Jennifer Lawrence Can Officially Return To The Hunger Games Movies & Here's Why She Needs To

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins.

Sunrise on the Reaping is the latest novel in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series, and it shows how easily Jennifer Lawrence can return to the movie franchise. The newest book is set over two decades before the events of the original trilogy and follows a young Haymitch Abernathy during his experience in the тιтular games. Alongside offering readers detailed insight into Haymitch’s character, Collins’ prequel delves into how his actions sparked the rebellion years before Katniss brought the games to an end. It features several returning characters from The Hunger Games and perfectly rewards long-time readers’ investment in the story.

The ending of Sunrise on the Reaping is a very optimistic and surprisingly light one that finally closes the chapter on Haymitch’s journey and proves that everything he’s been through was ultimately worth it. The book’s epilogue jumps several years into the future, following Katniss’ successful rebellion and the abolition of the Hunger Games themselves. What is next for the franchise after Sunrise on the Reaping remains to be seen, but the epilogue gives the Hunger Games movie franchise the chance to bring Jennifer Lawrence back as Katniss Everdeen.

Sunrise On The Reaping’s Epilogue Means Jennifer Lawrence Can Cameo In The Movie

There’s A Perfect Opportunity For Lawrence’s Return

There’s been lots of discussion as to whether Jennifer Lawrence will return for the upcoming cinematic adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping, but it initially seemed unlikely because of the book’s nature as a prequel. However, the story’s present-day epilogue makes it entirely possible for Lawrence to reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen. This would be an excellent way of paying homage to the original series without forcing unwanted fan service on the audience at every turn.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to come out on November 20, 2026.

It’s only one scene, and it serves a specific purpose in the story. Compared to the first Hunger Games prequel movie, which was supposed to end on a bleak note as the version of Snow we knew from the movies was born, Sunrise on the Reaping can be a much more uplifting film if it includes the epilogue from the book as a reminder that, eventually, Haymitch helped guide the person who broke this cruel system.

The Hunger Games Prequel’s Ending Needs A Katniss Appearance To Get Its Message Across

The Story Doesn’t Work Without This Emotional Closing Note

Not only is Katniss’ return made possible by Sunrise on the Reaping’s epilogue, but the story actually necessitates it. This final chapter is essential for understanding the book’s key themes of patience, sacrifice, and legacy that Haymitch’s character embodies. Katniss’ inclusion in the epilogue is one of Sunrise on the Reaping’s biggest surprises, but the scene is a brilliant way of showing how Haymitch is slowly overcoming the trauma of his experience and has come to view the District 12 victors as his “family.” If the film were to erase this scene, it would miss a huge part of Haymitch’s journey.

The epilogue also serves to draw some distinct parallels between Haymitch and Katniss; in the prior chapter, Plutarch tells Haymitch that they need “someone just like [him]” to overthrow the capitol. This is clearly supposed to lead to Katniss’ surprise appearance, and this scene wouldn’t be as emotionally powerful without Lawrence’s involvement in the Sunrise on the Reaping movie.