Meta partners with Lionsgate to bring “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” to 3D and upcoming VR glasses
Meta will convert Lionsgate’s new Hunger Games prequel to 3D and make it available on its $1,299 VR glasses slated for a spring launch.
Meta is working with Lionsgate to convert the upcoming prequel “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” into a 3D format ahead of its scheduled Nov. 20 theatrical release. This marks Meta’s first collaboration with a studio on a 3D conversion, and the work is being done alongside visual‑effects house DNEG, which previously handled 3D conversions for titles such as “Dune: Part One,” “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” and “Venom.”
In addition to theater showings, the 3D version will be offered on Meta’s new VR glasses, priced at $1,299 and slated for a spring release. These glasses were unveiled at Meta Connect in September, with promises of immersive experiences for films like “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Star Wars: A New Hope,” and 3D cuts of “The Avengers,” “Black Panther,” and select Lionsgate titles.
Lionsgate’s chief revenue officer Jim Packer described the partnership as “a compelling example of how technology can transform existing formats to create fresh, new experiences.” He added that the studio is “thrilled to partner with Meta on this first‑of‑its‑kind collaboration,” noting director Francis Lawrence’s role in crafting the 3D experience.
Director Francis Lawrence said the 3D adaptation provides “another way to let audiences experience the journey of Joseph Zada’s Haymitch Abernathy,” a younger version of the character originally played by Woody Harrelson, and emphasized the goal of making the film “visceral and immersive.” He expressed excitement for viewers to see the film both on the big screen and “in an entirely new way on Meta’s VR glasses.”
Sarah Malkin, head of entertainment at Meta’s Reality Labs, called the upcoming “Hunger Games” 3D release “the kind of cinematic experience that will be phenomenal in theaters, and also showcases what this technology makes possible at home.” She said Meta is “delighted to work with Lionsgate and Francis Lawrence to bring the film in 3D to audiences around the world.”
Overall, the collaboration aims to bridge traditional theater viewing with emerging home‑VR technology, offering audiences multiple avenues to engage with the new Hunger Games installment.
