Haymitch's Dark Origin Story Gets a Bizarre, Folk-Horror Makeover
The next Hunger Games film is here. It reveals Haymitch's brutal origin story. Expect a shocking folk horror aesthetic. A bizarre David Bowie nod is included.
The first look at The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has dropped, and it's dragging audiences back into the arena for another round of televised slaughter. This time, however, the grim proceedings are bathed in an unsettling, sun-drenched light. The prequel centers on the 50th annual games, the infamous Second Quarter Quell, which forced twice the usual number of teenagers into its deadly competition. We get our first glimpse of a young Haymitch Abernathy, the character immortalized by Woody Harrelson, now portrayed by Joseph Zada, as he begins his harrowing journey to becoming a victor.
Zada is joined by a slate of fresh faces entering the arena, including Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner and Ben Wang of Karate Kid: Legends fame playing Wyatt Callow, with Percy Daggs IV rounding out the tribute cast as Ampert Latier. The prequel also sees some major roles recast following the passing of their original actors. Ralph Fiennes will now embody the chilling presence of President Coriolanus Snow, while Jesse Plemons takes on the mantle of the calculating Plutarch Heavensbee.
Franchise veteran Francis Lawrence is back in the director's chair, but he's painting Panem with a completely new palette. The visuals lean heavily into a bright, pastoral terror reminiscent of modern horror hits, a stark departure from the muted, brutalist look of 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. The trailer juxtaposes fields of vibrant flowers and clear blue skies with the implicit violence of the games, creating a deeply unnerving atmosphere.
Perhaps the most talked-about moment from the teaser involves an unexpected artistic flourish. In an early scene, Glenn Close's character, Drusilla Sickle, is presented to a crowd. The novel describes her as a woman with a surgically taut face, held in place by what appear to be decorative tacks. What's truly wild is how the scene appears to be a shot-for-shot homage to a legendary 1979 Saturday Night Live performance. In it, David Bowie was carried onstage in a stiff, sculpted suit by performers Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias before being lifted to the microphone. The silhouette of Close's outfit and her rigid presentation are strikingly similar, a deep-cut reference that has fans buzzing.
It's a strange but fascinating choice, signaling that the creative team is eager to inject new life and unexpected influences into the decade-old franchise. This bold new vision for Panem is set to hit theaters on November 20, 2026.
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