‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Presales Reportedly Rival ‘Wicked’ and Hint at a Blockbuster Comeback for Panem
Box office tracking is part science and part tea-leaf reading, and the first hours of ticket sales can set off a lot of speculation. For ‘The Hunger Games‘, a franchise that spent years as one of Hollywood’s most reliable earners before stumbling with its last prequel, those early signals matter more than usual. Now the ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ presales are giving analysts a reason to talk big numbers.
Tickets for the Haymitch prequel went on sale Wednesday, October 28, at 9 a.m. ET through Fandango and theater websites. The sale covered every showtime at once, including early-access screenings on November 18 starting at 6 p.m. local time. The film opens nationwide on November 20.
A box office tracking account described the first hours of sales as insane and said they were on par with the first ‘Wicked’. If presales keep that pace, the tracker said, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ could become the first domestic opener to hit $100 million or more since ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. That is a bold claim, and Lionsgate hasn’t released official numbers.
The comparison to ‘Wicked’ signals strong demand from fans who buy tickets early, which is a good sign for any franchise film. It also reframes expectations for a series that was written off as past its prime after its last outing.
HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON REAPING is having insane first hours of pre-sales, on par with first WEAKED. If pre-sales keep this pace, we will have the first $100M+ domestic opener since SPIDER-MAN: BND. https://t.co/blGjNwkNU6
— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) October 28, 2026
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ set the bar very high. It opened to $360.1 million domestically, beating the $357.1 million record held by ‘Avengers: Endgame’, and it posted the biggest Thursday previews and the biggest single day in box office history. Any mention of it as a benchmark is really about how rare nine-figure openings have become.
In that light, a $100 million opening would still be a major achievement. The first four ‘Hunger Games’ films all cleared that mark, opening to roughly $152.5 million, $158.1 million, $121.9 million and $102.7 million.
The last film, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’, opened to $44.6 million, the lowest debut in the franchise. That is why this film’s reported budget of $170 million to $200 million, with The Numbers tracking it at $185 million, is such a risk. Boxoffice Pro’s long-range forecast puts the opening at $55 million to $65 million, so a $100 million weekend would be a major beat.
Lionsgate has been pushing hard to change the narrative. The teaser drew 109 million global views in its first 24 hours, the second-biggest trailer launch in the studio’s history, and the novel sold more than 1.5 million copies worldwide in its first week.
Reviews are also working in the film’s favor. After the London premiere on October 28, several critics called it the best entry in the franchise, with praise for Joseph Zada’s performance as young Haymitch. Lionsgate allowed early reactions to surface weeks ahead of release, which suggests confidence in the film.
Jennifer Lawrence has also confirmed that she will return as Katniss in the prequel, which ties the new story to the heroine who started it all. The cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Elle Fanning, Jesse Plemons, Kieran Culkin, Maya Hawke and Glenn Close.
Witness the beginning of the revolution. #TheHungerGames: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters & IMAX November 20. https://t.co/fKCrWXIk3T
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) September 16, 2026
The studio has gone big on promotion. Lionsgate put up a statue in Chicago’s Millennium Park in April, followed by 31 more across 30 countries. It also revived the in-universe capital.tv website with a video narrated by Fiennes as Snow.
That kind of event marketing, combined with premium-format early screenings in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX and ScreenX, is designed to make opening weekend feel like a must-see moment. The film is also the longest in the series at 158 minutes, which can limit showtimes but helps premium formats.
It’s important to keep expectations in check. The first hours of presales are dominated by the most dedicated fans, and early momentum doesn’t always carry to a general audience. Trackers will watch the weeks ahead for signs of whether demand broadens or fades.
Still, the early read is encouraging. After a disappointing prequel, a franchise that once dominated the holiday corridor appears to be generating excitement again.
How much do you think the movie will earn in its opening weekend?
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