Lionsgate and Meta are turning The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping into a 3D release for theaters, then bringing it to Meta VR Glasses after the film’s cinema run. The new Hunger Games movie, directed by Francis Lawrence, opens on November 20 and is set to arrive on the glasses in spring 2027.
That makes the rollout unusual in two ways. Meta says this is the first time it has teamed with a Hollywood studio to convert a movie into 3D, and the film is expected to draw $60 million to $70 million in North American theaters, a strong start for a franchise that has already grossed more than $3.3 billion through five features. For Lionsgate, the deal gives the next chapter of a proven series a second life after theaters, with a viewing window that reaches beyond the cinema screen.
The 3D conversion was completed with DNEG, and Meta says the version on Meta VR Glasses will also be in 3D. The company unveiled the glasses at Meta Connect 2026, describing them as a 5K device with Infinite Display, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos spatial audio and Imax enhanced, while a pair weighs about 100 grams. Additional Lionsgate feature titles for Meta VR Glasses will be announced later, suggesting this is not meant to be a one-off experiment.
What stands out is how carefully the partnership is being framed. Lionsgate has spent years leaning into AI work, including projects with Runway, while Meta has faced backlash from Hollywood studios, including CAA, over Meta Image AI. Yet this release is being sold as AI-free, a reminder that the film business is still trying to separate new distribution tools from the fight over how AI should be used to make them.
For now, the next marker is clear: the film reaches theaters on November 20, and spring 2027 is when viewers with Meta VR Glasses are set to get the same title at home in 3D. The unanswered question is less about the movie itself than about how quickly Lionsgate and Meta turn this first pairing into a broader catalog strategy.
