Lawrence will be Katniss Everdeen and Hutcherson will return as Peeta Mellark. “But Moviefone,” we hear you ask, “the new movie takes place years before their films. How will this work?”
Simple: Suzanne Collins’ book includes an epilogue set during Katniss and Peeta’s time where they appear with Haymitch (which suggests Woody Harrelson, who plays the older Haymitch, will also make an appearance, although his voice does appear in the teaser trailer.)
What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?
Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of original films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’s Everdeen and Hutcherson’s Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Harrelson.
Who else has been cast in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?
(L to R) Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy and McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
The cast already includes included Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak, who will play Haymitch Abernathy and the woman he loves, Lenore Dove Baird.
In addition to the two leads, we also now know that McKenna Grace, who has appeared in the recent ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, will be in the movie as Maysilee Donner, Haymitch’s fellow District 12 Tribute, while Jesse Plemons has the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, as brought to life by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies.
Ralph Fiennes is the calculating President Snow while Kieran Culkin will be Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.)
Elle Fanning is on to be a younger Effie Trinket; the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies.
Glenn Close is Sickle, the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes, and Billy Porter is playing Magno Stift is her estranged husband and the Tributes’ uninspired designer.
When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?
Lionsgate will have the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.
(L to R) Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’. Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Withered Chica in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo: Universal Pictures.
One of the biggest issues with ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s‘ was that it had a hard time delivering on the scares while giving the long-time fans the lore drops and Easter eggs that they wanted. Many newcomers to the franchise ended up feeling alienated and like they needed to research in order to fully understand what was happening. This time around, Blumhouse was sure to make a movie that everyone could enjoy, no matter how much they know about the Freddy’s games, books, and comics. They also did not hold back when it comes to the scares, offering up a truly terrifying film at times.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Josh Hutcherson and Director Emma Tammi on the set of ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ is a tall order for director Emma Tammi and writer/creator Scott Cawthon, especially when you consider what a massive fan base this franchise has. There are many things that need to be done right, but it is a delicate balance to make sure that newcomers are able to understand the story without leaving feeling confused and frustrated. This movie pulls that off tenfold.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Now that the groundwork has been laid with the previous film, ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ is able to hit the ground running from the start – and it never lets up. The story moves at a fast, but digestible, pace. It never wastes its time and it crams in a lot of Easter Eggs from the games that will have long-time fans jumping up and down in their seats. At the same time, it goes harder in terms of scares. There are multiple, perfectly timed, jump scares and the new villain is downright creepy.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Abby (Piper Rubio), Mike (Josh Hutcherson) and Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) in’ Five Nights at Freddy’s 2′, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo: Universal Pictures.
While the animatronics are not only cool to look at, but extremely impressive, if the human aspect of these films doesn’t work, the movie falls apart. Josh Hutcherson once again proves why he is a great lead actor. He is a very important part of the story, essentially being the eyes and ears for the audience, and portraying the character that everyone plays in the video games. His chemistry with Piper Rubio, who plays Abby, is not only believable, it is unmatched.
Piper Rubio has a lot of ground to cover in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’. She plays a very important role and does so brilliantly. Abby’s is Mike’s younger sister and both Hutcherson and Rubio do a wonderful job of showcasing that, rather than making it feel like a father-daughter relationship.
Elizabeth Lail in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Without giving too much away, this script gives Elizabeth Lail a lot to chew on, right from the first moment we see her. Considering that she is William Afton’s (Matthew Lillard) daughter, it should come as no surprise that she has a lot of trauma to deal with. She delivers a stellar performance, especially in that final scene.
Mckenna Grace doesn’t have a lot of screentime, but when she is on screen, she steals the show.
Final Thoughts
Matthew Lillard in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’, directed by Emma Tammi. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ gives fans exactly what they want, without making newcomers feel like they have no idea what is going on. This movie is equal parts scary and entertaining. The animatronics are nothing less than impressive and while certain characters could have used more time on screen (looking at you Skeet Ulrich) it was all for a good reason.
