‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Presales Suggest $100M+ Opening Weekend

We might have another blockbuster hit on our hands next month. Presales for ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ are already turning heads.

Here’s EmpireCity Box Office, one of the more reliable trackers out there, reporting on robust demand for the film and hinting that a $100M+ domestic opening now looks like a real possibility for Lionsgate.

I don’t believe this is hyperbole. The franchise would be back in the same territory as the original four movies. It would also leave behind the somewhat mediocre $44.6M 2023 debut of the prequel ‘Songbirds & Snakes.’

I'll be honest: I'm not the target audience. I'd actually completely forgotten this movie was coming, though the fans clearly haven’t. My stance on this franchise hasn't changed. The first two were good, ‘Catching Fire’ was the best of them, and the later ones did little for me. As for 'Songbirds & Snakes,' it wasn’t as bad as critics made it out to be, but it was nowhere near the quality of ‘Catching Fire.’

Yet my indifference doesn't matter here. There's a huge fanbase for these books and movies, and the novel proves it. Collins' book sold more than 1.5 million English-language copies in its first week, the biggest debut in the series, and more than 4.4 million by January 2026.

The original four opened at roughly $152M, $158M, $122M and $103M. Then came ‘Songbirds & Snakes,’ which opened nearly 57% below the last instalment. This time, Lionsgate has more ammo. The big one is Katniss. Jennifer Lawrence has confirmed she's back in the role after 11 years, probably in cameo form. Josh Hutcherson is returning as Peeta too, which likely means a flash-forward spanning more than 20 years. The studio is also pushing premium screens hard.

By the way, the runtime for this one is on the ambitious side. At 2 hours and 38 minutes, it's the longest film in the franchise.

“The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” opens November 20th. This is a prequel, taking us back 24 years before the original "Hunger Games" and starting on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Games. That means a young Haymitch, played by Joseph Zada, and an impressive supporting cast that includes Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning, Jesse Plemons, Kieran Culkin, Maya Hawke, Glenn Close, Mckenna Grace and Lili Taylor.