2026 has already been a stellar year for fantasy TV and movies, and November 20 will be one of the most exciting days for fans of the genre. Between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and The Vampire Lestat, fantasy lovers have had live-action stories to enjoy in the past seven months. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 2 might not be as great as season 1, but it was still wonderful, as was the new show Witch Hat Atelier. On the big screen, Masters of the Universe and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie were surprisingly delightful. However, there’s more to come in both mediums.
Some of the most exciting fantasy movies of 2026 are still to come over the next five months. The big-screen movies Hexed and Wildwood look absolutely delightful. Very little is known about Wicker, but its incredible cast and simple premise make it thrilling. On the small screen, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender looks phenomenal, and I will not forgive Paramount for canceling its theatrical release. Additionally, The Witcher season 4 will take viewers in a whole new direction, and the science-fantasy MCU is adding the TV show Vision Quest. Anime has The Apothecary Diaries returning for season 3, part 1.
These releases are relatively spread out, and they will keep audiences busy until 2027. However, the most exciting day for fantasy fans will be November 20, when The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson will return with their next installments.
Sunrise On The Reaping Continues To Expand The World Of The Hunger Games
Multiple Hunger Games Movies, Including Sunrise On The Reaping, Will Hit Theaters Soon
The entire Hunger Games series could have ended with The Hunger Games – Mockingjay: Part 2, but it is back and better than ever thanks to the brilliant author. Suzanne Collins continued to expand The Hunger Games book franchise after Mockingjay, and Lionsgate smartly chose to continue the onscreen adaptations as well. The best part about Collins is that she only continues the book series when she has something to say (via 10th-anniversary Scholastic interview). This is clear when reading her works.
In 2020, Collins published the prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which focused on the pivotal event that sent Coriolanus Snow on the path to becoming the President of Panem. Then, five years later, she released Sunrise on the Reaping, exploring Haymitch Abernathy’s experiences in the 50th Annual Hunger Games. The prequel stories are high quality and meaningful, with plenty of social commentary.
|
The Hunger Games Characters |
Original Actor |
Sunrise On The Reaping Actor |
|---|---|---|
|
Haymitch Abernathy |
Woody Harrelson |
Joseph Zada |
|
Effie Trinket |
Elizabeth Banks |
Elle Fanning |
|
President Snow |
Donald Sutherland |
Ralph Fiennes |
|
Plutarch Heavensbee |
Philip Seymour Hoffman |
Jesse Plemons |
|
Caesar Flickerman |
Stanley Tucci |
Kieran Culkin |
|
Asterid Everdeen |
Paula Malcomson |
Grace Ackary |
|
Wiress |
Amanda Plummer |
Maya Hawke |
|
Mags |
Lynn Cohen |
Lili Taylor |
|
Beetee |
Jeffrey Wright |
Kelvin Harrison Jr. |
Additionally, she has a hands-on role in the Hunger Games movie franchise, ensuring the onscreen adaptations stay true to her vision. She executive produced all the movies. Collins also co-authored the screenplay for The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and Sunrise on the Reaping. The big-screen adaptation of the first prequel came out in November 2023, with mixed-to-positive critical reviews and overwhelmingly positive audience reviews. Now, Lionsgate is bringing Sunrise on the Reaping to life, which is set 40 years after Songbirds & Snakes and 24 years before The Hunger Games.
Excitingly, the upcoming addition to the franchise won’t be the only one hitting the big screen. All five Hunger Games movies will return to the theaters in September, giving fans the chance to experience the stories in an immersive environment again before watching Sunrise on the Reaping.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians Season 3 Will Introduce More Half-Bloods & Gods
Percy Jackson & The Olympians Season 3 Will Adapt The Titan’s Curse
Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians novels are absolutely beloved, and the most recent onscreen adaptation has been extremely strong. As much as I’m a TV critic, I care more about the fan reactions when it comes to a book series as precious as this. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score started out strong in season 1, averaging 8.2 stars out of 10, and improved in season 2 to 8.6 stars out of 10.
Luckily, the Disney+ TV show is coming back sooner rather than later, with the premiere episodes streaming on November 20, avoiding the cast age issue that doomed the movies. After the two-year gap between Percy Jackson season 1 and 2, they prioritized shortening the break with season 3, which comes out only ten months after the season 2 finale.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians hasn’t been renewed for season 4 yet, but it’s rumored to be in early development.
The third season will introduce new Half-Bloods, including fan-favorite characters Bianca and Nico Di Angelo. Additionally, casting announcements confirm that Artemis, Hera, Demeter, and Apollo will join the ranks of the Greek deities in the upcoming season. If they follow the book, the story should also become much grander in scale, as the final three Percy Jackson novels grow progressively more epic in scale and lore.
Ultimately, November 20 might be a little tight for ardent fantasy fans who want to enjoy both Percy Jackson & the Olympians season 3’s two debut episodes and Sunrise on the Reaping the day that they come out. The 20th is a Friday, so folks might have school or work, limiting their time for entertainment. However, the fact that they’re coming out on a weekend means there’s plenty of time to enjoy Percy Jackson and the new Hunger Games movie the first few days after their release.
