Sunrise on the Reaping is rated 12A, and some UK cinemas show it two days early.
The sixth Hunger Games film, and young Haymitch’s story.
The Sunrise on the Reaping release date in the UK is Friday 20 November 2026, but plenty of UK cinemas are showing it from Wednesday 18 November. Tickets went on sale on Wednesday 28 October, and the BBFC has rated the new Hunger Games film 12A.
At 158 minutes it’s the longest film in the series, Jennifer Lawrence has confirmed she’s back as Katniss, and a free Hunger Games experience opens at Westfield London on Friday 30 October. Here’s what UK fans need to know before booking.
Key UK dates
- Wed 28 OctTickets go on sale
- Fri 30 OctFree Capitol Experience opens at Westfield London, until 23 November
- Wed 18 NovEarly showings, including 7.30 am sunrise screenings
- Fri 20 NovOfficial UK release
When is Sunrise on the Reaping coming out in the UK?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is released in UK cinemas on Friday 20 November 2026, the same day as in the US. Many UK cinemas start showing it two days earlier, on Wednesday 18 November.
20 November is the release date on the film’s BBFC listing and on Lionsgate UK’s posters. Cinema listings tell a slightly different story. Odeon gives 18 November as its release date, Cineworld is taking bookings for that day, and The Light in Redhill lists showings from the Wednesday too.
Can you see Sunrise on the Reaping early in the UK?
Yes. Showings start on Wednesday 18 November, and Lionsgate UK is putting on special 7.30 am “at sunrise” screenings that morning.
Lionsgate UK announced the sunrise screenings on Wednesday 28 October, with the pitch “experience the film at first light”. So far it has named two: Vue West End in London, hosted by Morgan James, and Vue Omni Centre in Edinburgh, with a special host still to be announced.
In London, the BFI IMAX has listed screenings on 18 November at 2 pm, 5.20 pm and 8.45 pm, Popped News reported, with more on 19 November.
A lucky few have already seen it. Lionsgate held a UK fan screening at Westfield London on Wednesday 28 October, with Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace and Whitney Peak among the cast on the red carpet, according to CinemaBlend and Headline Planet.
When do Sunrise on the Reaping tickets go on sale in the UK?
They’re on sale now. Tickets for Sunrise on the Reaping went on sale on Wednesday 28 October 2026, and Lionsgate UK confirmed they were on sale that afternoon.
In the US, sales opened at 6 am Pacific time, which was 1 pm in the UK. UK fans were working that out too: converting “6 am PT” into UK time was one of the fastest-rising UK searches for the film on Google Trends this week, alongside Vue Leicester Square, Cineworld Cardiff and Odeon.
Odeon, Cineworld, Vue, Showcase, Everyman and Picturehouse all have it listed. Lionsgate UK is billing it as filmed for IMAX, and it’s also showing in Dolby Cinema and 3D at cinemas with those screens.
What age rating is Sunrise on the Reaping?
The Sunrise on the Reaping age rating is 12A in the UK. The BBFC gave it a 12A for “moderate violence, injury detail, threat, upsetting scenes”.
A 12A means anyone aged 12 or over can see it on their own, and children under 12 can see it at the cinema if an adult goes with them. In the US it’s rated PG-13, not R.
Is Sunrise on the Reaping OK for 12-year-olds?
By the BBFC’s rating, yes. A 12A means the BBFC considers it suitable for viewers aged 12 and over, though it flags moderate violence, injury detail, threat and upsetting scenes.
Every Hunger Games film has been a 12A in UK cinemas, but not always easily. The BBFC’s records show the 2012 original was cut to get its 12A, with blood digitally removed from one scene, and that an uncut version would have been rated 15. The BBFC lists no cuts for Sunrise on the Reaping.
For comparison, the last prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, was flagged for moderate violence, threat and drug misuse. Sunrise on the Reaping shares the moderate violence and threat, drops the drug misuse, and adds injury detail and upsetting scenes.
How long is Sunrise on the Reaping?
Sunrise on the Reaping runs for 158 minutes, or 2 hours 38 minutes, which makes it the longest Hunger Games film so far.
