The Hunger Games novels written by Sussanne Collins is comprised of 5 books, the newest being called The Hunger Games: Sunrise on The Reaping. The Hunger Games have sold 100 million copies of the original trilogy, released 5 hit films and is due to release a 6th in November of 2026 based on the newest book (Perez, 2025). The production and distribution company Lionsgate has recently announced the casting for the highly anticipated film and the way they have done so has created a new era of interactive marketing and fan engagement.
In a ground-breaking initiative, Lionsgate utilised TikTok and Instagram’s short form video styles to announce the casting of the movie The Hunger Games: Sunrise on The Reaping. Not only did this move captivated fans and had them begging for more, but it also set a new standard for successful marketing.
The Hunger Games official TikTok and Instagram account, run by Lionsgate, used a dramatic and captivating announcement strategy to reveal the cast of the movie. Through a series of short form videos, the name of the character would burn, revealing the actor playing the role through a fiery visual effect (The Hunger Games, n.d.). The process began in April of 2025, with the last announcement being made at the end of July 2025. It was revealed that big names like Elle Fanning, McKenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Kieran Culkin and Joseph Zada were set to star in the film, causing a mass of media attention. This fan reaction was especially heightened as the casting was announced sporadically and created highly anticipated videos over the period of 3 months (The Hunger Games, n.d.). The casting reveal strategy was one that captivated its audience, was creative and created media attention for the upcoming film.
TikTok and Instagram both offer short form video formats that have the potential to gain worldwide attention, which made them the perfect platform for the casting reveals. The platforms allowed the videos to reach a wider target audience and generated excitement among people that don’t closely associate or even have read with the book.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, the casting director, Debra Zane, highlights the role of social media in shaping public perception and the importance of online engagement in the hiring process. Zane states
“Fans have so much more access, and that makes them feel more invested and part of the process, which is probably a really good thing” (Ishmael, 2025).
The use of TikTok and Instagram was original and important. The platforms also allowed for comments, likes, and shares which aided in the media attention for the castings. The way fans became invested in a film that was only in the early stages of production is due to the platforms ability to create engagement and visibility.
The fan’s reaction to the viral reveals was positive, creative, and extensive. The first wave of casting, being Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy and Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, was met with largely positive attention and left fans to guess who would be announced next. The most notable suggestion was for Elle Fanning to play young Effie Trinket, who was previously played by Elizabeth Banks. The casting of young Effie was highly anticipated. A TikTok account, @adalaidevs, made a fake fiery reveal for Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket. The comment section is flooded with remarks of believing the fake video or praise for predicting the casting correctly after the official announcement was made. The fan reactions created viral content and demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm.
This innovative casting reveal strategy has significant implications for the film industry. By embracing social media platforms, Lionsgate has set a precedent for interactive and fan-driven marketing campaigns. The amount of attention this campaign has created is sought after and Lionsgate has proved that this type of content is successful. Marketing for new films is important. A study that investigates the relationship between social media driven engagement and movie performance states “We found a positive relationship between social media-driven engagement and movie performance. We concluded that personal engagement and interactive engagement are positively associated with movie performance” (Castillo et al., 2021, p. 10). This approach not only engages audiences but also fosters a sense of community and anticipation leading up to the film’s release that will ensure higher performance metrics.
Another example of social media engagement working to promote media is in the announcement of Taylor Swifts new album (Daniels, 2025). On TikTok, when you comment “TS12”, glitter is revealed, and this glitter has been changing colour in line with the colours of her vinals she has been releasing periodically. Much like The Hunger Games announcements, this campaign drew in casual users alongside dedicated fans and proved that interactivity transforms marketing into a shared cultural moment.
This type of marketing, one that fully engages an audience, is proving in modern media to be the most effective model to communicate releases.
Lionsgate has harnessed the power of social media interactivity and marketing in its casting announcements for new film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. They have surpassed traditional promotional methods and are setting the stage for a new era of fan engagement in the entertainment era.
References
Castillo, A., Benitez, J., Llorens, J., & Luo, X. (Robert). (2021). Social media-driven customer engagement and movie performance: Theory and empirical evidence. Decision Support Systems, 145, 113516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2021.113516
Daniels, M. (2025, September 2). Taylor Swift hype is boosting record store sales. Modern Retail. https://www.modernretail.co/marketing/taylor-swift-hype-is-boosting-record-store-sales/
Ishmael, A. (2025, July 14). Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Movie Casting Directors Talk Online Praise, Pleasing Fans, and Newest Cast Additions. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/hunger-games-sunrise-on-the-reaping-casting-directors-interview?
Perez, L. (2025, March 27). Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping Hits 1.5M Sales in Week. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/sunrise-on-the-reaping-book-hunger-games-sales-1236174203/
The Hunger Games [@hungergamesofficial]. (n.d.). Hunger Games today, tomorrow, forever 🏹. [TikTok Profile]. Retrieved September 9, 2025, from https://www.tiktok.com/@hungergamesofficial
TikTok [@adalaidevs]. (2025, May 19). Elle Fanning is Effie Trinket [Video]. TikTik. Effie Trinket. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theatres November 20, 2026. #hungergames #casting #effie #effietrinket #ellefanning #sotr #sunriseonthereaping #joke #satire
TikTok [@shawncyclopedia]. (2025, May 23). Who are you most excited to see in #hungergamessunriseonthereaping [Video]. TikTok. Who are you most excited to see in #hungergamessunriseonthereaping #movie #movietok #film #filmtok #hungergames #kieranculkin #ralphfiennes #ellefanning #jesseplemons #mayahawke #fyp @The Hunger Games @Lionsgate
Caitlin 
Clara 
Kath Smart