There is a massive cliffhanger at the end of the movie that will have viewers begging for more. Of course, there is also a tease at the mid-credit point and at the end of the credits. While Blumhouse has not announced a third film, it would be pretty shocking if a ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 3’ isn’t greenlit.
‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ receives 80 out of 100.
(L to R) Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio and Josh Hutcherson in ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’?
One year since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, the stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest. With the truth about what transpired kept from her, Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, setting into motion a terrifying series of events that will reveal dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleash a long-forgotten horror hidden away for decades.
Who is in the cast of ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’?
Emmy Raver-Lampman and Jemma Redgrave are among the returning cast for ‘The Beekeeper 2’.
Star Jason Statham will also be back as the skilled operative.
‘Nobody 2’s Timo Tjahjanto is in the director’s chair.
While 2024’s Jason Statham-led action thriller ‘The Beekeeper’ saw a somewhat mixed reaction from critics, there’s no denying audience embraced the star’s latest chunk of clash-happy chaos, to the tune of $162 million worldwide.
There is a change behind the camera, however, as ‘Nobody 2’ director Timo Tjahjanto will take over calling the shots for David Ayer, who handled the original.
The 2024 original, scripted by Kurt Wimmer, saw Statham as Adam Clay, a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”.
After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.
Raver-Lampman played Verona Parker, an FBI agent hot on Adam’s trail while Naderi was Parker’s partner, Agent Matt Wiley.
Redgrave appeared as Jessica Danforth, the President of the United States, entangled in the deadly scheme. She was also the mother to Josh Hutcherson’s Derek Danforth, the main antagonist of the first film. Irons, meanwhile, was Wallace Westwyld, a former CIA director serving as the head of security for Danforth Enterprises.
Wimmer has returned to write the script for the new movie, but the story is being kept in the hive for now. Mostly we’re guessing it’ll be a fresh excuse for Statham to kick a lot of butt.
And ‘Grown-ish’s Yara Shahidi will also be part of the cast for the new movie in an unknown role.
When will ‘The Beekeeper 2’ be on screens?
With Miramax producing and financing and Amazon MGM Studios once more aboard to distribute worldwide, the new movie is now in production.
We don’t have an official release date just yet, but we could see this one targeting an early-mid 2026 slot.
Blumhouse brought ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ to San Diego Comic-Con.
Stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail and Matthew Lillard were in attendance.
Footage was screened for fans.
The first adaptation of cult horror video game ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ was a big hit for Universal and Blumhouse (and became the highest-grossing horror title of 2023), so naturally, a sequel is on the way.
‘Five Night’s at Freddy’s 2’ faces plenty of pressure to deliver, especially in light of recent disappointments such as ‘M3GAN 2.0’. But the enthusiasm for this one certainly appears high.
One year has passed since the supernatural nightmare at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. The stories about what transpired there have been twisted into a campy local legend, inspiring the town’s first ever Fazfest.
Former security guard Mike (Hutcherson) and police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) have kept the truth from Mike’s 11-year-old sister, Abby (Piper Rubio), concerning the fate of her animatronic friends.
But when Abby sneaks out to reconnect with Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, it will set into motion a terrifying series of events, revealing dark secrets about the true origin of Freddy’s, and unleashing a long–forgotten horror hidden away for decades.
What happened at the ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ Comic-Con panel?
With Tammi and Blum taking the stage first, Tammi offered up word that we can expect more than three times the amount of animatronics this time around.
Briones plays a new character, named Alex, who is a videographer with web show about paranormal activity. He’ll get more than he bargains for!
Rubio’s Abby has developed an interest in robotics since her encounters with Freddy and co. last time. She’s lonely, and has no friends to talk to… So she makes some.
As for Hutcherson’s Mike, he’s still trying to live something close to a normal life. This is what the actor had to say:
“Mike and Abby went through a lot… Mike is just wanting to get back to somewhat of a normal life, but that just can’t happen in the ‘Freddy’s’ world. Mike is in a way, trying to fake it till you make it without fully working through all that stuff that happened, and then it happens to him again! Poor Mike.”
