Mutts in The Hunger Games: What They Are and Why the Capitol Created Them, Explained
The Capitol’s tortures of rebellious tributes and Districts’ citizens have been once again explored in Suzanne Collins’ Sunrise on the Reaping, this time getting a much more significant role in the arena. Here’s everything we know about muttations and their purpose during the Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games’ next prequel titled Sunrise on the Reaping is about to bring Panem’s bloodthirsty survival game back to the screens, this time following young Haymitch Abernathy as he seeks ways to get out of the 50th Hunger Games’ arena alive.
Even though President Snow’s horrifying methods to deal with rebels have never been a secret to The Hunger Games’ fans, Sunrise on the Reaping delves even more into the matter, once again highlighting that it’s not only other tributes that make the biggest threat for any Hunger Games participant.
Particularly, the infamous muttations are also brought back here, so this is our reminder of what they actually are and what role they had across The Hunger Games’ franchise.
What Are Muttations in The Hunger Games?
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In both the book and the movie series, muttations are a common name for genetically modified animals that are created by the Capitol to later on use as weapons in the ongoing war with the Districts and in the Hunger Games’ arena.
Mutts are initially introduced in The Hunger Games’ first movie where a pack of wolves is seen driving three surviving tributes — Katniss, Peeta and Cato — to the Cornucopia where the final battle takes place; eventually, mutts are also the ones to severely wound Cato who is later killed by Katniss.
In Catching Fire, mutts are reintroduced as evil monkeys whose seemingly harmless bites could provoke internal bleeding.
In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Katniss’ team also faces a threat from lizard mutts while The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes introduces snake mutts thrown into the arena during the 10th Hunger Games.
Do Mutts Appear in Sunrise on the Reaping Too? (Spoiler Alert!)
Yes, and this time the muttations’ role in the Hunger Games’ outcome might be even more aggressive than ever.
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While out there in the arena, Haymitch is first attacked by stinging butterflies that pushed him away from Lou Lou’s dead body; he is later ambushed by a flock of bats with transparent wings when he reaches the water tank to blow it up.
There are also carnivorous squirrels that kill Ampert and ladybugs that attack both Haymitch and Maysilee as they try to go through the arena.
Some of the most notable among many others are a giant porcupine that killed several other tributes and waterbirds with piercing beaks that thrusted into Maysilee’s neck, eventually killing her.
When Is Sunrise on the Reaping Being Released?
The movie is coming to theatres worldwide on November 20, 2026.
