• The cast of "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" attended a UK fan screening on Wednesday.
• Some of the cast wore eye-catching outfits that nodded to their "Hunger Games" characters.
• Others wore looks that fell flat with mismatched accessories.

The countdown to the premiere of "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" is on.

The hotly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' fifth "Hunger Games" novel, which follows Haymitch Abernathy's experience in the 50th Hunger Games, officially hits movie theaters on November 20, 2026. However, on Wednesday, much of the cast gathered for an advanced fan screening of the film in London.

Everyone was dressed to the nines for the premiere, and some cast members wore outfits that celebrated the characters they played in the movie or aspects of the larger "Hunger Games" universe. Some outfits were more successful than others, though.

Take a look at the best and worst looks the "Sunrise on the Reaping" cast wore to the screening.

Elle Fanning's pink gown was full of whimsy.

Fanning portrays a young Effie Trinket in "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," a character known for her outlandish outfits and dramatic head accessories.

Fanning perfectly paid tribute to Effie's style with her Robert Wun ensemble. Her ballerina-pink dress had a strapless neckline, with a second bodice floating around her torso and ending in a ruffled peplum for a high-fashion flair. A full tulle skirt flowed to her ankles, showing off her coordinating pumps.

The showstopping element of Fanning's look, though, was her music-box-inspired headpiece, which featured a ballerina that spun as she walked the red carpet. Cartier jewelry completed the look.

Kieran Culkin's jacket was fun, but the overall outfit would have been better with a few tweaks.

Like Fanning, Culkin nodded to his "Sunrise on the Reaping" character with his red-carpet look, wearing a black jacket with sparkly embroidery that would be right up his character Caesar Flickerman's alley.

However, he paired the look with simple black trousers and a blue button-down, which didn't suit the jacket's glamorous vibe. A more dramatic shirt and bold accessories would have elevated the outfit.

Joseph Zada looked effortlessly cool in his oversize suit.

Zada stars as Haymitch Abernathy in the film, and though he didn't nod to his character with his red-carpet outfit, he did look every bit the leading man.

Gucci designed Zada's suit, which included an oversize charcoal jacket and wide-legged pinstripe trousers. He wore a light-blue shirt under the jacket, a thin tie, and an off-center belt.

Statement sunglasses added a chic touch to the look.

Glenn Close's accessories took away from her dress.

Simone Rocha designed the green gown that Close, who plays handler Drusilla Sickle in "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," wore to the premiere.

The moss-green dress had a high, boat-neck neckline and flowed into a sheath before cinching at the knee with bow-shaped ruching. The full skirt then flowed to the floor in a subtle pleated pattern.

The dress was a statement in and of itself, but Close then added black leather gloves and a black cane to the look. Ditching the gloves or choosing a matching pair would have been better.

Mckenna Grace brilliantly brought the arena to life with her glittering gown.

Grace, who plays Maysilee Donner, has been having fun paying homage to "The Hunger Games" franchise with her red-carpet looks while promoting the film, and the fan screening was no exception.

She arrived in an Almée Couture gown covered in colorful sparkles that seemed to depict the arena landscape where Haymitch, Maysilee, and the other tributes compete during the 50th Hunger Games.

The sky was depicted on the top of the bodice, which had spaghetti straps and a sweetheart neckline, while a mountain range and a grassy field sat on her hips. Three-dimensional flowers sat at the bottom of the field, separating the bodice from the skirt, which flowed from her knee in sparkly, taupe fabric.

The details on the dress took it to the next level. There's even a small structure in the center of the field that appears to be the cornucopia that tributes rely on during the Hunger Games.

Serafin Mishiev's denim look didn't quite work.

Mishiev, who plays Woodbine Chance in the film, chose a denim look for the screening.

He wore a white long-sleeved top with a chambray shirt over it, which was unbuttoned at the top and tucked into his pants. His pants were made of a darker denim, and he paired the look with a black belt and brown shoes.

It wasn't immediately clear how Mishiev's look might relate to his "Hunger Games" character, though it does somewhat resemble the outfits miners wear at work in District 12. Either way, it wasn't the best choice for the red carpet. The outfit may have worked better if he had worn the same shade of denim in both pieces and hadn't mixed colors with his accessories.

Whitney Peak's colorful dress offered a fun homage to the Covey family.

Peak attended the screening in a Chanel gown. The high-neck dress was covered in a collage of differently colored and textured fabrics, with black, green, yellow, and pink blending together. The black faded toward the length of the bodice, while the tulle skirt was in pastel hues only.

The high-fashion dress was pretty in its own right, but it also subtly nodded to Peak's "Sunrise on the Reaping" character, Lenore Dove Baird. In "The Hunger Games," Lenore is related to Lucy Gray Baird, the tribute from District 12 who wins the 10th Hunger Games, as depicted in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes."

