Sunrise on the Reaping is everywhere this week: on social feeds, in Lionsgate’s casting pressers, and—most tellingly—back in the audiobook charts. Suzanne Collins’s Haymitch-centric prequel, released in March, has rocketed to No. 3 on Apple Books’ Kids & YA audio list just days after the studio named its young tributes and flashed a fiery teaser logo.[1] If you devoured Katniss’s story a decade ago (or binged 2023’s Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), you might wonder whether to hit “Play” before the movie reaches theaters on November 20 2026. Below you’ll find the casting scoop, audiobook highlights, and wallet-friendly ways to join the renewed Panem hype.

Why Sunrise on the Reaping Fever Is Peaking in 2025

• Casting splash: Teen Vogue broke the news that Australian newcomer Joseph Zada will wield the axe as sixteen-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, igniting a frenzy of fancasts and reaction videos.[2]
• Filming kicks off: Director Francis Lawrence began principal photography in July 2025, a full sixteen months ahead of release—prime time for early buzz.[3]
• Chart climb: On July 22, the audiobook leapt to #3 on the U.S. Kids & YA chart (it hadn’t cracked the Top 20 since April).[1]
• Narration novelty: Audible tapped Yellowstone star Jefferson White to narrate, marking the first time a single actor has voiced both Haymitch’s youth and adulthood in official media.[4]
• TikTok tributes: The hashtag #Haymitch50thGames has passed 10 million views, with creators staging POV duets of the Quarter Quell carnage.
• Prequel halo effect: 2020’s Songbirds and Snakes adaptation proved pre-Katniss tales can draw $400 million worldwide—fans expect another box-office knockout.

“Haymitch’s Games are the bloodiest in Panem lore, and Collins finally lets us feel every volcanic tremor up close.” —Business Insider early review[5]

Casting Haymitch: What We Know So Far

Lionsgate’s Instagram teaser showed nothing more than molten gold tally marks, yet the studio’s press kit confirms a line-up designed to hook both Gen Z and original-trilogy die-hards:

• Joseph Zada (Heartbreak High) as teenage Haymitch Abernathy
• Ralph Fiennes returning as President Snow
• Kaine Buffonge as Hull, the District 11 tribute whose alliance haunts Haymitch for decades[6]
• Veteran casting director Debra Zane reprises her role to “honor the emotional DNA of Collins’s world.”[2]

Filming will span soundstages in Atlanta and a volcanic caldera location shoot in Iceland—a nod to the arena’s cataclysmic twist. With producer Nina Jacobson back on board, the franchise’s visual and tonal continuity feels assured.

Audiobook Highlights: Jefferson White’s Tour-de-Force

At 12 hours 49 minutes, Sunrise is leaner than Ballad yet packs a heavier emotional punch thanks to White’s grounded delivery:

• Dual-register narration: White shifts from Haymitch’s sardonic inner monologue to Capitol announcer bombast without missing a beat.
• Acoustic upgrade: The 2025 tie-in edition uses Penguin Random House’s Atmos-ready mastering—expect thunderous volcanic rumbles in spatial audio.
• Character clarity: District dialects and Capitol clipped vowels keep 48(!) tributes distinct, even at 1.25× speed.
• Continuity nods: White echoes Woody Harrelson’s cadence just enough to bridge the decades, a treat for franchise purists.

“White threads vulnerability through Haymitch’s swagger, making the eventual rebellion feel inevitable.” —AudioFile Earphones review (April 2025)

Listen Before You Watch? Here’s the Case

Listen first if you…

• Crave the full Quarter Quell arena lore the film will inevitably condense.
• Love spotting Easter eggs—Mentions of obscure mentors and Victor’s Village facts pop louder in audio.
• Plan to re-listen during the one-year wait for trailers, keeping the emotional stakes fresh.

Stream first if you…

• Hate spoilers: Collins’s twist about the victor’s final move could undercut cinematic tension.
• Prefer visual spectacle: Lawrence’s volcanic set pieces promise IMAX-level immersion.
• Have limited time—eight months is long, but your TBR may already rival the cornucopia.

Either path pays off, but many fans find listening now deepens empathy when the film arrives—especially if you remember Haymitch mainly as Katniss’s sarcastic mentor.

[1]: PopVortex, “iTunes Top 100 Kids & YA Audiobooks,” July 22 2025.
[2]: Teen Vogue, “Inside the Sunrise on the Reaping Casting Process,” July 2025.
[3]: Business Insider, “Everything We Know About Sunrise on the Reaping So Far,” July 23 2025.
[4]: Audible, Sunrise on the Reaping listing, March 18 2025.
[5]: Business Insider, “Review: Collins Returns to Panem’s Darkest Games,” March 19 2025.
[6]: Teen Vogue, “Meet Joseph Zada, the New Haymitch,” April 23 2025.