Any addition to a beloved franchise is going to have an uphill battle in terms of audience reception, and that’s certainly true about the brand new Hunger Games movie, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, hitting theaters on Nov. 20. Already, there have been five Hunger Games movies and just as many books, and they remain incredibly popular (and held very dear by the fanbase). For that reason, Sunrise on the Reaping has a difficult tightrope to walk, <a href="https://comicvibe.com/list-where-to-get-world-series-gear-online-and-in/” title=”LIST: Where to get World Series gear online and in”>wherein it has to feel fresh and new but also cannot undermine what has come before. Adding to that complexity, in this case, is the fact that the movie centers on a celebrated character from the original trilogy, Haymitch Abernathy.
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Stepping into that role is Joseph Zada, and already, he has shared with ComicBookhow he has prepared for the role. He isn’t the only one who did his homework and is ready to take the leap into this franchise, though. Rather, also speaking with ComicBook, director of Sunrise on the Reaping Francis Lawrence has shared insight into how he is both respecting all that has been done within the franchise so far and also creating something innovative that audiences will love (and it should have fans of the franchise feeling not only a bit more comfortable but also excited for what’s to come). Check out his exact comments below.
Sunrise on the Reaping Isn’t Rewriting the Franchise (But It Will Be Accessible to New Audiences)
Regarding the pressures and difficulties of creating a prequel story, including whether that’s a bit of a headache from a directing standpoint, Lawrence shared, “No, I would say it’s not. It’s not a headache. It’s something that I find real joy in. I think then that comes from Suzanne’s [Collins] writing is just the way that, you know, this movie is informed kind of from both directions, in a sense, from the original movies and the last one or books, depending on what you’re thinking about.”
Lawrence continued, “I think the thing that’s always really important to us is to make each movie work on its own. Right? And so you want this one to work as an entry point as well. So, not like, oh, you have to see all those movies and the other one to get to this one. That you can come in and not really know who Haymitch is, follow the story, see where, you know, he goes, meet all these characters, and then go back to the other ones and go, oh, those characters are. And you could kind of go backwards. And so I think that’s the thing that we really wanted to focus on is making sure the movie sort of works on its own.”
It’s comforting to know that Sunrise on the Reaping was, clearly, made with the previous books and movies very much in mind, but it’s also interesting and encouraging to hear that the movie is also intended to be able to stand on its own. That, of course, wouldn’t have been true of the original trilogy of movies, in terms of the sequels, although it was largely true of the other prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Ultimately, this sounds like great news, as it simply means that the movie will be more accessible no matter someone’s prior knowledge about the franchise and, hopefully, thereby translate into more theater-goers giving it a chance. Already, early reactions to the movie as well as a look at the key cast members have suggested that Sunrise on the Reaping is going to blow audiences away, so these comments from the director just feel like further confirmation of that.
Do you see this update on Sunrise on the Reaping working as a standalone film as good news for the movie (and the franchise overall)? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Hunger Games Producer Addresses Movie Franchise’s Future & How Early They Knew About Sunrise on the Reaping
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