Sunrise on the Reaping may end up as the biggest Hunger Games movie ever, as presales track a $100 million plus opening
By (Image credit: Lionsgate)
The Hunger Games series is making a grand return as the new prequel film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is poised to achieve the franchise’s finest opening in over a decade.
Tickets were made available on October 28, but pre-sales have been so effective that box office analysts Global Box Office and Empire City Box Office project the film is set to debut with over $100 million. Empire City remarked, “$100 million seems like a sure thing for the opening weekend. We’re uncertain how high this can escalate, but momentum isn’t waning.”
In addition to the numbers, the film has garnered extremely favorable initial reviews, with early audiences describing it as the Rogue One or Andor of the series.
At present, the franchise’s record opening belongs to the 2013 sequel The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which debuted with $158 million and went on to earn $865 million globally. The Hunger Games (2012), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014), and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 (2015) all premiered with over $100 million.
Nevertheless, when Lionsgate sought to revive the franchise in 2023 with the President Snow-centric prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, the film opened to $44.6 million, accumulating $347.6 million worldwide throughout its entire run.
What distinguishes the forthcoming prequel? Well, Sunrise on the Reaping centers on Haymitch Abernathy, once portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the original series, who is a far more favored character. Set 24 years prior to the first film, the story follows 16-year-old Haymitch, played by Joseph Zada, as he is chosen to participate in the 50th Hunger Games. However, as we all know, the Quarter Quells are not ordinary games, so for the second quarter, the game makers increase the stakes and double the participants.
The film additionally includes a cast of recognized actors appealing to the target demographic, such as McKenna Grace from Ghostbusters: Afterlife as Maysilee Donner and Maya Hawke from Stranger Things as Wiress,
