How to Watch Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping in 4K

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a drama film and action adventure — a 2026 prequel set 24 years before the events of the original Hunger Games trilogy, following a young Haymitch Abernathy as he enters the 50th Hunger Games — the Second Quarter Quell. Directed by Francis Lawrence, who directed every previous Hunger Games film from Catching Fire onward, the film stars Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Mckenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, and Kieran Culkin. It opens in cinemas on November 20, 2026. InfinityTV's library of 150,000+ Movies & Series will stream it in 4K Ultra HD.

What Is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping?

The film is based on Suzanne Collins' novel of the same name, published in March 2025. Collins wrote the original Hunger Games trilogy (2008-2010) and the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2020), which was adapted into a film in 2023 also directed by Francis Lawrence.

Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games (2012 film), during the 50th Hunger Games — also called the Second Quarter Quell. A young Haymitch Abernathy, a 16-year-old boy from District 12, is reaped as a tribute and must survive the deadliest Games in a generation: the Quarter Quell, which Panem's Capitol uses every 25 years to inflict additional cruelties on the districts.

Cast

• Joseph Zada as young Haymitch Abernathy — a tribute from District 12 who becomes the first District 12 victor in decades
• Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner — a fellow District 12 tribute and ally during the Games
• Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman — the charismatic host of the Hunger Games, a role later played by Stanley Tucci in the original trilogy
• Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow — a character who appears as a younger man in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and who here appears at a different point in his rise to power
• Elle Fanning in a supporting role
• Ben Wang in a supporting role
• Maya Hawke in a supporting role
• Kelvin Harrison Jr. in a supporting role
• Whitney Peak in a supporting role
• Glenn Close in a supporting role
• Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are confirmed to appear in the film

What Is the Second Quarter Quell?

In Collins' universe, the Hunger Games occur every year as a punishment for the districts' failed rebellion. Every 25 years — a Quarter Quell — the Capitol imposes a special additional rule to make the Games more brutal. The Second Quarter Quell required each district to send double the normal number of tributes: 4 instead of 2. This means Haymitch's Games involved 48 tributes rather than the standard 24.

The Second Quarter Quell was a key part of the backstory established in Catching Fire (2013): Haymitch won his Games through cleverness and an exploit involving the force field at the arena boundary. Sunrise on the Reaping shows those events in full.

How to Watch The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping in 4K

The film opens in US cinemas on November 20, 2026. To stream in 4K on InfinityTV:

1. Subscribe to InfinityTV — all plans include the on-demand library of 150,000+ Movies & Series.
2. Download the InfinityTV app on your Smart TV, Fire Stick, Apple TV, Android TV, iOS device, or Android phone.
3. Search for "Hunger Games Sunrise" in the on-demand section once it is available after its theatrical run.
4. Select the 4K UHD stream — InfinityTV delivers 99.9% uptime, keeping action and visual spectacle at maximum quality settings.
5. Contact 24/7 support for any device setup or playback questions.

For device setup, see how to get IPTV on Firestick or browse what's new in movies for 2026.

Why Is Francis Lawrence the Right Director for This Film?

What makes the Hunger Games prequel films work as standalone stories?

Francis Lawrence directed The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), Mockingjay Part 1 (2014), Mockingjay Part 2 (2015), and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023). His visual approach to the franchise is specific: large-scale arena set pieces grounded by intimate close-up work with actors, keeping the emotional reality of the characters centred even in spectacle sequences.

Sunrise on the Reaping is structurally more complex than Songbirds and Snakes because the audience already knows how Haymitch's story ends — he becomes the alcoholic mentor of Katniss and Peeta, haunted by his Games. Lawrence has the challenge of making the journey to that destination feel inevitable without removing all dramatic tension.

The return of both Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in the film is a significant narrative choice. Their presence connects the prequel to the trilogy's emotional core and signals that the film will not simply be a standalone action story but a full integration into the franchise's emotional continuity.

Joseph Zada as Young Haymitch

Joseph Zada is a relative newcomer cast in a role that requires him to carry a major franchise prequel opposite established stars. Haymitch in the original trilogy — played by Woody Harrelson — is one of the franchise's most memorable characters: a man who won the most brutal Games in a generation and spent the years afterward drinking himself into numbness. Playing the version of that man before the trauma is a demanding acting challenge.

Mckenna Grace, who plays his ally Maysilee Donner, brings significant franchise experience from other genres — she appeared in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and The Handmaid's Tale — and is one of the most technically accomplished young actors currently working.

The Hunger Games Franchise: Complete Watch Guide

For full context on Sunrise on the Reaping, the franchise's watch order:

• The Hunger Games (2012) — Katniss Everdeen is reaped; Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) is her mentor
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) — the Quarter Quell returns; Haymitch's past is referenced
• The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) and Part 2 (2015) — the revolution
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) — young Coriolanus Snow's story
• The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026) — young Haymitch's story

InfinityTV's 150,000+ Movies & Series library includes the back-catalogue Hunger Games films for a full franchise marathon before November.

For more major 2026 releases, see the top movies of 2026 and the companion guide to watching Focker-in-Law — both arrive within days of each other over the Thanksgiving 2026 holiday period.

InfinityTV's 22,000+ live TV channels include entertainment channels covering the Hunger Games franchise with behind-the-scenes content and cast interviews.

More About Sunrise on the Reaping

The film's IMDb page tracks the full cast, release schedule, and production details. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is one of the most anticipated major franchise releases of November 2026, alongside Focker-in-Law on November 25. The two films together make Thanksgiving 2026 one of the biggest studio release weekends in recent years.

Suzanne Collins published the source novel in March 2025. The novel covers the same events described obliquely in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire — including Haymitch's clever use of the arena force field boundary, which infuriated the Capitol and led to consequences that define his post-Games life. Francis Lawrence was the natural director to adapt it: he has worked closely with Collins on each Hunger Games adaptation since Catching Fire and understands her narrative approach better than any other filmmaker currently working with the property.

Frequently asked questions

When does The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping release and when will it stream? The film is scheduled for theatrical release on November 20, 2026. It is directed by Francis Lawrence and distributed by Lionsgate. Hunger Games films have typically moved to digital rental and streaming within 45-90 days of theatrical release. InfinityTV will carry it in the on-demand library when the streaming window opens.

Who is Haymitch Abernathy and why does his backstory matter? Haymitch Abernathy, played by Woody Harrelson in the original trilogy, is the sole surviving winner from District 12 before Katniss. He won the 50th Hunger Games — the Second Quarter Quell — through a combination of skill and an exploit involving the arena's force field boundary. Sunrise on the Reaping shows those events in full. His story matters because it explains why he becomes the mentor he is: deeply traumatised, isolated by his victory, and struggling with survivor's guilt.

What is the Second Quarter Quell? The Quarter Quell is a special version of the Hunger Games held every 25 years, with additional rules imposed by the Capitol. The Second Quarter Quell — the 50th Games, in which this film is set — required each district to send double the normal number of tributes: 4 per district instead of 2, creating a field of 48 children rather than the standard 24.

Do Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson appear in Sunrise on the Reaping? Yes. Both Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark) are confirmed to appear in the film. Their roles in the prequel narrative have not been fully disclosed ahead of release, but their inclusion connects the prequel to the emotional continuity of the original trilogy.

What internet speed do I need to stream the film in 4K on InfinityTV? InfinityTV recommends at least 25 Mbps for stable 4K streaming. For large-scale action and arena sequences, 50 Mbps or above ensures maximum quality with no compression. InfinityTV's 99.9% uptime infrastructure delivers consistent performance throughout.