Skeet Ulrich is also in the cast for the new movie, and he arrived on stage. He had this to say about his character:
“I play somebody with a very particular and specific past and somebody with a very deep emotional tie to what’s going on.”
Blum, for his part, promises that if audiences embrace the new movie as much as the first, he and his team are excited to make a third.
When will ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ be in theaters?
The sequel will be scaring up more animatronic horror on December 5th.
(Left) Elle Fanning at the Disney presentation at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas.Photo: Disney. (Right) ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.
Preview:
Elle Fanning is among the rumored cast for ‘The Hunger Games: Sunshine on the Reaping.’
‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ director Francis Lawrence is aboard the movie.
It’s set 24 years before Katniss enters the arena.
In the time since the book and movie were announced, things have moved on considerably –– Billy Ray has written the adaptation and regular ‘Hunger Games’ director Francis Lawrence (who also made the previous prequel, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’) confirmed he will handle this next outing.
With production gearing up for this July in Germany, we’ve reached the casting stage and the rumors have begun to swirl.
Nexus Point News, which has been on top of a couple of scoops about possible actors, brings word that Elle Fanning has been offered the role of a younger Effie Trinket.
Effie, of course, is the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies.
What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of Jennifer Lawrence films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’ Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Woody Harrelson.
For ‘Sunshine on the Reaping,’ Effie serves as a stylist for the District 12 tributes in order to assist her sister, Proserpina. Although she supports the Hunger Games in principle, Effie shows genuine compassion for the tributes and treats them with kindness and care.
Who else has been rumored for ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?
Kieran Culkin accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC Telecast of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Nexus Point news was also behind the story that Charlie Plummer is the filmmaker’s likely top candidate to play the younger Haymitch.
Plummer, who has appeared in the likes of 2019 miniseries ‘Looking for Alaska,’ has also been seen in last year’s ‘The Return’ and 2022’s ‘Moonfall.’
Perhaps most tellingly, he’s one of the leads of Francis Lawrence’s next film to be released, the Stephen King adaptation ‘The Long Walk,’ due in theaters on September 12th and hyped at the company’s recent CinemaCon presentation.
And talking of ‘The Return,’ regular scooper Daniel Richtman has reported that that film’s star, Ralph Fiennes, is also being courted for the movie, this time to play Coriolanus Snow, as brought to screens by Donald Sutherland in the original films and Tom Blyth in ‘Songbirds and Snakes.’
It would mark the latest big book-based franchise that Fiennes could be joining after a slightly successful series of movies about a certain boy wizard.
And he’s not all –– Richtman also brings word that recent Oscar winner Kieran Culkin is mulling an offer to play Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.)
‘Hunger Games’ doesn’t scream the sort of movie that Culkin usually appears in, but Oscar wins sometimes lead to interesting choices.
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’: Collins and the Filmmakers Talk
Director Francis Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Here’s Suzanne Collins’ statement on the new book and movie:
“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. From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”
And here’s Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson:
“Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know ‘Hunger Games’ fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”
When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?
Lionsgate already has a release date in place for this one: the studio wants the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is scheduled for release on November 20, 2026. Photo: Lionsgate.
Liev Schreiber in ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. Photo: Tribune Pictures.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Liev Schreiber about his work on ‘Across the River and into the Trees’, the work of Ernest Hemingway, his character, working with director Paula Ortiz, filming during the pandemic, reuniting with his ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ co-star Danny Huston, and why Schreiber did not reprise his role of Sabretooth in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Liev Schreiber in ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. Photo: Tribune Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, how familiar were you with the work of Ernest Hemingway before making ‘Across the River and into the Trees’?
