Attention, millennials! Something major is happening: Katniss and Peeta and coming back. Yes, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will be reprising their iconic roles in Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping a full decade since we last saw them on screen. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news, suggesting that the pair might appear in a flash forward.
In case you are new here, the Hunger Games franchise was expanded with yet another chapter with the prequel, Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which first arrived in book form this year and has already been adapted into a movie, due to drop next year.
We're not only freaking out about the Katniss and Peeta news – we're also freaking out at who will lead this story – Elle Fanning is set to play Effie, who was played in earlier films by Elizabeth Banks, while Ralph Fiennes will play the film's main antagonist President Coriolanus Snow, who was portrayed previously by the late Donald Sutherland.
Here’s what you need to know.
First announced on 6 June 2024, Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is the second prequel in the series after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which was adapted for film in November 2023 and starred Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth.
Penned by Suzanne Collins, the fifth instalment in the Hunger Games saga arrived on 18 March 2025. The cover for the book, designed by Tim O'Brien, was loaded with meaningful symbols in shades of purple and gold.
“The spiky sun rises on a symbol that will come to mean a lot to Haymitch Abernathy, as well as countless readers,” David Levithan, VP, publisher and editorial director for Scholastic, shared in a statement. According to Levithan, the cover explores the central theme of “how conflicting forces can be connected by their common nature, the songbird and the snake springing from the same source.”
According to the official book synopsis by Scholastic, the publishing company that owns the English rights to the Hunger Games franchise, Sunrise on the Reaping is another prequel series that “revisits the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.”
The much-awaited Hunger Games prequel features plenty of subtle references to the original trilogy.
With the book out and fans digging in, the focus is now on the movie adaptation. Below, find out everything we know so far about The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Who is in the cast of the Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie?
It has been confirmed that Molly McCann and Iona Bell will portray book characters Louella and Lou Lou, respectively. Here's how the rest of the cast is shaping up so far:
Newcomer Joseph Zada has been cast as young Haymitch Abernathy in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. If you are unfamiliar with Zada, he reportedly hails from Sydney, Australia, and was born in 2005, which means he is 20 years old at the time of writing. Zada, who formerly went by Joseph Cumpston, comes from a family of actors.
The actor has a few titles to his name, including queer drama Invisible Boys and Prime Video's upcoming We Were Liars. He will also appear alongside the likes of Florence Pugh and Mike Faist in Netflix's limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel East of Eden, which wrapped filming in March 2025.
Joining Zada is Gossip Girl alum Whitney Peak, who will portray Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch's childhood love and girlfriend during the 50th Hunger Games. If her character's surname rings a bell, it's because Lenore Dove was also part of the Covey, like Lucy Gray from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. In fact, as a Baird, she was raised by two of Lucy Gray’s cousins.
Peak rose to mainstream fame for her portrayal of Zoya Lott in the reboot of Gossip Girl from 2021 until 2023. She's also had roles in Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Hocus Pocus 2, and Aaron Sorkin's Molly's Game.
“The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman told Deadline about the leads' casting.
“After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out — not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles," Westerman continued. "Haymitch has always been a fan favourite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
Producer Nina Jacobson added that the casting process was “an exhaustive (and exhausting!) search to find a young actor with the skill and imagination to embody young Haymitch. Jo prepared like crazy and stole our hearts. Then Whitney took our breath away as Lenore Dove. When we put the two of them together, it was one of those magical casting moments when you know your search has led you home.”
Aside from the leads' casting, Lionsgate also announced that actor Mckenna Grace has been cast as Maysilee Donner in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
In case you haven't read the book, Maysilee Donner is a fellow tribute from District 12 who gets reaped alongside Haymitch in the 50th Hunger Games. She's also the owner of a very famous mockingjay pin.
Only 18 years old, Grace has an imposing resume which includes titles like I, Tonya, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Fuller House, The Handmaid's Tale, Young Sheldon, and many more.
