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Sunrise on the Reaping hit bookshelves in March 2025, but fans won’t have to wait long to see the latest Hunger Games prequel get the movie treatment.
Lionsgate ordered the movie The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping at the same time author Suzanne Collins announced the book about Haymitch Abernathy was on the way. Producer Nina Jacobson explained that this allowed the studio to start developing the film early.
“We’re much further along than we would ever have been otherwise, without having this jump, because we went to work right away,” she told Variety in March. “None of it has been announced yet, but we have a great draft that we’re still doing work on. We’ve established our locations. We’re very far along for a book that’s only going to come out tomorrow!”
Based on a screenplay by Billy Ray, director Francis Lawrence told the CinemaCon audience in April 2025 that Sunset on the Reaping “is really a return to form for the kinds of films that we love from this book series.”
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will be the second prequel in the franchise after 2023’s A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Initially starting in 2012, the first four films adapted Collins’ original trilogy and introduced viewers to Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), a previous victor of the Games who helped guide Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) through the deadly competition.
Scroll down for everything we know so far about movie adaptation of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping:
Does ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ Have a Release Date?
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is set to hit theaters November 20, 2026.
Who Is in the ‘Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ Cast?
In April 2025, Lionsgate confirmed Joseph Zada was cast as lead Haymitch Abernathy, while Whitney Peak will play his love interest Lenore Dove Baird. One day later, Mckenna Grace was confirmed to play Maysilee Donner.
Zada celebrated the news by sharing a news article via his Instagram Story, tagging Peak with a red heart emoji. Peak reposted Zada’s story with her own set of red heart and hug emojis.
That same month, Lionsgate revealed that Jesse Plemons signed on to play Plutarch Heavensbee. The actor follows in the footsteps of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who portrayed the Head Gamemaker-slash-secret rebellion leader in the latter three original Hunger Games films — 2013’s Catching Fire, 2014’s Mockingjay – Part 1 and 2015’s Mockingjay – Part 2. The Mockingjay films marked his final roles before his death at age 46 in 2014.
In May 2025, Lionsgate announced that Kelvin Harrison Jr. was cast as Beetee. The character was originated by Jeffrey Wright in Catching Fire. Later that month, Maya Hawke was added to the cast as Wiress (who was played by Amanda Plummer in Catching Fire), along with Lili Taylor as Mags (first played by Lynn Cohen in Catching Fire) and Ben Wang as Wyatt, another tribute from District 12.
One day later, Lionsgate confirmed Ralph Fiennes will portray President Coriolanus Snow, first portrayed by the late Donald Sutherland in the original trilogy and Tom Blyth in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Fiennes has played several iconic villains, including Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films.
After fans heavily campaigned online for Elle Fanning to portray a younger version of Elizabeth Banks’ Effie Trinket, the actress was officially announced to be taking on the role for the film in May 2025. Additional casting includes Molly McCann as Louella McCoy and Iona Bell as Lou Lou.
Casting news continued to drop in May 2025 as the film’s official page announced that Kieran Culkin will be joining the project. The Succession star will play Caesar Flickerman, the emcee of The Hunger Games.
The following month, Deadline reported Glenn Close and Billy Porter had each joined the cast of the film. Close will play Druscilla Sickle, the demeaning escort for the District 12 tributes, while Porter will star as her estranged husband Magno Stift, who also serves as the fashion designer for the same tributes.
“Glenn Close is a dream Drusilla. She brings so much of her intellect and imagination to each role, creating characters who are unforgettable and iconic,” producer Nina Jacobson told the audience at Lionsgate’s presentation at CineEurope, per Deadline. “I think Glenn and Francis will have a ball bringing Drusilla from the page to the screen.”
He continued, “Billy is one of those rare performers who can dazzle and devastate in equal measure on stage and screen. He made an indelible impression on me when we worked together on Pose.
Following the addition of Close and Porter, Sunrise on the Reaping added Jhaleil Swaby to the cast, per Deadline. The Lake star will play District 1 tribute Panache.
In July 2025, Variety reported that Iris Apatow and Edvin Ryding joined the film. The pair will play Proserpina and Vitus who are two Capitol students tasked with prepping the District 12 tributes for the Quarter Quell.
What Is ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ About?
The story follows Haymitch as a 16-year-old who is forced to enter The Hunger Games as a District 12 tribute in the 50th annual Hunger Games. The annual event forces each of Panem’s districts to put two children into a fight to the death that is broadcast nationwide to remind citizens of the government’s power.
When Will Filming Start?
In August 2025, the official Hunger Games account shared via TikTok that the film is “now in production.” The video included a series of clips from the location’s green, mountainous landscape and Zada at his trailer.
Will Anyone from Past ‘Hunger Games’ Movies Appear?
Lawrence, who has directed every Hunger Games film since Catching Fire, is returning for his fifth trip to the arena. As for actors from the original films, there is certainly a possibility for a few cameos, given certain scenes from the novel.
Harrelson was already referenced in promotional materials. In the motion poster released at CinemaCon in March 2025, a line of Harrelson’s dialogue from the original movie plays. “I think these games are gonna be different,” he says as a mockingjay and snake look poised to attack each other — but are revealed to share a body.
In December 2025, multiple outlets reported that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson would be reprising their characters from the original franchise in the prequel film. The pair will reportedly appear in a flash-forward sequence.
Forty-eight tributes. One victor.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping – in theaters November 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/pGKnux44L0
— The Hunger Games (@TheHungerGames) April 1, 2025
