The Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins recently confirmed that there's another prequel story coming our way. But what fans don't get is the meaning behind the Sunrise on the Reaping title for Haymitch Abernathy's story.
Well, this article explores exactly that, while waiting for the fifth novel in the series to release in 2025.
Since The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes refers to how Lucy Gray Baird united the people through her song, contrasting Cornelius Snow's (and the Capitol's) snake-like tendencies of betrayal, how does Sunrise on the Reaping connect with Haymitch?
What Does Sunrise on the Reaping Title Mean For The Hunger Games?
The Day of the Reaping in The Hunger Games hadn't always been the same.
Though the original film franchise utilized the lottery to pick the names of every district's male and female tribute, Sunrise on the Reaping is a prequel, precisely 24 years before Katniss and Peeta were picked.
Considering that the "reaping" of each district's tribute had only been gradually developed to be modernized over time, then Sunrise of the Reaping could be exactly that — how the reaping was being done during Haymitch's time.
Sunrise is set 40 years after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. In Lucy Gray Baird's time, her name had only been picked because the reapings were rigged. Only the Mayor was allowed to choose the reapings.
During Haymitch's time, however, four were chosen to participate from every district, garnering a total of 48 children in the stadium.
This was the Second Quarter Quell aka the 50th Hunger Games which is bloodier than the last. Why? Despite the increased number of tributes, only one remains the winner.
While Suzanne Collins has yet to release Haymitch's prequel, Sunrise will likely shed light on how much brutality Haymitch had to face during his time.
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How This New Hunger Games Prequel Could Change the Franchise
The Ballad may have shown the story of Lucy Gray, but it was told through the lens of Cornelius Snow. Meanwhile, the original film trilogy let fans inside Katniss' head as she went through the reaping and the games themselves.
This time, we get to see yet another perspective from one of the beloved characters in the franchise: Haymitch Abernathy.
We've only ever seen him as a drunk mentor who doesn't always seem to take anything seriously when it comes to the games.
Enter his prequel story in Sunrise on the Reaping, we'll get to dive deep into the lore of the annual Hunger Games and how his experience led to a self-destructive habit as a District 12 victor.
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Suzanne Collins' Sunrise on the Reaping novel is slated for a March 18, 2025 release.
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