It beats The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by about a minute, and runs more than half an hour longer than Mockingjay Part 1, the shortest in the series.
How many Hunger Games films are there?
There are five Hunger Games films so far, and Sunrise on the Reaping makes six when it opens on 20 November. It’s the second prequel, after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
| Film | Year | Runtime |
|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | 2012 | 142 min |
| Catching Fire | 2013 | 146 min |
| Mockingjay Part 1 | 2014 | 123 min |
| Mockingjay Part 2 | 2015 | 137 min |
| The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes | 2023 | 157 min |
| Sunrise on the Reaping | 2026 | 158 min |
Release order, with running times from the BBFC’s cinema classifications, rounded to the nearest minute. All six are rated 12A in UK cinemas.
The Hunger Games films in story order
- The Ballad of Songbirds and SnakesThe 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before the first film
- Sunrise on the ReapingThe 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before the first film
- The Hunger GamesThe 74th Hunger Games, Katniss’s first
- Catching FireThe 75th Hunger Games, the Third Quarter Quell
- Mockingjay Part 1Katniss becomes the Mockingjay
- Mockingjay Part 2The attack on the Capitol
Is Jennifer Lawrence in Sunrise on the Reaping?
Yes. Jennifer Lawrence confirmed on the Call Her Daddy podcast on Wednesday 28 October that she plays Katniss Everdeen again in Sunrise on the Reaping.
“It was so beautiful,” she said of going back, and she talked about reuniting with Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson, TheWrap reported. Her name is already on the BBFC’s cast list. How big the part is hasn’t been revealed.
She didn’t go to the UK fan screening at Westfield London the same day.
Who is in the Sunrise on the Reaping cast?
Joseph Zada plays 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, with Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner.
There’s a familiar face for UK viewers too. Kara Tointon, who played Dawn Swann in EastEnders and won Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, plays Haymitch’s mother, Willamae.
Francis Lawrence directs, no relation to Jennifer. He has made every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire.
What is Sunrise on the Reaping about?
Sunrise on the Reaping follows Haymitch Abernathy, the future mentor of Katniss and Peeta, when he is reaped for the 50th Hunger Games on his 16th birthday.
It’s based on Suzanne Collins’ novel, published in March 2025. The 50th Games is the Second Quarter Quell, and its twist is that every district has to send four tributes instead of two. That’s double the usual field, set 24 years before the first film.
What is the Hunger Games Capitol Experience at Westfield London?
It’s a free Hunger Games experience in The Atrium at Westfield London, open from Friday 30 October to Monday 23 November 2026. Entry is free, but you need to book a ticket.
- WhereThe Atrium, Westfield London, Shepherd’s Bush
- When30 October to 23 November
- PriceFree, booking required
- InsideA walk through the Cornucopia, a photo with Haymitch’s flint striker, collectible stamps, and a clip from the film you can only see there
Westfield London also runs sensory sessions for visitors who would prefer a quieter visit, as the standard experience uses flashing lights and loud sounds. Tickets for both are on Westfield London’s Capitol Experience page.
What are the first reactions to Sunrise on the Reaping?
The first reactions to Sunrise on the Reaping, posted on social media on Wednesday 28 October, are very positive, with praise for Joseph Zada’s Haymitch.
Nikita Francois of Nerds of Color called it “easily the best film” in the franchise and praised Joseph Zada’s Haymitch, while another early viewer compared it to Rogue One and Andor, TheWrap reported. First reactions are short social media posts, not full reviews.
Can you stream Sunrise on the Reaping?
Not yet. Sunrise on the Reaping is a cinema release, and no streaming or digital rental date has been announced.
For now, the only way to watch it is at the cinema from 18 or 20 November.
More film news: Ali G: Who Iz I? age rating and where to watch and who will be the next James Bond.
Sources: the BBFC’s classifications for all six Hunger Games films, Lionsgate UK, Westfield London, TheWrap, CinemaBlend, Headline Planet and Popped News. Cinema dates as listed on 29 October 2026.