHunger Gamesprequel,The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, will continue this trend as it will focus on Haymitch Abernathy, another District 12 winner. So far, onlyThe Ballad of Songbirds and Snakeshas explored the other districts in more detail. More details about Districts 11 and 2 are revealed in the prequel, which explains how The Capitol controls the Districts. Despite the District 12 trend continuing withSunrise on the Reaping, it is worth noting that other years in Panem’s history are also worth exploring,such as the year Finnick Odair won the Hunger Games and became the youngest victor.
Why Hunger Games Is So Focused On District 12’s Winners
The District 12 Winners Are Unique
DespiteDistrict 2 having the most Hunger Games winners,The Hunger Gamesfranchise has so far only focused on District 12 victors. This may be because the District 12 winners have stood out due to the fact thatthey have either defied or embarrassed The Capitol in one way or another. The first District 12 winner, 16-year-old Lucy Gray Baird, survived the 10th Hunger Games, which went against Dr. Gaul’s plans to kill all the tributes in the arena to avenge the death of Arachne Crane. Likewise, the second victor from District 12,Haymitch Abernathy won the 50th Hunger Gamesin a unique way.
Peeta Mellark
74th Hunger Games
Haymitch took part in the Second Quarter Quell and became the victor when he used the force field surrounding the arena against his last opponent. Haymitch’s knowledge of the force field and his tactics in the arena humiliated The Capitol, so President Snow had his mother, younger brother, and girlfriend killed as punishment. This follows the template provided by Katniss and Peeta, whose District 12 victory was equally humiliating and ultimately ended President Snow’s tyranny. While it might be interesting forThe Hunger Gamesto focus on winners from other districts, it’s clear that District 12 winners have the biggest impact.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a multi-movie franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. The films are based on the young adult dystopian book series by author Suzanne Collins. The first film was released in 2012, followed by Catching Fire in 2013, Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. In 2023, the fifth film in the series was released, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
