"Yes, we're starting": Ben Wang shares promising updates on The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping's production

After being a kung fu prodigy, Ben Wang appears to be more inclined to a dystopian future where deadly games want to see the last one standing, who is then announced a winner. He will next appear in Francis Lawrence's film adaptation of Stephen King's The Long Walk and a new Hunger Games film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.

Recently, he was discussing his upcoming Karate Kids: Legends with ScreenRant and shared an update on his dystopian adventure. When asked about it, he said,

"Yes, we're starting... yeah, that's my understanding. Honestly, right now I'm just getting onboarded so I know about as much as you."

It is likely to start filming in July 2025, as the question included the month to which Ben answered.

After the first four films based on the original story ended a saga in 2015, we got The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in 2023, which is set around six decades prior to the events of Katniss Everdeen's timeline. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set 24 years before the original Hunger Games.

The original story has already given us the main characters, and now spin-offs are putting more emphasis on those characters. For example, the 2023 film focused on President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland in the original story and Tom Blyth in the 2023 film). The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will focus on Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson in the original story).

Ralph Fiennes will take on the role of President Snow in the upcoming film, while Joseph Zada is portraying Haymitch Abernathy. Whitney Peak will play Haymitch's girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird. Elle Fanning, Kieran Culkin, Maya Hawke, and more will join them.

What can we expect from The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping?

The film is set to release next year. (Image via Lionsgate Movies)

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is based on Suzanne Collins' bestseller, so we know the story that's coming to the screen. However, it's impossible to say what moments will be left in there in the book only or be tweaked.

So the story revolves around a young Haymitch Abernathy of District 12. He is one rebellious person who even dumps a body in front of Snow's mansion as an act of rebellion. Snow has given him one heads-up that his acts of rebellion might end up in a painful death if continued.

When the games finally begin in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Haymitch is trying to execute a plan and working alone. However, he eventually needs help, as these games aren't simply designed by the Gamemakers to be survived solo.

Following the games, it's not over for Haymitch, as the real blow is about to come when he returns to District 12. All we can say is that this will make the fans understand the personality that they saw in previous films. Woody Harrelson has already made him one fan favorite character, and now Joseph Zada needs to flesh out this backstory to do justice to the character as we know him.

Moreover, this is likely to bring back the tone from the original films and focus more on the games again.