Sunrise on the Reaping to Open Above $100 Million
The sixth Hunger Games film is tracking for a North American opening weekend that could challenge franchise records.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Science Fiction
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The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, directed by Francis Lawrence, is tracking to earn more than $100 million at the North American box office on its opening weekend, with the film set for release on November 20. The sixth film in the franchise is experiencing pre-sales in North America.
Why it matters
A $100 million-plus opening would place the film among the strongest debuts in Lionsgate's recent history and could surpass Michael, released earlier in 2026, as the studio's biggest domestic opening in over a decade. The projection also positions the prequel to compete with the franchise's own benchmark, Mockingjay - Part 2.
Pre-sales tracking projects more than $100 million in North American opening weekend earnings, compared with Michael's $97.2 million and Mockingjay - Part 2's $102.7 million. Whether the final opening will match the projection remains unknown until release on November 20.
The players
Francis Lawrence
Francis Lawrence is the director of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and has directed several installments of the franchise.
Lionsgate
Lionsgate is the studio behind the Hunger Games franchise and the release of Michael.
The details
Set 24 years before the first film, the story follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, who is selected to compete in the 50th Hunger Games during the Second Quarter Quell, in which each district must send twice the usual number of tributes to the Capitol for a televised battle to the death.
Timeline
2026 (earlier in the year): Michael is released in theaters.
November 20: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens.
Franchise Benchmark
The film's projected opening is measured against the $102.7 million North American debut of Mockingjay - Part 2, the franchise's most recent entry. The comparison shows whether the prequel can rival the series' established box office peak after an 11-year gap.
Moviegoers planning to see the film can expect it in theaters on November 20. Early pre-sales are already open in North America, so tickets for opening weekend can be purchased in advance.
The takeaway
Pre-sales strength is an early signal of audience interest, but the opening weekend total on November 20 will be the first verified measure of whether the franchise can reach its prior peak. Readers can track the result as it is reported after release.
What happens next
The film opens in theaters on November 20, when its first-weekend box office results will confirm or revise the tracking projection.
Further reading
For more on the franchise's genre roots, see Science Fiction coverage.
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