Liev Schreiber: I had only read the basic high school Hemingway, which was, I had read ‘A Farewell to Arms’ and I’d read ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’. I really didn’t have much experience with him. When Paula initially reached out to me about the film, she told me about a novel by a guy named Andrea di Robilant called ‘Autumn in Venice’, which is a wonderful telling of Hemingway’s time in Venice, which is a place that as many people know, he really loved. Especially his relationship to a young Countess, Adriana Ivancich. I knew that Paula wanted Ernest Hemingway to be present in this film and I followed. So, we grew my beard a little longer, and I spent a tremendous amount of time in Venice. There’s a lot of films about older men and younger women obviously, but one of the things that I appreciated about Hemingway was his self-consciousness about it and his self-loathing, or self-consciousness that verges on self-loathing. I think that that is a very refreshing and interesting take on it. He was impossibly spellbound by Adriana, the real woman, and at the same time hated himself for it and was very frustrated and then did absolutely nothing to hide it. So, a very complicated man, and I think in ‘Across the River’, he paints the portrait that perhaps he wants us to see, or that he wanted Adriana to see because he ultimately did write it for her, I believe.
MF: Did you relate personally to your character and what was your approach to playing Colonel Cantwell?
LS: I don’t often take things because I think I can knock them out of the park. I wish that there were things that I read that I thought I could knock out of the park. This was something that I was interested in perhaps because I was thinking about it and I was feeling it, which was mortality. We had just gone through the pandemic, my father was terminally ill, and I am getting on in years myself. Mortality in all its incarnations and the vulnerability that it elicits and the uncomfortable feelings, and it was just something that I thought was worth exploring and would be compelling for me as a role.
(L to R) Matilda De Angelis and Liev Schreiber in ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. Photo: Tribune Pictures.
Can you talk about collaborating on set with director Paula Ortiz?
MF: Well, initially I was just so surprised that this feminist auteur director wanted to take on Hemingway. When I watched her other films, I thought, okay, this is someone who was really in touch with that. Everyone always talks about the simplicity of Hemingway, the masculinity of the writing, the spareness of it. But to be honest with you, that’s not what I thought when I read Hemingway in high school, and it’s certainly not what I thought when I read ‘Across the River’. I get that grammatically, in terms of styles of writing, I think he’s a romantic. I think that there are aspects of him, and I think that the masculinity that he wanted to convey to the world was a bit of a costume. For a child whose mother dressed him in girl’s clothes and things like that, he seemed awfully obsessed with doing masculine things. I think that Paula captures that. That there is this bravado, there is this lurch towards something that feels appropriate or that how one should act. One should join the military, one should serve one’s country, one should lead bravely, one should sacrifice one’s life, one should do all these things, but what one feels is oftentimes entirely different and at odds with what one should do. I think both Hemingway and Paula had a good handle on that concept.
MF: Can you talk about shooting in St. Mark’s Square in Venice during the pandemic? What was that like?
LS: It was extraordinary. I mean, imagine that city with no one in it. It had been returned to the Venetians, and they were in heaven. It’s probably why they’ve outlawed cruise ships because they’re still desperate for a bit of that. To be walking down those streets and beside those canals by yourself in the middle of the night, and to see the history and to feel the ghosts and the shadows of that extraordinarily beautiful city and culture, and because of the pandemic and what everyone was going through, we were there for quite some time and it was probably the best year of my life.
Danny Huston in ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. Photo: Tribune Pictures.
MF: What was it like reuniting on screen with your ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ co-star Danny Huston?
LS: Yeah, Danny and I are dear friends, and he was kind enough to help us out by coming to Venice to do this role. So yes, it was lovely to be with Danny again.
MF: Finally, was there ever any talk about you reprising your Sabretooth role in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’?
LS: No, there wasn’t. But I mean, I suppose that’s a conversation for Ryan. I think that they had it in their story that it would be Tyler Mane and that version of Sabretooth, which was a very different version of Sabretooth than mine, so I understand completely.
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What is the plot of ‘Across the River and into the Trees’?
United States Army Colonel Richard Cantwell (Liev Schreiber) confronts the news of his terminal illness with stoic indifference and enlists a military driver for presumably his final hunting trip and a visit to Venice. Along the way, Cantwell investigates an alleged war crime and has a chance encounter with a young woman from the Italian nobility.
