Jennifer Lawrence and
Josh Hutcherson will reprise their roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the upcoming prequel film
"The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" based on
Suzanne Collins' latest novel. Details about Lawrence and Hutcherson's roles are being kept under wraps.
"Sunrise on the Reaping" will open in theaters on November 20, 2026. Franchise helmer
Francis Lawrence is back in the director's chair, and the script is written by
Billy Ray, who also wrote the first film in the franchise.
The film follows the events of the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years before Katniss and Peeta first entered the killing field as the tributes for District 12 with Haymitch Abernathy as their mentor. The story centers on Haymitch's experience in the games when he was 16.
Joseph Zada will star as the young Haymitch. The character was originally played by
Woody Harrelson in the original film series. In the book, Katniss and Peeta appear with Haymitch Abernathy in an epilogue chapter.
The cast also includes
Elle Fanning as a younger version of Effie Trinket (originally played by
Elizabeth Banks),
Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow (
Donald Sutherland in the original films and
Tom Blyth in
"Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes"),
Kieran Culkin as TV host Caesar Flickerman (previously played by
Stanley Tucci), and
Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee (previously played by
Philip Seymour Hoffman).
Also starring are
Kelvin Harrison Jr., Glenn Close, Maya Hawke, Mckenna Grace, Billy Porter, Whitney Peak, Ben Wang, Molly McCann, Iona Bell and
Percy Daggs IV.
