Summary

  • Sunrise on the Reaping will delve into Haymitch's 50th Hunger Games.
  • Catching Fire proves that audinces can expect more mutts during Haymitch's Games, connecting to previous books in the series.
  • The prequel has the potential to reveal Dr. Gaul's fate, providing answers to lingering questions in the Hunger Games world.

Although Sunrise on the Reaping, a new installment in her iconic The Hunger Games book series. The story, which is set to debut in 2025, will likely follow a young Haymitch as he enters the 50th Hunger Games. A movie adaptation is also already in development. This is the second Hunger Games prequel.

After the success of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Sunrise on the Reaping is highly anticipated. It certainly helps that the new story will center on one of The Hunger Games' most beloved characters. Plus, The Hunger Games books have already given readers a taste of what Haymitch's Hunger Games will look like. Since it is the First Quarter Quell, audiences can expect there to be double the tributes as there are in a regular game. Furthermore, Collins drops hints in her previous novels about one specific Hunger Games weapon that will certainly return in this installment.

Related
Hunger Games Prequel Timeline: When Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Is Set

The Hunger Games fans will be able to explore President Snow’s past, as The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes focuses on his rise to power.

Catching Fire's Recap Of Haymitch's Hunger Games Features Several Types Of Mutts

The 50th Hunger Games Will See The Mutts Return

Although Sunrise on the Reaping will be the first in-depth exploration of Haymitch's life and story, hints about Haymitch's Hunger Games have been dropped. In the second Hunger Games novel, Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta watch the previous Hunger Games to get a sense of who their opponents are. During that binge, they see Haymitch's Hunger Games. Not only do Katniss and Peeta learn how Haymitch won the 50th Games, but they also get a sense of what he was up against. One big component are the mutts. These mutated animals first appear as vicious dogs in The Hunger Games.

Every Hunger Games Book

Release Year

The Hunger Games

2008

Catching Fire

2009

Mockingjay

2010

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

2020

Sunrise on the Reaping

2025

In chapter 14 of Catching Fire, readers learn that Haymitch's Hunger Games was bursting with horrifying mutts. Among the many strange mutations were bloodthirsty squirrels, murderous pink birds, and a swarm of deadly butterflies. This influx of mutts likely had to do with the fact that it was the 50th Hunger Games. The Gamemakers likely wanted to raise the stakes for such a special event. However, this only makes Haymitch's journey to survive that much harder. Though it's clear he endures, audiences will finally get to see his struggle up close and personal in Sunrise on the Reaping.

Sunrise On The Reaping Will Show The Evolution Of Mutts After Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes

How Have The Mutts Grown Since Ballad?

Lizard Mutt in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

What's particularly exciting about the mutts in Haymitch's Hunger Games is that they connect Sunrise on the Reaping to the main The Hunger Games trilogy and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Although readers are first introduced to the mutts during Katniss's first Hunger Games, the mutations have an origin story in the prequel story. Through the eyes of Coriolanus Snow, audiences see how Dr. Gaul experiments with snakes and birds to get them to do her bidding. During the 10th Hunger Games, Lucy sings to the mutated snakes to calm them, while Coriolanus uses the jabberjays to condemn Sejanus.

Through Haymitch's 50th Hunger Games, audiences will get to see how the mutts evolved from the prequel story and ended up the way they are in The Hunger Games.

Now, Sunrise on the Reaping will show the middle ground between The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and The Hunger Games. Through Haymitch's 50th Hunger Games, audiences will get to see how the mutts evolved from the prequel story and ended up the way they are in The Hunger Games. In particular, the story will show off different types of mutts that readers have never seen before. It will be exciting for viewers to discover what the evil squirrels and butterflies are actually capable of. Plus, the mutts may open the door to understanding Dr. Gaul's fate.

The Hunger Games Prequel Can Address Dr. Gaul's Fate Through Its Mutt Storyline

Sunrise On The Reaping Can Answer Big Dr. Gaul Questions

Viola Davis as Dr Volumnia Gaul looking angry in The Hunger Games The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

By learning more about Haymitch and the Hunger Games' mutts, Sunrise on the Reaping also has the chance to reveal Dr. Gaul's fate. At the end of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Coriolanus decides to work with Gaul to learn how to orchestrate the games. However, despite their collaboration, many believe that Snow had Gaul killed. Sunrise on the Reaping can finally confirm or deny this. With the rise of mutts in the 50th Hunger Games, it seems like the perfect time to uncover what happened to the woman who created the mutts in the first place.

All in all, Sunrise on the Reaping has countless opportunities to connect to the previous The Hunger Games books and answer questions that audiences have long been asking. While Haymitch's story is incredibly important, the other events surrounding him will also be of the utmost significance. Ultimately, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is the ideal way for The Hunger Games lovers to learn even more about Suzanne Collins' dystopian world.

The Hunger Games Franchise Poster
Created by
Suzanne Collins
First Film
The Hunger Games
Cast
Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Jason Schwartzman
Movie(s)
The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

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.