‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ Ignites Sales, Sells 1.5 Million Copies in First Week and Breaks Hunger Games Records
The odds are still ever in Suzanne Collins’ favor.
The latest installment in the Hunger Games universe, Sunrise on the Reaping, is already setting the book world ablaze. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in its first week of release, the highly anticipated prequel has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide across print, e-book, and audiobook formats, according to Scholastic.
That number includes 1.2 million copies in the U.S. alone, more than doubling the debut week sales of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in 2020 and tripling those of Mockingjay in 2010.
“Sales for Sunrise on the Reaping have exceeded all expectations, as has the overwhelmingly positive response from fans and critics alike,” said Ellie Berger, executive VP and president of Scholastic Trade, in a statement.
The book, released on March 18, takes readers back to Panem 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s first reaping. It opens on the day of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell, and follows a younger Haymitch Abernathy—a name fans of the original trilogy will instantly recognize, portrayed memorably by Woody Harrelson in the blockbuster films.
Themes of Power, Propaganda, and Resistance
Author Suzanne Collins shared that her inspiration for Sunrise came from the philosophy of David Hume, particularly his reflections on how societies are governed.
“The idea of implicit submission—and the ease with which the many are governed by the few—felt deeply relevant,” Collins explained. “It also gave me the chance to explore propaganda and the power of controlling the narrative. That recurring question, ‘Real or not real?’ feels more urgent now than ever.”
A Box Office Bound Blockbuster
In true Hunger Games fashion, the story won’t be limited to the page for long. Lionsgate has confirmed that Sunrise on the Reaping will be adapted for the big screen, with a film set to debut on November 20, 2026.
Francis Lawrence, who directed the previous Hunger Games films including Catching Fire and Mockingjay, will return to helm the project. Producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are also back under the Color Force banner, reuniting the creative dream team that helped launch the Hunger Games into a $3.3 billion franchise.
A Legacy of Dystopia and Resilience
With foreign rights sold in 55 languages and over 100 million copies of the Hunger Games series sold worldwide to date, Collins’ universe of rebellion, survival, and systemic resistance continues to resonate with readers across generations.
According to Publisher’s Weekly, Sunrise on the Reaping is already the third bestselling title of the year in the U.S., second only to Onyx Storm: Deluxe Edition by Rebecca Yarros.
As the buzz builds toward its film release, and fans return to Panem’s haunting past, one thing is clear: Suzanne Collins hasn’t just revived her legendary series—she’s taken it to new heights.
Let the Games begin… again.