5 Predictions for the Sunrise on the Reaping Film Adaptation
Welcome, welcome! Unlike my usual episodes of the Showrunner Notes series where I, your favorite showrunner, walk you through my plans for turning your favorite books into TV shows and films, today, I’m going to be sharing my predictions for a project I’m NOT showrunning but wish I was. That film is, Sunrise on the Reaping! The latest in the prequels for The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.
If you’re new here, I’m Alison Haselden, I’m an actor, writer, director, and your favorite showrunner here on the Showrunner Notes series. I’m obsessed with books, film, and TV and have worked professionally in entertainment for 20 years. Without further ado, here are my 5 Predictions for the Sunrise on the Reaping Film Adaptation
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easter eggs in the captiol about the quarter quell arena
So much of this book is about mirroring what happens in the games with the outside world, specifically the idea that beauty can be poison. We see this depicted several times in this book, from Snow and the poisoned oysters to the poisoned gum drops for Lenore Dove. Something beautiful and unassuming that is usually safe, dripping with that poison.
I would love to see Easter eggs sprinkled using some of the Capitol fashion (in the audiences, the prep teams, etc.) leading up to the games. Some of the same flowers or animals being featured in hats or accessories on the capital citizens. Butterflies, ladybugs, squirrels, geese, etc.
We could even have a little flashback moments if we want to be more on the nose. Haymitch dreaming or remembering people in the crowd during the opening ceremony and things kind of glitching and blending with his memories and the present in the arena
additional dialogue to clarify haymitch’s motivations
I hope we get some dialogue additions in the script for the Sunrise on the Reaping movie that help express and clearly articulate Haymitch’s motivations to cause as much trouble as possible because he thinks that he’s going to die no matter what in the Games. All throughout, he has to be so committed to dying, otherwise, he wouldn’t dare risk his loved ones’ being used as punishment. He’s seen how Snow punishes people using their loved ones (via Beetee and whoever Lou Lou’s family was) so we need to know that in his mind, he’s on a suicide mission with no hope of surviving the Games. I was surprised by how many people were a little unclear about this after reading the book, so I think a few key moments can help ensure this is clear:
Heavy on the flashback to Haymitch’s father’s words to the other tribute years ago about not being part of the Capitol propaganda.
Additional dialogue with Haymitch’s mentors (Mags and Wiress and Beetee) and the other District 12 tributes about their fears and mindset.
Reactions of shock when Haymitch is still alive and survives certain trials.
A moment in the Hunger Games right near the end of that last fight where he desperately WANTS to die because he’s worried about the retaliation to his loved ones if he wins.
added scenes for plutarch and president snow
Similarly to the original trilogy’s adaptations, I hope we will get the benefit of adding a few scenes from the arena control room to show the Capitol side of things as Haymitch and Ampert enact the plan to try to destroy the arena from inside.
Snow’s reactions and strategies he’s implemented (possibly referencing some of his achievements and innovations since we last saw him in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.)
The Gamemaker teams’ forced pivots and how they work with the editing team (we really didn’t get any insight into this beyond the knowledge that there is a delay between the Games and the broadcast to the rest of the Capitol and Districts.
Plutarch’s influence over President Snow, the Capitol elite, and the The Hunger Games at this point in time.
edited footage from the hunger games
Obviously, the big overarching theme of this book is the warning about the reality of manipulation of the media and false narratives that can so easily be spun even in “live televised events”. The big crescendo in Haymitch’s story is not only that he survives the Games, but that no one knows all the things that really happened within them, all the acts of rebellion and defiance he achieved, thanks to the real time editing of the footage that was released to the public. A few thoughts on what I hope to see here:
I think we will see very FEW reaction shots from family members back in District 12 as the Games play out. We’ll see them at the start of the games and then they’ll peter out when things start to go sideways.
I don’t think we’ll see the tampering of the footage right away in the arena but I also don’t think it’ll be a big reveal to the audience at the victory interview with Caesar like it was in the book. We as the viewers will have more of a knowledge than Haymitch does as we watch it play out (thanks in large part to the addition of extra scenes for Snow and Plutarch).
I think these scenes will be important to help really solidify how much editing is going on with the footage
When Haymitch gets home we need there to be a disconnect - him realizing that no one at home knows all that he did for the rebellion
the hunger games sunrise on the reaping soundtrack
My final prediction for the Sunrise on the Reaping film adaptation is all about the film’s soundtrack. Not the score…but the gloriously curated accompanying soundtrack that The Hunger Games franchise has always put together so perfectly. Something about Haymitch Abernathy is so rooted in that District 12 feel of the woods, the mines, the Americana mixed with dystopia energy that really carried the tone of the very first Hunger Games film. That being said, I am hoping to see featured original songs from one or all of these artists.
Paris Paloma
Noah Kahan
AURORA
What are your predictions for the Sunrise on the Reaping movie? What are you most excited to see translated from the page to the big screen?
XO,
Your Showrunner,
Alison Haselden
This episode of the Showrunner Notes series is inspired by the novel Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. **Note: this video is satire and intended for entertainment purposes only. All rights reserved to the owners of the IP mentioned. All creative strategy and ideas presented in this video created solely by Alison Haselden.
