The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping looks poised to face the same stakes problems as The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Recently announced as a new installment in Suzanne Collins’ series of novels, Sunrise on the Reaping will focus on the 50th Hunger Games, which were one of the bloodiest and most exciting games in Panem’s history. Following the announcement of the new book, Lionsgate confirmed that the studio will be making a movie adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping.

Despite the Hunger Games ignoring one of the franchise’s most exciting prequel ideas, Sunrise on the Reaping might still be as successful as the other books in the series. Sunrise on the Reaping will once again give audiences a chance to see more of what transpired in Panem before Katniss and Peeta took part in the games. Although there are similarities between Sunrise on the Reaping and the previous Hunger Games prequel in terms of the stakes involved, Sunrise on the Reaping has already broken a massive record.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Already Has A Huge Stakes Problem

Audiences Are Already Aware Of How The Story Will End

Though the premise is promising, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be presented with a challenge not unlike the one faced by The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Sunrise on the Reaping will focus on another District 12 victor, Haymitch Abernathy. Despite Sunrise on the Reaping focusing on a different character, the new installment still has a stakes issue. Admittedly, Haymitch is an interesting character, but also an existing piece of the lore, which puts an unfortunate restriction on where his story can go.

The new Hunger Games prequel will explore the bloodiest games in history as the new book chronicles the events of the Second Quarter Quell, which had twice as many tributes in the games. However, audiences are already aware of how Haymitch won the 50th Hunger Games and what happened next. The knowledge of who the winner was and how he won the 50th Hunger Games takes away the excitement factor and makes the new book feel limited.

The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes Faced The Same Issue In 2020

The Hunger Games Movies Revealed That District 12 Had Two Victors Before Katniss And Peeta

In 2020, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes faced a similar stakes problem to Sunrise on the Reaping. Before Katniss volunteered for the Hunger Games, she mentioned that there had been two District 12 victors: Haymitch and another victor no one could remember. When The Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes was released, it was already clear that Lucy Gray would win the games because of what Katniss had said. Like Haymitch, Lucy Gray was a compelling character, but that doesn’t change the fact that knowing what will happen in the end makes her story a little less interesting.

There is a key distinction to be made between the two prequels. While audiences already know how and who won the 50th Hunger Games, the same can’t be said for the 10th Hunger Games. Lucy Gray’s story still held a bit of mystery because her games were not televised and all records of the 10th Hunger Games were wiped. So audiences might have known that the 10th Hunger Games were won by a District 12 tribute, but the way Lucy Gray won them was still a mystery.

Continuing The Hunger Games Through Prequels Limits How Much Suzanne Collins Can Do

A Hunger Games Sequel Might Be Possible

The new Hunger Games prequel has shown that there is a trend the franchise refuses to break, which in a way limits what Suzanne Collins can do with the story. One of the reasons the franchise has been successful is because Collins’ prequels have continued to focus on the games, but there are only so many times that the series can delve into the past before it becomes tedious. Despite the prequels being limiting, they have also proven why Suzanne Collins can never write a Hunger Games sequel.

The Hunger Games ended with Katniss and Peeta, so continuing the series without the games just doesn’t seem like it would work, which explains why Collins’ new books have been prequels. However, that doesn’t mean that Collins can’t take the franchise in a new direction. There’s no denying that The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping faces a huge stakes problem, but Collins can continue the Hunger Games books by focusing on a very distant future after Peeta and Katniss’ story ends.