When she is reaped for the Games, Lucy wears "a dress made of a rainbow of ruffles, now raggedy but once fancy." Peak's gown seems like a high-fashion take on Lucy Gray's dress, connecting her character to the larger "Hunger Games" universe.

• Suzanne Collins' "Sunrise on the Reaping," published in 2025, is a prequel to "The Hunger Games."
• It's being adapted into a film, based on Haymitch's experience as a tribute from District 12.
• Jennifer Lawrence confirmed on Wednesday that she will reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen in the film.

A new dawn is rising in "The Hunger Games" universe (literally).

"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" is set to hit theaters on November 20, taking fans back into the world of Panem. This time, they will see it through the eyes of a young Haymitch Abernathy as he competes as a District 12 tribute 24 years before the events of Suzanne Collins' original trilogy.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the film since it was first announced in 2024, before the novel it is based on was even published.

Now, a little under a month before it premieres, the film's arrival is feeling more and more real. Tickets finally went on sale on Wednesday, and the same day, Jennifer Lawrence confirmed she'll be reprising her role as Katniss Everdeen in the film, alongside Woody Harrelson and Josh Hutcherson.

Here's everything we know about the movie so far.

'Sunrise on the Reaping' hits theaters in November 2026

"Sunrise on the Reaping" was published in March 2025, and it is the second prequel to Collins' immensely popular dystopian series, following the 2020 release of "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes." Like "Ballad," the latest installment reveals key lore about the world of Panem, while staying true to the heart of Collins' original works.

Lionsgate announced it would adapt the story into a feature film, following the success of the "Ballad" adaptation, in conjunction with the novel's June 2024 announcement.

At the time, Deadline reported that the film, "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," would be released on November 20, 2026. The film officially premieres on the 20th, though some fans were able to secure advanced screening tickets for November 18 and 19 at select theaters.

Francis Lawrence, the filmmaker who helmed every movie in the series except the 2012 original, directed the movie from a script adapted by Billy Ray.

Nina Jacobson and her producing partner, Brad Simpson, returned to produce the prequel under their Color Force banner. Jacobson told Variety in March 2025 that her team already had "a great draft" of the script and set filming locations before the book was even released.

Filming started in the summer of 2025

"Sunrise on the Reaping" has a massive cast, largely because Haymitch is reaped into the second Quarter Quell. The 50th Hunger Games has twice as many tributes competing, meaning 48 children from the districts are sent to the arena instead of 24.

In addition, the novel introduces readers to characters in District 12 with connections to the other books in the series and features appearances by "Hunger Games" favorites such as Effie Trinket and Plutarch Heavensbee.

Lionsgate revealed the film's cast on social media, showing snippets of the characters' introductions in the novel as they burst into flame, revealing the actors portraying them.

The 'Sunrise on the Reaping' cast includes:

• Haymitch Abernathy: Joseph Zada
• Lenore Dove Baird: Whitney Peak
• President Snow: Ralph Fiennes
• Effie Trinket: Elle Fanning
• Caesar Flickerman: Kieran Culkin
• Plutarch Heavensbee: Jesse Plemons
• Beetee Latier: Kelvin Harrison Jr.
• Wiress: Maya Hawke
• Mags Flanagan: Lili Taylor
• Maysilee Donner: Mckenna Grace
• Wyatt Callow: Ben Wang
• Louella McCoy: Molly McCann
• Lou Lou: Iona Bell
• Magno Stift: Billy Porter
• Drusilla Sickle: Glenn Close
• Panache: Jhaleil Swaby
• Ampert: Percy Daggs IV
• Silka: Laura Marcus
• Wellie: Rada Rae
• Maritte: Sky Frances
• Clayton: Salimou Thiam
• Ringina: Tatyana Muzondo
• Buck: John Doeble
• Kerna: Alina Reid
• Hull: Kaine Buffonge
• Willamae: Kara Tointon
• Sid: Smylie Bradwell
• Clerk Carmine: Jeffrey Hallman
• Woodbine: Serafin Mishiev

The film's star, Zada, is a relative newcomer with a handful of roles to his name. In March 2025, Jacobson told Variety her team was looking for an actor who could bring the same "mischief" Woody Harrelson brought to the role in the original trilogy without "impersonating" him.

"You want somebody who very credibly feels like they could be a young version of this character, before the trauma and grief and rage that the fallout of the Games create," Jacobson said. "Nobody can be Woody Harrelson, but Woody Harrelson."

Of the roles announced, Fiennes' and Fanning's castings arguably generated the most buzz.

Fiennes, who is no stranger to film franchises after playing Voldemort in the "Harry Potter" films, will be offering the third cinematic iteration of President Coriolanus Snow.

Donald Sutherland originated the role of the aging villain in the three original "Hunger Games" films, and fans saw Tom Blyth's portrayal of Snow as a young man in the first prequel. Snow is the primary antagonist in "Sunrise on the Reaping," as he is in the original trilogy, and he makes some chilling appearances in the novel.