Who is in the cast of ‘Across the River and into the Trees’?
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ opens in theaters on November 20, 2026.
Preview:
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is in development.
‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ director Francis Lawrence is in talks to oversee it.
It’s set 24 years before Katniss enters the arena.
Some things are predictable. The changing of the seasons. The tides of the sea. Elon Musk making a stupid decision. Add to that list the brief span of time between ‘Hunger Games’ author Suzanne Collins announcing a new book and Lionsgate jumping at the chance to turn it into a movie.
In this case, Collins has revealed that she’s written a second prequel novel, this one titled ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’, and it has been followed it what seems like seconds by Lionsgate confirming that a movie adaptation is in the works. The book will be out on March 18th, 2025.
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What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
While the previous prequel, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’, took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of Jennifer Lawrence films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.
Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’ Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson’s Peeta Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Woody Harrelson.
Who will appear in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’
(L to R) Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Jennifer Lawrence in ‘The Hunger Games’. Photo: Lionsgate.
No casting has been announced yet for the movie, but there’s a chance Harrelson could be called upon to provide bookend narration the way Donald Sutherland was utilized in ‘Songbirds and Snakes’.
But we do know that Francis Lawrence, who has directed four of the ‘Hunger Games’ movies to date, is in talks to handle this latest outing.
‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’: Collins and the Filmmakers Talk
(Left) ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ director Francis Lawrence. (Right) ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ producer Nina Jacobson.
Here’s Suzanne Collins’ statement on the new book and movie:
“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. From the beginning, Lionsgate has been a wonderful home and partner for the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise, and I’m very excited to be collaborating with Adam and the team as we bring this next story to theaters in 2026.”
And here’s Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson:
“Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star. We couldn’t be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant. We know ‘Hunger Games’ fans worldwide will be spellbound by where Suzanne has focused this next extraordinary story. The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem.”
When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?
Lionsgate already has a release date in place for this one: the studio wants the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026. If he does make a deal, Lawrence will have his work cut out for him…
Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
There’s more than meets the eye in the word ‘The Beekeeper.’
In the Jason Statham-led action thriller, it isn’t just about someone who tends to the bees but about a powerful and clandestine organization known as the “Beekeepers.” When Adam Clay’s client and friend fall for a phishing scam that leads to her suicide, the former operative sets out to bring her death to justice.
The movie premiered on January 10, 2024, in London at Leicester Square, released in the United States on January 12, 2024. ‘Beekeeper’s theatrical release included showings in IMAX and Dolby Cinema for audiences to get a more immersive experience. The David Ayer action thriller has grossed over $63 million domestically and over $149.6 million worldwide.
‘Beekeeper’ has a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you missed the movie in theaters, don’t worry. As of January 30, 2024, it is available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
Since the film was released under MGM, it will likely end up streaming for free on Prime Video subscribers. However, no official streaming date has been announced by the studio or Prime Video. If you’re a Sky Cinema subscriber, the movie will be available to watch at no additional cost on March 8.
Director David Ayer leans into the mythology behind bees – the idea of taking care of and protecting the hive and turning it into how a powerful secret organization would operate. The director also found Statham to be the perfect actor to express that mythology. With that, Ayer used the opportunity to try something different from his usual dark drama style
“When I read this script, it was this fascinating look into the world of the beekeepers. It was the right amount of, just enough to know what’s going on, and not so much that you don’t lose the magic and mystery of it. In that script, I saw an amazing role for Jason, he came attached to it, but also, I saw an opportunity for me to do something a little bit different. It’s really a classic action, escapist, thrill ride. Normally I do a lot of dark drama, and so to have the opportunity to make a fun movie that I know an audience is going to love was something I couldn’t say no to.”
We’ve seen Statham in plenty of action movies, everything from the ‘Transporter’ franchise to ‘Fast & Furious.’ Aside from delivering on the action front, Statham is the kind of actor who can make any dialogue work – even ones that feel a bit over-the-top or ridiculous.
