The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping - Everything About the New Movie and Its Big Cast

Last year, the Hunger Games social media accounts dropped a huge surprise: a new book and movie were on the way. Soon after, Suzanne Collins released the novel Sunrise On The Reaping on March 18, 2025. It quickly sold 1.2 million copies in its first week in the U.S. That is three times more than what Mockingjay, the final book in Collins’ first trilogy, sold in the same amount of time. This show of fan excitement makes it clear that the Hunger Games world is far from over.

Sunrise on the Reaping follows Haymitch Abernathy, who we know as Peeta and Katniss’ tough mentor. He is chosen to fight in the 50th Hunger Games. This special anniversary means double the usual number of tributes. The book tells the story of Haymitch’s life in District 12 and his fight against the Capitol. This explains why he became the difficult mentor we remember from the first series.

This is the second prequel Collins has put out. The first was The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which followed a young Coriolanus Snow as he became the harsh president from the first trilogy. That movie made $349 million worldwide. Collins and Lionsgate are probably hoping for similar success with a Sunrise on the Reaping film.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is still the most successful movie in the series. It made almost $845 million worldwide. The series has not hit those numbers since. But the Sunrise on the Reaping movie will follow a character the audience already knows and cares about, Haymitch. This might bring more casual fans to see it. The news of Sunrise on the Reaping brought new life to the Hunger Games fan base. Many fans were talking about who would be cast and other production choices for the movie, which is already confirmed to come out in November 2026.

The Sunrise on the Reaping movie begins filming in July. Reports say it has a budget of over $150 million. This could make it the most expensive Hunger Games movie so far. Fans have been waiting for news about this movie. Here is a look at some of the cast members announced and what we are hoping for from the upcoming film.

A Look at the Exciting New Cast Members Joining the Hunger Games Universe

Joseph Zada Steps Into the Big Role of Haymitch Abernathy and Other Key Announcements

After a lot of fan discussions about actors like Rudy Pankow from Outer Banks or Harris Dickinson from Babygirl, the main role went to Joseph Zada. He is a new actor from Australia. Zada started his career in 2019. He was in only four other projects before this Hunger Games movie. Sunrise on the Reaping will be Zada’s first big Hollywood movie role.

In Sunrise on the Reaping, Haymitch goes through terrible loss and faces harsh conditions in the arena. It will be interesting to see what Zada brings to the emotional side of his journey. Zada is also in another movie based on a book, We Were Liars, which comes out in June. It is also good to know that Zada, at 20, is the right age to play a 16-year-old. This is different from past Movies in the series where actors over 25 played teenagers.

Maysilee is a strong but kind character. This kind of role is not new for Mckenna Grace. Grace is one of the more recognized names added to the cast. She was in Gifted with Chris Evans and both Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Many fans on social media liked this choice.

Grace will need to show the many sides of Maysilee’s character. At the start of the book, Maysilee seems like a snobby rich girl. But as the story goes on, Haymitch learns there is more to her. The two characters become close friends. Grace’s acting will need to show Maysilee’s growth in a way that makes audiences feel for her until the very end. Grace already has millions of followers on Instagram and TikTok, which likely made Lionsgate's marketing team happy. She is also only 18, so the filmmakers are again avoiding older actors playing teens.

Plutarch is a character who appears multiple times in the first trilogy. He plays a big part in Mockingjay where he helps Katniss take down President Snow and the Capitol. Philip Seymour Hoffman played him in the film version, one of the actor’s last roles. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we see Plutarch get his power and how he earned the president’s trust while also helping the rebellion.

Jesse Plemons was chosen to play a younger Plutarch. It will be hard to live up to Hoffman’s natural charm and acting skill, but Plemons seems ready for the job. Plemons and Hoffman even worked together before; Plemons played Hoffman’s son in the 2012 movie The Master. Plemons has been acting for a while. He was in the popular TV show Breaking Bad. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his part in The Power of the Dog.

Whitney Peak was cast as Lenore Dove. She is Haymitch's musical, free-spirited girlfriend. She is part of the traveling musical band in District 12, called the “Covey.” Peak is a newer actress. She is best known for her roles in teen shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix and the Gossip Girl reboot on Max.

We will see if Peak can capture the wild, artistic energy that Rachel Zegler brought to a similar role as Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie. Zegler won over Hunger Games fans. This helped her get roles afterward. Zegler has already said she supports Peak’s casting. She wrote on social media, “I know she’s gonna do the Baird name proud.”

More Familiar Faces and Unexpected Surprises in the New Hunger Games Movie

The Cast Continues to Grow with Exciting Talent and Beloved Characters Making a Return

Beetee is a major character in the second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire. He uses his smarts and knowledge of the arena to help stop the Games. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we learn about his family and his past involvement in the rebellion. This makes his actions in the first trilogy mean even more. Young Beetee will be played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. He has been in other big movies like Elvis, The Trial of Chicago 7, Luce, and Waves. He has been acting since 2013. Jeffrey Wright played the character in the first trilogy. Wright did a good job of seeming shy and smart while also helping take down the Capitol. Harrison will act as a mentor to young Haymitch in Sunrise on the Reaping. He will help him in his fight against the Capitol. This shows that being a nerd does not mean you are not dangerous.

Wiress is one of Haymitch’s mentors in the book. She won the Hunger Games the year before by outsmarting the game makers and other tributes. Maya Hawke will play Wiress. Hawke is known for being the daughter of famous actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. She is also in the popular TV show Stranger Things. Many fans were happy with this interesting choice.