Jesse Plemons has also been cast as young Plutarch Heavensbee. The official Hunger Games social media accounts posted a video revealing Plemons' casting as on 25 April 2025; in the original trilogy, Head Gamemaker and eventual rebel forces commander Plutarch Heavensbee was portrayed by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. Former child star Jesse Plemons is a thrice-Emmy-nominated actor and is perhaps best known for his work in Breaking Bad, Kinds of Kindness, Game Night, and Black Mirror.
On 13 May 2025, it was announced that Kelvin Harrison Jr. has joined the Sunrise on the Reaping cast as Beetee Latier. You surely remember Beetee from the original Hunger Games movie series, where Jeffrey Wright portrayed the character in Catching Fire and the Mockingjay movies.
Hailing from District 3, Beetee is the victor of the 34th Hunger Games and a participant in the 75th Hunger Games, a.k.a the Second Quarter Quell. He is also the father of Ampert Latier, one of the male tributes from District 3 in the 50th Hunger Games.
30-year-old Kelvin Harrison Jr. most recently appeared alongside Sadie Sink in O'Dessa. He also voiced Taka in Mufasa: The Lion King and is known for portraying Martin Luther King Jr. in National Geographic's series Genius. Aside from Sunrise on the Reaping, he will soon star as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Samo Lives.
On 14 May, it was announced that Maya Hawke will be portraying Wiress in Sunrise on the Reaping. Also hailing from District 3, Wiress was the victor of the 49th Hunger Games and participated alongside Beetee in the Second Quarter Quell. She was played by Amanda Plummer in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
Maya Hawke, daughter of famed actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, is best known for her role as Robin Buckley in Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. Her credits also include Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Ladyworld, and Do Revenge, among others. She also voiced Anxiety in Inside Out 2.
On the same day as Hawke's announcement, Lionsgate also unveiled Lili Taylor's casting as Mags Flanagan. Mags is a significant character in the Hunger Games franchise. Hailing from District 4, she was the visitor of the 11th Hunger Games. She subsequently acted as Haymitch's mentor during the 50th Hunger Games, which Sunrise on the Reaping is based around. In the original film saga, Mags was played by Lynn Cohen. She was a volunteer tribute during the 75th Hunger Games alongside Finnick Odair in an effort to save Finnick's wife Annie Cresta.
58-year-old Lili Taylor is an esteemed American actor, having appeared on beloved projects like Mystic Pizza, The Haunting, The Conjuring, American Crime, Six Feet Under, and many more.
Here’s what you need to know.
When was The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie announced?
Lionsgate announced that Sunrise on the Reaping will be adapted into a major motion picture, coinciding with the book’s release on 6 June 2024. The film project was unveiled by Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group.
The new Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie will be produced by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson under the Colour Force. The duo has previously produced all five existing movies in the Hunger Games franchise, from 2012’s Hunger Games to 2023’s The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
What is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie about?
Much like the book, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie will also be about young Haymitch and his time at the games.
In case you haven't yet read the book, the official synopsis is as follows: “As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honour of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight… and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.”
When writing the book, author Suzanne Collins shared that she was inspired by the philosopher David Hume's idea of “implicit submission and, in his words, ‘the easiness with which the many are governed by the few.’ The story also lent itself to a deeper dive into the use of propaganda and the power of those who control the narrative,” she explained. "The question ‘Real or not real?’ seems more pressing to me every day.”
“The Second Quarter Quell is legendary and looms large over the history of the Games, even into the time of Katniss Everdeen a quarter-century later. Like fans around the globe, we are eagerly anticipating this exciting return to Panem,” Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said about the new prequel movie.
When will the Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie be released?
We're expecting The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie to be released in theatres in the UK in November 2026.
Is there a trailer for the Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie?
Yes, feast your eyes!
Who directed the Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie?
When the movie was first announced, Lionsgate shared they were in talks with Francis Lawrence to join the Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping movie as its director, and it's since been confirmed. Lawrence has served as director for four out of five Hunger Games films since Catching Fire. (The first movie was directed by Gary Ross.)
