In a recent interview with BuzzFeed Celeb, Austin Butler reflected on his audition for ‘The Hunger Games’ films:
“I auditioned for ‘The Hunger Games’ and I didn’t get it at all. I don’t even think I got a call back; what’s the character, Peeta? Josh Hutcherson got that; he’s great.”
Suzanne Collins is coming back to the world of Panem with a new ‘The Hunger Games’ novel inspired by an 18th-century Scottish philosopher. The fifth book in the series, titled ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ will be published by Scholastic on March 18, 2025.
What Did Collins Say About The Book?
It starts with the Fiftieth Hunger Games, set 24 years before the first novel and 40 years after Collins’ last book, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Collins said in a statement:
“With ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ I was inspired by David Hume’s idea of implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.’ The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative. The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”
New Movie Announcement
Lionsgate, known for the movie adaptations of all four previous ‘Hunger Games’ books, announced on Thursday that ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ will hit theaters on Nov. 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence, who directed most of the series, returns as director. The first four books have sold over 100 million copies and have been translated into many languages.
Collins initially concluded the series with ‘Mockingjay’ in 2010, stating in 2015 that she was moving on. However, in 2019, she surprised everyone by announcing ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,’ released in 2020 and set 64 years before the first book.
The ‘Hunger Games’ movies are a huge success for Lionsgate. Jennifer Lawrence starred as Katniss Everdeen in the films ‘The Hunger Games,’ ‘Catching Fire,’ and the two-part ‘Mockingjay.’ Other actors included Philip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland.
You can watch the rest of Butler’s interview below.
