The Hunger Games Movies in Order (Where Sunrise on the Reaping Fits)
In short: Release order: The Hunger Games (2012), Catching Fire (2013), Mockingjay Part 1 (2014), Part 2 (2015), The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023) and Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20, 2026). In story order, the two prequels come first: Ballad 64 years before Katniss, Sunrise 24 years before. Watch in release order the first time.
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- The Hunger Games (2012)
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014)
- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (2015)
- The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)
- The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20, 2026)
Story (chronological) order
- The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: the 10th Hunger Games, about 64 years before Katniss.
- Sunrise on the Reaping: the 50th Hunger Games, about 24 years before Katniss.
- The Hunger Games: the 74th Games.
- Catching Fire: the 75th Games, the third Quarter Quell.
- Mockingjay, Part 1
- Mockingjay, Part 2
Which order should you choose?
Release order for a first watch. The original four films are a complete story and assume no knowledge of the prequels, and both prequels work best when you already know who Snow and Haymitch become. Suzanne Collins wrote them that way: the original trilogy (2008 to 2010) first, the prequel novels in 2020 and 2025. Story order is a good rewatch once Sunrise is out.
The two prequels
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023, 157 minutes). Eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) mentors District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the 10th Games, and the film traces how he becomes the President Snow of the originals. It's long, and reviews were more mixed than for the original films, but Zegler's performance and the songs were widely praised.
Sunrise on the Reaping (November 20, 2026). Based on Collins's 2025 novel and directed by Francis Lawrence, who made every film since Catching Fire. Joseph Zada plays the young Haymitch Abernathy in the 50th Games, the second Quarter Quell, when twice the usual number of tributes are reaped. It shows what happened to make Haymitch the bitter drunk Katniss meets. Whitney Peak, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes and Elle Fanning also star.
Do you need to read the books?
No, the films are faithful. But the novels go deeper, especially inside Katniss's head, which the films can only hint at. If you want to read one before Sunrise, read Sunrise itself: it's the newest and most talked about.
Our verdict
Watch the four Katniss films in order, then Ballad, then Sunrise in cinemas. If you only have time for one, Catching Fire is the high point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to watch The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes before Sunrise on the Reaping? No. They're separate stories decades apart, with different main characters. Both are richer if you know the original films.
Who plays young Haymitch in Sunrise on the Reaping? Joseph Zada. Woody Harrelson played the adult Haymitch in the original films.
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