Inside ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’: Cast, Trailers, and What to Know About the Upcoming Hunger Games Prequel
A new chapter in the dystopian universe of Panem arrives on November 20, bringing Suzanne Collins’ novel “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” to the big screen. Set 24 years before the events of the original trilogy, the film follows a young Haymitch Abernathy as he enters the arena for the 50th Hunger Games—known as the second Quarter Quell, which features 48 tributes instead of the usual 24. Advance tickets officially went on sale on a Wednesday, roughly a month before the premiere, following confirmation that original stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Woody Harrelson will reprise their roles.
Published in March 2025, “Sunrise on the Reaping” serves as the second prequel to Collins’ bestselling series, following the 2020 release of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” Lionsgate announced its plans to adapt the book into a feature film in June 2024. Francis Lawrence returned to direct the movie from a screenplay by Billy Ray, while producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson oversaw production under their Color Force banner. Jacobson noted in March 2025 that the team had secured filming locations and a complete script draft even before the novel’s publication, with principal photography kicking off in the summer of 2025.
Casting for the sprawling ensemble was revealed through social media character introductions. Relative newcomer Joseph Zada takes on the lead role of young Haymitch. Jacobson explained that the production sought an actor capable of capturing the character’s inherent mischief prior to the trauma of the Games, without attempting to imitate Woody Harrelson’s iconic portrayal. Ralph Fiennes joins the franchise as the third cinematic incarnation of President Coriolanus Snow, succeeding Donald Sutherland and Tom Blyth. Elle Fanning steps into the role of a young Effie Trinket, succeeding Elizabeth Banks. Additionally, Jesse Plemons takes over the role of Plutarch Heavensbee from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, while Kelvin Harrison Jr. succeeds Jeffrey Wright as Beetee Latier.
The extensive cast also features Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird, Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Maya Hawke as a younger Wiress, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan, Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle, and Billy Porter as Magno Stift, alongside numerous other district tributes and Capitol figures.
Lionsgate rolled out promotional material across several months, beginning with a teaser trailer on November 20, 2025, exactly one year ahead of release. The clip featured Zada’s Haymitch on the arena podium alongside fellow tributes and highlighted a bird-and-snake striker given to him by Lenore Dove Baird. On April 13, 2026, the studio released the first full-length trailer showcasing the reaping, chariot crashes, and Haymitch’s live television interview. A second full-length trailer followed on September 16, emphasizing Haymitch’s defiance in the Capitol, including a silent confrontation where he claps at President Snow. Accompanying posters introduced the promotional slogans “Challenge authority” for the district tributes and “Capitalize power” for Capitol loyalists.
Fans have closely tracked whether the film will incorporate the novel’s epilogue, which is set in District 12 after the events of “Mockingjay” and features Haymitch recounting his past to Katniss and Peeta. Speculation concluded when Jennifer Lawrence confirmed on a podcast appearance that she, Hutcherson, and Harrelson would all appear in the film. Lawrence described returning to the set as emotional, noting that she worked alongside the same crew and cast members from the original films.
