The entertainment world is, more and more, like Groundhog Day. Here in 2026 we’ve had Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Friday the 13th, Harry Potter, Avengers, Spider-Man and, of course, it’s now The Hunger Games’ turn, which, after its original trilogy, got a prequel (The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) that did so well across the board that it raised the eternal question: When are we getting more?
The hunger for more
Now at last a privileged few have been able to see Sunrise on the Reaping, the fifth installment in the saga (the second chronologically), and the first impressions are so good that they’re comparing it to Rogue One and Andor, the most distinct Star Wars entries ever: “It’s a sober but powerful story about devastating loss and the necessary cost of rebellion for a dawn we may never see”, said critic Griffin Schiller, who considers it a perfect adaptation.
Others, like Gavin Spoors, have described its ending as “stellar”, and Matt Neglia, of Next Best Picture, says that “it features some of the best casting of the year. Many of the actors breathe new life into characters we already know, making them their own, while preserving the qualities that made them so irresistible in the first place”. Others think the adaptation couldn’t be better and that it ties all the stories together perfectly. Wow.
For example, Nina Starner, a writer for Static Media, thinks that “it’s a worthwhile addition. It looks and feels terrifyingly real. Top marks from me”. I admit I didn’t give this version of The Hunger Games much of a chance, but I can’t wait to enjoy it. And with Jennifer Lawrence’s return, everything points to a send-off (perhaps) in style.
