Noah Kahan to Pen Lead Single for Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping — SkimNews
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- Noah Kahan was recruited by Lionsgate to write lead single "Draw You Out" for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, releasing October 2 ahead of the film's November 20 theatrical debut.
- The 29-song album includes callback tracks from previous films, including "Deep in the Meadow" (sung by Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss in the first film) and "The Old Therebefore" (sung by Rachel Zegler's Lucy Grey Baird in 2023's Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes).
- The franchise's tradition of major artist tie-ins includes Taylor Swift ("Safe and Sound" and "Eyes Open" for the 2012 film), Lorde ("Yellow Flicker Beat" for Mockingjay Part 1), and Olivia Rodrigo ("Can't Catch Me Now" for Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes), while fans speculate "The Wheel" may be by Lizzie McAlpine.
- Sunrise on the Reaping is adapted from Suzanne Collins' latest novel published March 2025, centering on a young Haymitch Abernathy (played by Joseph Zada) competing in the second Quarter Quell, where twice the usual number of tributes are selected per district.
- The cast also features Whitney Peak as Haymitch's love interest Lenore Dove, alongside Ben Wang, McKenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin, and Jesse Plemons.
- Kahan called the opportunity "something I've always wanted to do" in an Instagram post, noting his connection to "the tragic yet hopeful story of Haymitch and Lenore Dove."
- Kahan performed Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" at the 2026 Emmys In Memoriam segment, and his Netflix documentary "Noah Kahan: Out of Body" premiered at SXSW in March before his latest album The Great Divide released in April.
Why it matters: Lionsgate is placing Kahan within a Hunger Games songwriter pipeline that's run through Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Olivia Rodrigo — pairing major artists with the franchise's emotional centerpieces to anchor marketing. For Kahan, fresh off a Netflix documentary and a new album, the Sunrise on the Reaping slot (November 20) extends his crossover reach into film audiences just as the Collins-adapted prequel targets nostalgia for the original Haymitch storyline.
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