Fans of Panem have a chance to revisit the franchise on the big screen before a new chapter arrives. Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment are bringing all five released The Hunger Games films back to US cinemas from September 3 to September 7, 2026, with each screening featuring an exclusive preview of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
The world of Panem is returning to cinemas ahead of the next Hunger Games movie.
Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment have teamed up for a five-day theatrical event featuring the franchise’s five existing films. Beginning September 3, audiences in the United States can watch one movie each day, with the event continuing through September 7.
The screenings are designed to lead audiences into The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the upcoming prequel based on Suzanne Collins’ novel.
Unlike a traditional marathon that screens several movies consecutively, the Fathom event spreads the films across five days.
‘The Hunger Games’ Five-Film US Theatrical Schedule
The theatrical lineup follows the franchise chronologically by release:
- September 3: The Hunger Games
- September 4: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
- September 5: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
- September 6: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
- September 7: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Tickets for the event went on sale in July.
The rerelease gives longtime fans an opportunity to experience the original films on the big screen again while introducing newer viewers to the story before the next theatrical instalment.
Each Screening Includes A ‘Sunrise On The Reaping’ Preview
One of the main attractions of the event is the inclusion of an exclusive theatrical preview for Sunrise on the Reaping with each screening.
The five previews are distinct, meaning fans attending across the entire event can potentially see different footage associated with the upcoming film.
The strategy also gives Lionsgate an extended promotional window ahead of the prequel’s November release.
What Is ‘Sunrise On The Reaping’ About?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping takes audiences back to the story of Haymitch Abernathy, the character originally portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the first four films.
The prequel is set during the Second Quarter Quell, the 50th Hunger Games.
Joseph Zada plays the younger version of Haymitch in the upcoming film.
The cast also includes Jesse Plemons, Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Ralph Fiennes and Glenn Close, among others.
The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who previously directed several instalments in the franchise. Billy Ray wrote the screenplay, with the story adapted from Collins’ novel.
When Does ‘Sunrise On The Reaping’ Release?
The new Hunger Games prequel is scheduled to arrive in cinemas on November 20, 2026.
That places the five-film theatrical rerelease roughly two months ahead of the franchise’s next major chapter.
For fans who have followed Katniss Everdeen’s story from the beginning, the event offers a chance to revisit the original saga before entering a different period of Panem’s history.
AMC Has Its Own ‘Hunger Games’ Event
The Fathom Entertainment rerelease isn’t the only theatrical Hunger Games event taking place in the US.
AMC Theatres also launched a separately branded Hunger Games Marathon beginning August 28, 2026.
The AMC event is distinct from the Lionsgate-Fathom five-day programme, giving moviegoers another opportunity to return to the franchise on the big screen.
The two events approach the celebration differently, with the Fathom programme specifically scheduling one film per day from September 3 through September 7.
Why The Franchise Still Matters
Since the first film arrived in 2012, The Hunger Games has developed into one of the most recognisable young-adult film franchises.
The original four films starred Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks, among others.
The series later expanded with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which explored the younger years of Coriolanus Snow and introduced a new generation of characters.
The five released movies have collectively generated more than $3.3 billion worldwide, demonstrating the continuing commercial reach of the franchise.
With Sunrise on the Reaping now approaching, Lionsgate is using the theatrical rerelease to reconnect audiences with the world before returning to one of its most recognisable characters.
‘Sunrise On The Reaping’ Takes Panem Back To Haymitch’s Past
The upcoming film offers a significant shift in perspective.
Rather than following Katniss’s journey, the story focuses on a younger Haymitch at a pivotal point in Panem’s history.
That makes the September theatrical event more than a simple franchise rerelease. It gives audiences an opportunity to revisit the films that established Panem before discovering the circumstances that shaped one of its most memorable mentors.