In ‘Beekeeper’, you’ll see plenty of Jason Statham putting his martial arts skills to use as he sets out to take down the Danforth corporation. Ayer worked with stunt coordinator Jeremy Marinas on the film and mentions that Statham does his own stunts, “you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice.”
“So, we had this great stunt coordinator and choreographer, Jeremy Marinas, who comes from the 87eleven school, and his understanding of human kinetics and how people just move was educational for me. Then with Jason, I mean, he’s an action icon, he’s a legend. He does his own stunts, so it’s interesting because you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice. He’s probably forgotten more about action than I’ve ever known. So, it was really challenging, I always bring my A game to set and Jason taught me that there’s an A+ game when it comes to action.”
Watch the official trailers for ‘Beekeeper’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Beekeeper’ is below:
In The Beekeeper, one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers”.
Opening in theaters on January 12th, ‘The Beekeeper’ is the latest tough guy outing for Jason Statham, playing another variant on his former-intelligence-operative-called-back-into-action character that appears to make up half of his cinematic resume.
But does this new film, directed by David Ayer (‘Suicide Squad’, ‘Fury’) make for a worthwhile addition to that canon? The answer might depend on whether you have a tolerance for the most basic version of this movie.
‘The Beekeeper’ exists in one of those movie worlds where former intelligence operatives are all over the place and there is a massive conspiracy to be sorted out. And one where Statham grimaces his way through the emotional moments and lets loose during the set pieces. For the most part, though, ‘The Beekeeper’ is found wanting.
This stretches credibility so many times, your enjoyment level is likely to sink quickly as the movie uses the same tired action beats and flies towards an extremely predictable outcome. With this type of outing, you need a truly outstanding layer over the basic concept to make it work, and again, on that front ‘The Beekeeper’ lacks any real sting.
The script for this one comes from Kurt Wimmer, whose name is likely to give plenty of people pause. While there is plenty of love for some of his previous work –– ‘Equilibrium’, for example, even if it pushes far into ridiculous places as it goes along –– he’s been responsible for some truly dreadful scripts in the past, including ‘Ultraviolet’ and the remakes of ‘Point Break’ and ‘Total Recall’.
If you’re no fan of Wimmer’s work, ‘The Beekeeper’ is unlikely to move the needle into a positive zone since it features some utterly dumb dialogue and situations. Lines such as “if there was a back entrance, I’d have used it” are likely to make you laugh more than engage with the action.
And don’t get us started on the multiple, honestly exhausting uses of bee terminology. Every single character, it seems, says some version of “protect the hive” or “queen bee” and if you were to start a drinking game for each time someone says a bee-related word, you’d fall out of your chair completely out of your gourd by roughly 30 minutes in. Which might be the best way to experience this movie.
As for Ayer, who has proved he knows how to make action movies in the past (there are plenty of people who still want to see his version of ‘Suicide Squad’ after the studio reportedly edited its own version), but here he’s strictly on autopilot.
The set pieces are perfectly adequate, but how many times can you watch Jason Statham act like a human bulldozer, ploughing through baddies who stand in his way. We don’t know if it’s in his contract that he must always look like a total badass, but here none of the people who stand in his way prove to be much of a threat until one near the end. It’s like watching someone play a video game on the easiest mode, which just becomes numbing after a while.
We mentioned above about Statham’s character, and the actor plays him just like every other role of this sort. You could interchange him with the Transporter, ‘The Expendables’ Lee Christmas or Chev Chelios from ‘Crank’ (and even both ‘Crank’ movies had some gonzo action to make up for him). Here, he goes through the motions with all the charisma of a garden gnome, clearly uncomfortable in quieter character moments such as those with co-star Phylicia Rashad at the start. When it comes to the action, he’s always been competent, but just offers up his usual martial arts style, kicking and punching his way through swathes of villains and henchmen.
Even when we’re asked to believe that Statham; Adam Clay is an inventive badass, that only goes so far. Sure, the script gives him one or two cool moments, but they’re still few and far between. And don’t get us started on his standard accent, which is mostly British but does venture towards the States occasionally. The movie does at least nod to that, with the revelation that Clay was born there, but it makes it no less ridiculous.
