Filming may have yet to begin on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, but the upcoming prequel is already setting high expectations with one of the franchise’s highest budgets to date. Returning to the world of Suzanne Collins’ dystopian novels, the 2026 movie adapts the events of the 2025 novel, covering Haymitch Abernathy’s time in the arena during the Second Quarter Quell. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will star Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, McKenna Grace, and Jessie Plemons.

Recently, ᴅᴇᴀᴅline‘s The Dish reported that Sunrise on the Reaping‘s potential sale at the Cannes Film Festival may indicate that the upcoming prequel will receive one of the highest budgets for the franchise to date. Various sources have indicated to the outlet that the prequel’s budget may range between $150 million to $200 million. Depending on where it lands between the two sums of money, this could place it ahead of 2015’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, which holds the record for the highest budget for the franchise at $160 million.

What Sunrise On The Reaping’s Budget Means For The Hunger Games Franchise

The Series Has Enjoyed A Successful Return

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping‘s estimated budget is a good indicator of the franchise’s future, as it shows that there is incredible confidence in how it resonates with audiences. While Mockingjay – Part 2 holds the highest budget of the main series, it also stood as the lowest-grossing feature by the end of its run, both domestically and internationally. As such, when the franchise returned to the big screen in 2023 with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it was allocated a budget of $100 million.

However, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes would manage to net a total gross of $349 million by the end of its box-office run. This showed that Collins’ world not only has a nostalgic attraction for those who grew up with the original series and the 2010s young adult dystopia novel boom but could attract newcomers to its tales. As such, while part of Sunrise on the Reaping‘s increased budget can be attributed to any potential rising production costs, it also emphasizes that studios in Hollywood see it as a safe and potentially highly lucrative investment.

On the other hand, it also makes sense why the upcoming prequel may earn a mᴀssive budget. Firstly, the scale of the Second Quarter Quell will require investing a lot in the production design, VFX, and props. In addition, Haymitch’s story has been considered the most in-demand story by audiences, particularly due to higher stakes during the 50th Hunger Games and the character being a fan-favorite during the original trilogy. Such high expectations further explain why a higher budget would be warranted to truly showcase the full scope of Haymitch’s games.

Our Thoughts On Sunrise On The Reaping’s Record-Breaking Budget

The Second Quarter Quell’s Tale Will Receive A Larger Push

With filming yet to begin and plenty of new and familiar characters having yet to be cast, there is still plenty of news for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping to come on the horizon. However, the reported budget is sure to leave many audiences excited, as it proves just how much faith studios have in the franchise, even over 13 years after it made its way to the big screen. Furthermore, with a larger budget, there is bound to be an incredible push for the next chapter in the franchise.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline