The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens Nov. 20, 2026, with early shows Nov. 18. Here’s what Meta’s new 3D version means, plus runtime, rating, cast and tickets.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens Nov. 20, 2026, with early shows Nov. 18. Here’s what Meta’s new 3D version means, plus runtime, rating, cast and tickets.
Stacey
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, November 20, 2026, with early-access screenings starting Wednesday, November 18. Tickets are already on sale, and as of this week you have a new choice to make: Lionsgate and Meta announced on November 2 that the Haymitch prequel will also play in 3D, the first time Meta has helped a Hollywood studio convert a feature film for its theatrical release.
Here is everything you need to know before you book: dates, formats, runtime, rating, cast, what the 3D news means, and when you might be able to watch it at home.
The film arrives in theaters nationwide on November 20, 2026, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Its world premiere was held in London on October 28, according to the film’s Wikipedia entry.
Fans who don’t want to wait can catch early-access screenings on Wednesday, November 18, starting at 6 p.m. Those shows are limited to premium formats, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, ScreenX, Cinemark XD, Regal RPX and AMC Prime, as JubileeCast reported. Participating locations vary, so check your local theater’s app.
Advance tickets went on sale on Wednesday, October 28, at 9 a.m. ET for every showtime, including the November 18 early-access shows. You can buy them through the big chains (AMC, Regal, Cinemark and others) or ticketing apps. Premium-format seats on opening weekend tend to go first, so if you want IMAX or Dolby at a prime time, it’s worth booking now.
On November 2, Meta said in a blog post that it is partnering with Lionsgate to bring Sunrise on the Reaping to theaters in 3D. The conversion was done with DNEG, the Oscar-winning visual effects studio, working alongside director Francis Lawrence, who has directed the last five Hunger Games films. Meta says advance tickets for 3D showings are on sale now.
According to Variety, DNEG has handled 3D conversions for films such as Dune: Part One and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
The 3D version won’t stop at the multiplex. Starting in spring 2027, the film will be watchable in 3D on Meta VR Glasses, a new headset Meta unveiled at Meta Connect in September. Variety puts the price at $1,299, and Deadline reports the glasses weigh about 100 grams and feature a 5K display with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos spatial audio.
Two things worth knowing before you get excited: the glasses don’t ship until spring, and Meta has not said the 3D version will come to its existing Quest headsets. For most people, the 3D experience this year means a theater.
That depends on how you like your blockbusters. A post-conversion 3D release (the film was shot in 2D and converted afterward) usually costs a few dollars more per ticket than a standard showing. If you’re already paying for IMAX or Dolby, the 3D option mainly changes the depth of the image rather than the sound or screen size. If you’re seeing it with kids or someone who gets headaches from 3D glasses, a standard or premium 2D showing is the safer pick.
With trailers, you’re looking at close to three hours in your seat, so factor that into showtimes on a school night. The story follows teenagers forced into a deadly contest, so parents of younger kids may want to read up on content before buying tickets.
The film is set 24 years before the original Hunger Games. It follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy of District 12 on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, the Second Quarter Quell, which sends twice as many tributes into the arena. Fans of the main series know Haymitch as Katniss Everdeen’s hard-drinking mentor; this is the story of how he became a victor and what it cost him.
It works as both a sequel to The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) and a prequel to The Hunger Games (2012). Suzanne Collins’ novel sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week, the biggest launch in the series’ history, according to ComicBasics.
The ensemble cast, as listed by Lionsgate, includes:
Deadline reports the film is expected to open to $60 million to $70 million in North America. Boxoffice Pro’s long-range forecast sits at $55 million to $65 million, while some trackers have floated a $100 million-plus debut after strong early presales, according to ComicBasics. Presales tend to be driven by the most dedicated fans, so treat the higher numbers as optimistic until preview grosses come in.
The stakes are big: the film’s reported budget is $170 million to $200 million, and the five earlier Hunger Games movies grossed more than $3.3 billion worldwide combined.
Theaters are treating this as an event. AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Marcus and Showcase have all revealed themed popcorn buckets, Regal has collectibles arriving at select theaters starting November 18, and Cinemark is offering a $40 “Super Ticket” bundle, per ComicBasics. These sell out fast at many locations, so ask at the concession stand early if you want one.
Because opening weekend lands right before Thanksgiving, expect busy theaters through the holiday. If you’re building a whole weekend around it, our guide to Black Friday 2026 sale dates by store can help you line up shopping around showtimes, and the Starbucks holiday menu for 2026 is already out if you want a pre-movie drink. For more pop-culture coverage, see our recap of Heidi Klum’s 2026 Halloween costume.
It opens in U.S. theaters on November 20, 2026, with early-access premium-format screenings on November 18 starting at 6 p.m.
Yes. Meta and Lionsgate announced a 3D conversion on November 2, and advance 3D tickets are on sale now.
158 minutes, or 2 hours and 38 minutes, making it the longest Hunger Games film.
No streaming or digital release date has been announced yet. The only confirmed at-home option so far is the 3D version on Meta VR Glasses, starting in spring 2027.
It’s rated PG-13.
Featured image: Audience watching a 3D IMAX screening, by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 2.0. Not a still from the film.
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