Beyond Statham, there is a gaggle of British actors slapping on slightly fake American accents to play the baddies, including such respected thespians as Jeremy Irons and Jemma Redgrave who are clearly in it for a mortgage payment more than a satisfying acting gig. And pity poor Minnie Driver, who pops up for one scene that could have been given to anyone to play. Was she in the movie more before the editing stage? It’s a mystery.
Josh Hutcherson tries to make a stock spoiled rich guy role work, but he rarely makes an impact, while it’s left to Emmy Raver-Lampman, who understood assignment, to bring some life to her dedicated FBI character, who at least has a hint of character motivation.
‘The Beekeeper’: Final Thoughts
‘The Beekeeper’ is likely to be viewed in the “so bad it’s good” category, something to throw on if you and your friends want to have fun mocking it. But it falls short of the “it’s good part” too often to really be one we can recommend.
This is less a bee-movie, more a D-movie.
‘The Beekeeper’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘The Beekeeper’?
Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”. After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.
(L to R) Josh Hutcherson and director David Ayer talk ‘The Beekeeper.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Hutcherson and director David Ayer about their work on ‘The Beekeeper,’ their first reaction to the screenplay, exploring the mythology of the Beekeepers, Ayer’s approach to the action sequences, Hutcherson’s wild character, and working with Jeremy Irons and Jason Statham.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interviews.
Moviefone: To begin with, David, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the opportunity to explore the mythology of the Beekeepers?
David Ayer: I mean, you nailed it right there. When I read this script, it was this fascinating look into the world of the beekeepers. It was the right amount of, just enough to know what’s going on, and not so much that you don’t lose the magic and mystery of it. In that script, I saw an amazing role for Jason, he came attached to it, but also, I saw an opportunity for me to do something a little bit different. It’s really a classic action, escapist, thrill ride. Normally I do a lot of dark drama, and so to have the opportunity to make a fun movie that I know an audience is going to love was something I couldn’t say no to.
MF: The allegory of the movie seems to be that the Danforth Corporation has kicked the hornet’s nest, and Adam Clay (Statham) is the bee that is going to sting them. Do you agree with that?
DA: That’s it. There’s a lot of cool allegories and this very interesting mythology behind bees, and this idea of taking care of the hive, taking care of society, protecting the hive and protecting society. Jason was the perfect person to express that mythology because he is so iconic, and he does feel so larger than life that it really helps elevate this movie into something I think none of us were expecting. It’s hard to make a movie, and it’s hard to make a good movie, and you never know how these things are going to come together. I trusted the script and I trusted Jason and I trusted myself, because again, it’s like a new language for me, like a real true genre picture that’s fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. To find those new muscles as a director was a fantastic exercise for me.
MF: Josh, what was your first reaction to reading about your character in the script? Why did you want to play him and what was your approach?
Josh Hutcherson: When I first read this script and read a bit about Derek, I was surprised that I was the person that they were calling. It’s a departure for me. He’s a scumbag. He’s a very powerful, rich crypto bro who is out of his mind on drugs and alcohol and just spiraling. I jumped at the bit to play it. I think that it was something for me that was a big departure and really taking a swing at something different. It was so much fun to do. As far as the approach goes, I mean, David and I just had a lot of conversations about who is Derek at his core, what does he really want, what’s his life been like with his mom, with his dad and his money? We landed on this idea that he’s wildly insecure and trying to prove to his family that he is powerful, and that he is valuable. Because he’s never had to deal with any consequences his entire life, and had no accountability for anything, it creates a monster. As the film progresses and the walls start closing in on him, he becomes more and more unhinged and out of control.
MF: Can you talk about the illegal business that your character oversees and how it affects his family?