Like Beetee, Wiress’s character is shown in Catching Fire as the smart but mentally troubled tribute from District 3. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we see that she used to talk normally before the Capitol hurt her for being part of the rebellion. Amanda Plummer played her in the original movies. Plummer showed her unusual behavior well. But Hawke will play a more sane and clear-minded version of Wiress. She will need to show the young, capable winner who tells the District 12 kids to use their brains to win the Hunger Games without having to kill.

The kind and lovely mentor Mags will be played by Lili Taylor. This American actress has been in many successful movies. These include Mystic Pizza, The Conjuring, I Shot Andy Warhol, and Dogfight. Mags was also in Catching Fire as Finnick’s mentor and a sweet, motherly person. We see more of her in Sunrise on the Reaping. She helps Haymitch and the District 12 tributes get ready. She also shows us what she was like before the Capitol influenced her.

Mags was played by Lynn Cohen in the Catching Fire movie. But she was quiet and weak after years of Capitol torture. The Mags in this movie will be different. She will be more active and capable. She will still have the same kind nature. We will see her caring for the tributes and making them feel like people. Even though they are heading to almost certain death.

Wyatt Callow is another District 12 tribute. He is a math genius. Wyatt is known for making bets on the Hunger Games. He calculates the chances of each tribute for his father. Haymitch does not like this. The two characters start off poorly. But Haymitch later realizes Wyatt is a good person because he is so loyal to their group. Ben Wang will play Wyatt in the movie. Wang is also about to star in Karate Kid: Legend. He has also appeared in the Mean Girls remake and the Disney+ series American Born Chinese. Wyatt is a bit awkward socially but he has a kind heart. Wang will need to show the depth of his character beyond just his intelligence.

Wang recently spoke about the production start. He revealed filming will begin in July. He did not give an exact date, but it sounds like things are moving fast behind the scenes. Wang kept his casting a secret even from his own mother, which shows how much secrecy is around the project. This is a big movie with a big budget, so it makes sense that they are keeping things quiet for now.

The harsh President Snow will be played by the famous Ralph Fiennes. This British actor has been nominated for many Academy Awards. His roles include Schindler’s List, Conclave, and The English Patient. His long history also includes some of the most popular movies of the last 30 years. These range from Skyfall to The Grand Budapest Hotel. Fiennes is one of the most experienced members of the cast. He is someone the younger actors can look up to.

Of course, Fiennes is also very good at playing cruel rulers. His transformation into Voldemort in the Harry Potter series is in the memories of many generations. Fiennes will play the cold president of Panem in Sunrise on the Reaping. He will face Haymitch and the rebellion during the 50th Hunger Games. There is no doubt that Fiennes will show Snow in the movie as intimidating and heartless as fans have always imagined him.

The most recent casting news is Elle Fanning as the Capitol mentor Effie Trinket. Fanning was actually who many fans wanted for the role. It seems the Hunger Games producers took that request seriously. Fanning is the sister of actress Dakota Fanning. She has been in many popular films. These include A Complete Unknown, Maleficent, and The Great TV series.

Effie is a regular character throughout the original series. Elizabeth Banks played her onscreen. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we will see how she got her job in District 12 and her first meeting with her fellow mentor Haymitch. Effie feels bad for the district kids. But the Capitol’s ideas stop her from truly understanding their problems. She thinks it is sad they have to go into the Hunger Games. But she believes it is needed to keep the peace. Fanning will need to play the simple and over-the-top character. She has a very unseeing view of the real world.

Elizabeth Banks, who played the original Effie, is excited about Fanning taking over the role. She told PEOPLE that she texted the producers and thinks Fanning is "perfect." Banks also texted Fanning to talk about it. She said she is "excited for the next generation to have their Effie." This shows a nice passing of the torch between actors.

Caesar Flickerman is the charming entertainer and showman we see in the original trilogy. He interviews the tributes before they enter the arena. In Sunrise on the Reaping, we get to see a younger Caesar doing interviews before the 50th Hunger Games. We also get some ideas into how he can control and sell a certain story to the Capitol audience. Stanley Tucci played the character before. He completely changed himself for the role. He truly brought the showy media person to life. Now Kieran Culkin has been cast for the coming prequel. He will get the chance to take on the same wild hair, makeup, and outfits that Tucci made memorable.

Culkin is an experienced actor. He will almost certainly be ready for this challenge. He just won an Oscar for A Real Pain. Before that, he won an Emmy for his role as Roman Roy on HBO’s Succession. For a whole generation of movie watchers, he will always be Fuller from Home Alone. His casting adds another strong name to the growing list of talent.

Louella and Lou Lou are two very similar looking characters. They will each play very different roles. Molly McCann will play Louella. She will need to play the sweet, innocent girl Haymitch promises to protect. Louella is reaped in the Hunger Games at just 13. McCann is a young Irish actress. She has already been in 19 projects, including movies and TV shows. She was nominated for an Irish Film and TV award in 2021.

On the other hand, Iona Bell is cast as Lou Lou. She is an unknown girl from District 11. The Capitol tortured her. This has driven her almost to madness. Bell is a British actress. She has been in only one project before this casting. The teenage actress is currently filming some independent films. She is also in a movie with Taika Waititi (Fing!). It will come out later this year. Her character in Sunrise on the Reaping is unusual. But you cannot help but feel for her because of what she has gone through.

The casting announcements for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping have certainly added to the excitement for this new chapter in the series. With a mix of fresh faces and seasoned actors, it looks like Lionsgate is putting together a strong team to bring Haymitch's story to life. Fans have a lot to look forward to when the movie arrives in November 2026.