Elizabeth Banks played Effie Trinket, Katniss and Peeta's handler from the Capitol, in the original "Hunger Games" trilogy, and the character appears as a young stylist in "Sunrise on the Reaping." Fans were eager to see who would step into Banks' shoes because her performance was so beloved in the films, and Fanning's casting was met with overwhelming excitement.

Plemons will take over the role of Plutarch for Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Jeffrey Wright played Beetee Latier before Kelvin Harrison Jr. Interestingly, both Plemons and Harrison previously played Hoffman's and Wright's children in other projects. Plemons was Hoffman's son in the 2012 film "The Master," and Harrison was Wright's son in "Monster," released in 2018.

Lawrence announced that filming for the project was set to begin in July 2025 at CinemaCon in April 2025, and Zada and Grace were spotted together in Spain that month.

Lionsgate released the most enlightening trailer for the movie yet in September 2026

On November 20, 2025, Lionsgate shared an official teaser trailer for the film to celebrate one year until its release.

It gave viewers a glimpse of the arena for the 50th Hunger Games, showing Zada as Haymitch standing on a podium alongside his fellow tributes in a picturesque, hilly countryside.

Importantly, the teaser showed Lenore Dove giving Haymitch a striker with a bird on one end and a snake on the other. The striker plays an important role in the book, was illustrated on the book's cover, and was unveiled as the official logo for the film in a teaser clip released in April 2025, making its appearance exciting for fans of the text.

Both the teaser trailer and teaser clip ended with Harrelson's voice saying, "I think these games are gonna be different."

On April 13, 2026, Lionsgate released the first full-length trailer for the film. It offered a more comprehensive look at the film's plot, focusing on Haymitch's reaping and his time at the Capitol before the Hunger Games actually begin.

Clips of some of the book's biggest moments appeared in the trailer, including a chariot crash during the parade of tributes, Haymitch's live TV interview before he enters the arena, and a private conversation between Haymitch and President Snow.

The trailer is also stacked with appearances from the star-studded cast. It features Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, the role Stanley Tucci played in the original trilogy, and Maya Hawke as a younger, less traumatized version of Wiress, an ally to Katniss in the 75th Quarter Quell and a mentor to Haymitch in the 50th.

Hawke as Wiress offers one of the most chilling lines in the trailer: "The arena, it's a killing machine. But all machines can be broken."

Lionsgate also released a video introducing Haymitch to viewers on July 4, which is both Reaping Day in the "Hunger Games" universe and Haymitch's birthday. It includes clips from the movie, as well as commentary from Lawrence, Jacobson, and Zada on Haymitch as a character.

Finally, the studio shared a second full-length trailer for the movie on September 16, a little over two months before the film's premiere. "Witness the beginning of a revolution," the official "The Hunger Games" Instagram account captioned the trailer.

The trailer gives a closer look at Haymitch's experience in the Capitol and the arena after he is reaped for the Games, showing glimpses of his disastrous tribute parade and his work to dismantle the arena from the inside as he competes.

It also tees up his conflict with President Snow more directly than the other trailers. In one clip, Haymitch looks directly at Snow and claps in a silent stadium, the lone voice of dissent as Capitol loyalists look on in horror at this small act of rebellion (and, in Plutarch Heavensbee's case, in awe).

Alongside the trailer, Lionsgate also released two posters for the film, coining the slogan, "Challenge authority. Capitalize power."

The tributes from District 12 pose under "challenge authority," while people from the Capitol, like Snow and Heavensbee, are on the "capitalize" poster.

The 'Sunrise on the Reaping' epilogue

Since the book the movie is based on was released, fans have wondered if the film will include the epilogue from "Sunrise on the Reaping."

The epilogue takes place in District 12 after the events of "Mockingjay," with Haymitch telling Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark about his childhood and time in the arena.

In December 2025, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson would be reprising their roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in "Sunrise on the Reaping," though the outlet didn't say whether Harrelson would return alongside them or how they would appear in the film.

On October 28, Lawrence confirmed she will appear in the film, alongside Hutcherson and Harrelson, to the delight of fans.

On the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, host Alex Cooper asked Lawrence what it was like to step into Katniss' shoes again, and Lawrence replied that it was "unbelievable."

"It was so crazy because it was the same crew," she said. "It was the same camera guys, the same AD, who I've worked with a million times too because I love him, and Josh and Woody."

"It was so emotional. Josh and I, like, didn't walk to the bathroom without our arms around each other," she added. "And Woody obviously came through the window of my hotel room uninvited cause it would not be the same. It wouldn't be the same if he listened to boundaries and used a door."

Lawrence didn't reveal any details about her appearance in the film, but "Hunger Games" adaptations have historically been fairly loyal to Collins' book, making it safe to assume the trio will be depicted in some form of the epilogue.