JH: He has this little side business that he’s set up that basically is a call center, multiple call centers, that go and scam, especially elderly people out of their savings and bank accounts. It’s a nasty business. It’s gross. I think that in my mind, how I justified him starting this business is that it’s twofold. One is that he’s doing it out of a sense of rebellion because he must live a certain kind of life and keep things clean because of his family situation. Then the other part is I think that he, and this happens a lot, I think, when people have so much money, they dehumanize people, and you don’t view them as actual human beings. So, I think those two factors allowed him to create this thing that turns into an absolute monster.
MF: David, can you talk about the unusual partnership that Derek and Wallace have together and working with Josh and Jeremy Irons?
DA: Josh is a real actor and just, I have to say it, Derek is not Josh, he’s playing a role, that’s not who he is in real life. He’s a very nice guy. To take this wild, crazy character with the green jackets and the snakeskin and the crazy hair and then pair him with Wallace Westwyld as envisioned by Jeremy Irons, it’s a great alchemy. It’s a great relationship they have, and it helps make the bad guy world a lot more fun.
MF: Wallace seems reluctant to help Derek with his Beekeeper problem. Was the character written that way originally, or is that something Jeremy Irons brought to the role?
DA: It’s something we worked on with Jeremy and it was also in the script too, this idea of, what happens when you get compromised, what happens when you say yes to the wrong thing, and then do you have to keep saying yes? If you do, what does that mean? You can feel that he knows what is happening isn’t right, but you can also feel how trapped he is by the circumstances.
MF: Josh, how would you describe Derek’s relationship with Wallace?
JH: Jeremy Irons plays Wallace Westwyld, and he’s kind of like Derek’s right-hand man sort of. He does Derek’s bidding, protects him in ways too. He’s a former CIA director, and now he’s kind of been placed here to watch after me, but I treat him like absolute garbage. I’m a total douchebag to him. It’s a fun dynamic, especially, I mean, having Jeremy Irons be this guy that I’m treating like trash. It was a lot of fun. It’s a very good dynamic. David gave me a lot of space to play and improv and kind of throw a bunch of stuff at him, so we had a good time.
MF: Most of your scenes in the film are with Jeremy Irons, what was he like to have him as a scene partner?
JH: He’s amazing. I mean, he’s just got such a weight to him, and his voice and his presence is just intense. But he’s the nicest guy, very funny, and very relaxed. But when they say action, he turns it on, and he clicks it into gear.
MF: Josh, what was your experience like being on a David Ayer set and working with him as a director?
JH: David runs an amazing set. He’s extremely collaborative. He works very fast, and he really marries the worlds of action and choreography and stunt work and big set pieces with more intimate, personal, grounded character stuff. He does that incredibly. For me, having the confidence with myself to play this character that’s so different for me, I needed to just give myself over to it and trust David and let my instincts kind of take me to where they may. It worked out. I loved working with David. He’s fantastic.
MF: David, can you talk about crafting the action sequences and working with Jason Statham?
DA: So, we had this great stunt coordinator and choreographer, Jeremy Marinas, who comes from the 87eleven school, and his understanding of human kinetics and how people just move was educational for me. Then with Jason, I mean, he’s an action icon, he’s a legend. He does his own stunts, so it’s interesting because you present him a scene, he’s the guy that’s going to do everything, and he has a loud vote, he has a voice. He’s probably forgotten more about action than I’ve ever known. So, it was really challenging, I always bring my A game to set and Jason taught me that there’s an A+ game when it comes to action.
MF: Finally, Josh, you don’t have many scenes in the movie with Jason Statham. Did it feel at times like you were making two separate movies?
JH: The truth is, I think I only have one scene with Jason in the entire movie. But just watching him, because there were many days where I was around and they were shooting other things, just watching him work, the guy he doesn’t miss. He’s so on top of it and consistent, professional and the choreography that he keeps in his head, and the fact that he’s able to do that, and have his lines and nail his mark every time. He’s a fine, fine, fine-tuned machine.
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What is the plot of ‘The Beekeeper’?
Adam Clay (Jason Statham) is a former operative of a clandestine organization called “Beekeepers”. After his friend and neighbor (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after falling for a phishing scam, Clay sets out to exact revenge against the company responsible.
