Will Haymitch survive the Second Quarter Quell? Sunrise on the Reaping trailer reveals all

The Hunger Games universe is heading back to District 12, and this time the spotlight is on a young Haymitch Abernathy. The newly released trailer for Sunrise on the Reaping offers an intense first look at his journey into the arena during the Second Quarter Quell. With familiar faces returning and the stakes doubled, the prequel is already building major excitement. The first trailer for Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens with Haymitch Abernathy at the District 12 reaping ceremony, where his fate quickly changes.

What happens in the new trailer?

Joseph Zada’s Haymitch is selected as a tribute and sent into the deadly arena for the Second Quarter Quell, a version of the games that doubles the number of tributes.


President Snow, played by Ralph Fiennes, delivers a chilling warning: "Haymitch Abernathy, I bet I know a thing or two about you," before reminding him, "you are on your own now."

The trailer then shifts into the brutal arena itself, showing Haymitch rising into the battlefield surrounded by other tributes. Explosions erupt around him as he sprints for safety, while another moment shows him fighting off a rival with a spear, as per Entertainment Weekly.

At the emotional core of the trailer is Haymitch’s defiant voice: "I'm sick of living in fear, just surviving. We're not animals to kill for their entertainment!" Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on Nov. 20, setting the stage for Haymitch’s long-awaited origin story.

Who returns in the prequel Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping?

The film also introduces several familiar characters in younger form. Fans get a look at Effie Trinket, played by Elle Fanning, alongside Caesar Flickerman, Wiress, and Beetee. Maysilee, played by McKenna Grace, also appears as Haymitch’s fellow District 12 tribute and possible ally.

Jesse Plemons, Whitney Peak, Glenn Close, and Iris Apatow are also part of the main cast. In a major surprise, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are also set to reprise their roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, connecting the prequel to the original films set years later, as per Entertainment Weekly.

Can the arena be stopped?

The trailer strongly hints that this story is about more than survival. Beetee tells Haymitch, "If we can stop the games, we can stop the Capitol, too," while Wiress adds, "The arena, it's a killing machine. But all machines can be broken." That line suggests a growing rebellion and a possible plan to fight back against the Capitol itself.

FAQs

Who plays young Haymitch?
Joseph Zada takes on the role.

When does the film release?
It arrives in theaters on Nov. 20.