On October 15, 2026, The Smashing Pumpkins released a new single, “Black Stars”. It’s part of the official soundtrack for The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping. The film is set to release in theaters and on IMAX on November 20, 2026, with special preview screenings to occur on November 18 and 19.
This will be the sixth film in the Hunger Games franchise, which launched in 2012. The films are based on the book series by Suzanna Collins. The new film, Sunrise On The Reaping, is the second prequel in the series and takes place 24 years before the original film trilogy. It’s the sequel to the 2023 film, The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes.
On October 2, 2026, Noah Kahan released the lead single, “Draw You Out”, from The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping (The Album). For this track, Kahan reunited with producer Aaron Dessner, who co-produced Kahan’s 2026 album The Great Divide. Noah Kahan isn’t the only one to reunite with a producer for the film’s soundtrack. Except for this next reunion, fans have been waiting for over thirty years.
The Smashing Pumpkins Record With Butch Vig for the First Time in Over 30 Years
For their newest single, “Black Stars”, The Smashing Pumpkins have reunited with legendary producer Butch Vig. He produced the band’s 1991 debut album, Gish. That same year, he produced Nirvana’s Nevermind, which launched grunge into the mainstream with the release of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”.
Vig returned to produce The Smashing Pumpkins sophomore album, Siamese Dream, which launched the band into the mainstream in 1993. The album generated defining hits for the group, such as “Today”, “Disarm”, and “Cherub Rock”. For the band’s third album, the triple album Mellon Collie And The Infitinite Sadness, the band chose to experiment with their sound rather than work with Vig once again. Therefore, this is the band’s first Vig-produced release in over 33 years.
The Smashing Pumpkins released an accompanying music video for “Black Stars” on the morning of October 16, 2026. In this video, Billy Corgan is seen without a guitar, dancing and swaying to the music. This is different for the frontman, who isn’t necessarily known as a dancer. Typically, he’s with his guitar or singing directly into the lens during music videos. Corgan loosens up and sways in a way that’s similar to Morrissey in this video. This aligns with how the band has evolved and made a huge comeback in recent years. They’re currently on The Rats In A Cage Tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness.
With Butch Vig handling the production on this new Hunger Games single, fans speculate whether the legendary producer will produce the next full-length album with The Smashing Pumpkins.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
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