When will "The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Harvest" be released: release date and news

On April 13, 2026, Lionsgate studio released the first full trailer for the film "The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Harvest." The new film tells the story of Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss Everdeen's mentor from the original trilogy, long before she entered the arena. Who will be included in the star cast, what the trailer showed and when to expect the sixth installment of one of the highest—grossing franchises in the history of cinema - in the Izvestia material.

Dictatorship and Arenas: What the Hunger Games is about

The Hunger Games is a book series by American writer Suzanne Collins, first published in 2008. The action takes place in the fictional state of Panem, which arose on the ruins of North America. The country is ruled by an authoritarian Capitol, which keeps twelve subordinate districts in check with the help of an annual television show: every year, two teenagers are chosen from each district and sent to fight to the death live on air. This is the Hunger Games.

The trilogy, and then a series of films starring actress Jennifer Lawrence, became a real cultural phenomenon. According to Deadline, the five books in the series have sold over 100 million copies and have been translated into 52 languages. The five films that have already been released have grossed over $3.4 billion worldwide. Now Lionsgate is preparing a sixth picture.

The book that started it all

"The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Harvest" is a novel by Collins, released in March 2025. This is the second prequel in the series after "The Ballad of Birds and Snakes" (2020), the film adaptation of which was released in 2023. "Dawn of the Harvest" was announced at the same time as the launch of the film project, which in itself was an unprecedented decision for the publishing industry.

The book set a sales record for the entire series. According to Deadline, more than 1.5 million copies were sold worldwide in the first week, of which 1.2 million were sold in the United States alone. This was more than double the initial sales of "The Ballad of Birds and Snakes."

A drunken mentor with a dark past: Who is Haymitch?

For those who haven't followed the original trilogy, Haymitch Abernathy is one of the key characters in the entire series. In the first films, he was played by actor Woody Harrelson. Haymitch is the winner of the long—running Hunger Games from District 12. By the time the original story begins, he has turned into an alcoholic who undertakes to mentor Katniss and Pete Mellark before they enter the arena.

"Dawn of Harvest" finally explains what happened to Haymitch in his own Games, why he became who he became—and what exactly broke inside him forever. As noted by Rotten Tomatoes, this is a story about the origins of one of the most beloved characters in the series — and the price of survival in a system that uses you as a product.

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Cast of the movie "The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Harvest"

The prequel involves a complete update of the cast while maintaining familiar characters. The main role of young Haymitch is played by Joseph Zada, an actor whom the general public did not know before. In an interview, he admitted that he feels like a tribute being appreciated by the audience, and expressed confidence in the strength of the entire ensemble.

The role of the young President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland in the original, went to Ralph Fiennes. Kesar Flickerman, the polished TV host of the Hunger Games, portrayed by Stanley Tucci in previous films, will appear in the new film performed by Kieran Kulkin. Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks' character, will be played by Elle Fanning, but in Harvest Dawn, Effie is not yet a tribute curator, but a stylist. Jesse Plemons plays the role of the young Plutarch Havensby, who was played by Philip Seymour Hoffman in Mockingjay. Glenn Close appears as Drusilla Sickle, a Capitalist official who announces the drawing of lots.

The new characters include Whitney Peake as Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch's lover and descendant of Lucy Grey Baird from The Ballad of Birds and Snakes. This is a direct link between the two prequels. McKenna Grace plays Maysily Donner— a tributary from District 12 and the owner of the famous mockingbird hairpin, which Katniss later inherits. Maya Hawke plays the role of Wearress, the mentor of the tributes, and Calvin Harrison Jr. plays Beatty, a former winner from District 3, whose son will also enter the arena.

Behind the camera is Francis Lawrence, the permanent director of the series since the second part. It was he who directed "Catching Fire," both parts of "Mockingjay" and "The Ballad of Birds and Snakes." The script was written by Billy Ray, the same man who adapted Collins' first book for the screen back in 2012. The producers are Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, who worked on all the films in the franchise.

Thus, the key "Hunger Games" team returns in full force. According to Rotten Tomatoes, filming took place, among other things, in the Somiedo National Park in northern Spain. Adam Fogelson, the head of Lionsgate, once called Collins a "creative polar compass" for the entire studio, emphasizing that any decision on adaptation is coordinated with the author.

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The first look: What the trailer tells

The trailer, released on April 13, opens with footage of the draw in District 12 — but darker and larger than the viewer remembers from the original films. There are twice as many tributes on the screen and twice as many grief on the faces of parents.

All the key characters appear in the frame: Haymitch at the moment when he realizes what he's gotten himself into; Glenn Close in deliberately bright capitalist clothes, solemnly announcing the names; Ralph Fiennes as young Snow — less openly violent than in the finale of the original trilogy, but clearly dangerous. Compared to the November 2025 teaser, the full-fledged trailer is significantly darker in tone and more realistic in execution, Rotten Tomatoes states. It is also noticeable that the visual language of the picture is closer to the military drama than to the teenage action of the previous parts.

Jennifer Lawrence and Hutcherson will return to the screens

It's officially confirmed that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will return to the screen as Katniss and Peeta. According to Rotten Tomatoes, with reference to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, both actors will appear in the epilogue, a scene that is also in the book: the grown—up characters look into the past.

It is through this scene that the film connects all six paintings into a single whole. The events of "Dawn of the Harvest" are no longer just a historical excursion — they become part of the fate that Katniss will later change.

When and where to watch

"The Hunger Games: Dawn of the Harvest" will be released widely on November 20, 2026, including in IMAX format. Most of the franchise's films have traditionally opened the winter blockbuster season, and the new installment will be no exception. The streaming date has not yet been announced.

On March 24, Medialogia presented on its website a Russian series rating consisting of the 100 most popular projects of the past year. The South Korean thriller "The Squid Game" took the first place with 42,861 points, the second place was taken by the American science fiction series "Stranger Things" (26,572 points), and the third place was taken by the Russian detective "Sled" (20,361 points).

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