How to Watch Every Hunger Games Movie in Order Before Sunrise on the Reaping

The Hunger Games franchise is entering a new chapter, and there has never been a better time to revisit the films that defined a generation of dystopian storytelling. With The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping arriving in theatres on November 20, 2026, the franchise is pulling audiences back to Panem for a story set decades before Katniss Everdeen ever volunteered as tribute.

Whether you are a first-time viewer or a returning fan looking to refresh your memory, here is everything you need to know about watching every Hunger Games movie in the correct order, along with where each film is currently available to stream.

Why Watch The Hunger Games Now

Six years after Mockingjay Part 2 closed the book on Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss, the franchise is expanding with its second prequel. Sunrise on the Reaping adapts Suzanne Collins' March 2025 novel of the same name and chronicles the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The film stars Joseph Zada as a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, the man who would eventually become Katniss and Peeta's reluctant mentor.

Director Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every film in the franchise since Catching Fire, returns behind the camera. The cast also includes Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, Ralph Fiennes as President Snow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, and Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are also reported to appear in flash-forward scenes.

The timing could not be more convenient. All five existing Hunger Games films will begin streaming on Netflix on July 14, 2026, giving audiences a full four months to binge the complete saga before Sunrise on the Reaping hits theatres.

Hunger Games Movies in Release Order

The simplest way to watch The Hunger Games is in the order the films were released. This sequence preserves every narrative twist exactly as audiences originally experienced it.

1. The Hunger Games (2012) — Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister Prim's place in the 74th Hunger Games, a televised death match between teenagers from twelve districts in the nation of Panem. Directed by Gary Ross and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth.
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) — Katniss and Peeta are forced back into the arena for the 75th Hunger Games, a special Quarter Quell edition, as unrest simmers across the districts. This is where Francis Lawrence takes over as director and the franchise finds its definitive voice.
3. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) — The rebellion against the Capitol begins in earnest. Katniss becomes the symbol of the uprising while struggling to rescue a captured and psychologically broken Peeta from the Capitol's control.
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) — The final chapter follows Katniss and the rebel forces as they march on the Capitol itself, forcing a confrontation with President Snow that carries enormous personal and political stakes.
5. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) — The first prequel rewinds 64 years to the 10th Hunger Games, following a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as he mentors District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). Directed by Francis Lawrence.

Hunger Games Movies in Chronological (Timeline) Order

For viewers who prefer to follow the in-universe timeline, the sequence shifts. The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is set decades before the original films and slots in at the beginning.

1. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023) — Set during the 10th Hunger Games, 64 years before Katniss's story begins.
2. The Hunger Games (2012) — The 74th Hunger Games, 64 years after Ballad.
3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) — The 75th Hunger Games.
4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014) — The rebellion unfolds after the 75th Games.
5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015) — The war reaches its conclusion.

Once Sunrise on the Reaping releases on November 20, 2026, it will slot into this timeline between Ballad and the original Hunger Games, set during the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss enters the arena.

What Each Hunger Games Movie Is About

The Hunger Games (2012)

In the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, Katniss Everdeen lives in the impoverished District 12. When her sister Prim is selected during the annual reaping ceremony to compete in the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. Thrust into a televised fight to the death alongside fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark, Katniss must navigate deadly alliances, public perception, and a growing connection with Peeta while trying to survive.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Katniss and Peeta's victory has not brought peace. As the pair embark on a Victory Tour across the districts, President Snow grows increasingly threatened by the hope Katniss has inspired. When the 75th Hunger Games is announced as a special Quarter Quell — pulling tributes from previous victors — Katniss finds herself back in the arena with even higher stakes than before.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

After the events of Catching Fire, Katniss discovers District 13, a hidden stronghold that has been secretly rebuilding its forces. The rebellion against the Capitol demands a face, and Katniss agrees to become the Mockingjay — the symbol of the revolution. Meanwhile, Peeta is held captive by the Capitol, and the psychological toll of the Games begins to fracture everything Katniss has fought for.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015)

The final act of Katniss's story. As rebel forces close in on the Capitol, Katniss joins a team tasked with assassinating President Snow. The Capitol's streets are lined with traps, and the cost of ending the Games once and for all demands sacrifices from everyone involved. The film brings the trilogy's political and emotional threads to their conclusion.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

This prequel steps back to the early days of Panem. A young Coriolanus Snow, from a once-powerful family now in decline, is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, a singer from District 12, during the 10th Hunger Games. As Snow's ambition collides with genuine feeling, the film traces the origins of the tyrant audiences first met in the 2012 original. The cast includes Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage.

Where to Watch Every Hunger Games Movie

All five existing Hunger Games films will be available on Netflix starting July 14, 2026, making it the most accessible option for a full franchise binge.

Depending on your region, select titles may also be available on Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu. Rental and purchase options are available through Apple TV, Google Play, and Amazon Video in most markets.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be released in theatres on November 20, 2026. Streaming and digital availability will be confirmed after its theatrical window.

Do You Need to Watch in Order?

For first-time viewers, release order is the recommended approach. Watching the films as they were made ensures that each narrative reveal and character introduction lands as intended. The original trilogy builds Katniss's journey with a careful escalation of emotional and political stakes, and the prequel works best when you already understand the world it is expanding.

Chronological order is a rewarding option for returning fans who want to see how the prequels reshape the timeline. Starting with The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes reframes President Snow not as a distant villain but as a young man making choices that will eventually define Panem. It transforms the original films from simple survival stories into a deeper meditation on power, propaganda, and resistance.

If you have limited time and simply want to understand the premise before Sunrise on the Reaping, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes functions as a largely standalone entry. It requires no knowledge of the Katniss films to follow, though watching the originals afterward adds layers of context.

What Is Sunrise on the Reaping About?

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping adapts the fifth book in Suzanne Collins' series and focuses on the 50th Hunger Games — a milestone event known as the Second Quarter Quell. In this edition, double the usual number of tributes are reaped, with 48 teenagers thrown into the arena.

The story follows 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, who fans will recognise as the sharp-tongued, alcohol-dependent mentor played by Woody Harrelson in the original films. In Sunrise on the Reaping, Joseph Zada portrays Haymitch as a young man who enters the Games determined to protect those he loves and sends a message to the Capitol that challenges the very system President Snow has spent decades perfecting.

The cast also includes Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, and Billy Porter in a supporting role. Director Francis Lawrence and producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson return to the franchise.

Filming took place in Spain's Somiedo Natural Park, and the first trailer debuted in April 2025.

Quick Reference: All Hunger Games Films

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping releases in theatres on November 20, 2026. All five existing films will stream on Netflix starting July 14, 2026.

Information last checked on 2026-07-17.