Get ready to return to the arena, Hunger Games fans! Sunrise on the Reaping is shaping up to be the best prequel in the franchise.
With Francis Lawrence back in the director’s chair and Suzanne Collins‘ newest novel already a bestseller, Lionsgate’s cinematic adaptation, set for release on November 20, 2026, promises to reframe what we thought we knew about Panem…and Haymitch Abernathy himself.
From a young Haymitch to iconic legacy characters like Mags, Beetee, and Plutarch, the cast of Sunrise on the Reaping is stacked with rising stars and prestige veterans. And if you think the cast is A+, well, the casting directors have some thoughts. Let’s start there.
Then, let’s examine who you’ll see.
Every The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping cast member announced so far
1) Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
Newcomer Joseph Zada steps into the blood-soaked shoes of a young Haymitch, the District 12 tribute who will later become Katniss Everdeen’s surly mentor.
Zada will soon be seen in Amazon’s We Were Liars and Netflix’s East of Eden.
And to prepare you for the movie, Lionsgate has released a featurette about Haymitch:
2) Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird
Whitney Peak, fresh from Gossip Girl and upcoming thriller Shiver, plays Haymitch’s girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird: a Covey girl from District 12.
This is a new character for the screen, and one we’re deeply curious about. Whether Lenore represents hope or heartbreak for Haymitch, we’re not ready either way.
3) McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner
Already a genre favorite, McKenna Grace (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Scream 7) will portray Maysilee Donner in Sunrise on the Reaping. She is a fellow District 12 tribute, Capitol cynic, and original owner of the iconic mockingjay pin.
Fans of Collins’ new novel know Maysilee’s tragic fate looms large. Expect Grace to give a performance that stings and soars in equal measure.
4) Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee
In an inspired piece of Sunrise on the Reaping casting, Jesse Plemons takes on the role of a young Plutarch Heavensbee, once played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Plemons’ past connection to Hoffman brings meta-emotion. Expect Plutarch’s first flickers of dissent and a sharp eye on the Games’ manipulation.
5) Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier
A Hunger Games champion and father of a tribute in the 50th Games, Beetee will be played by Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Mufasa, Samo Lives).
Previously played by Jeffrey Wright, Harrison’s Beetee is a brilliant inventor and a potential rebel. As the Capitol gears up for another Quarter Quell, his quiet genius may matter more than ever.
6) Maya Hawke as Wiress
Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Lucia) will portray Wiress in Sunrise on the Reaping, the eccentric yet brilliant mentor who’s also a former champion.
Amanda Plummer previously made the role unforgettable in Catching Fire. And now, with Hawke’s unique intensity, expect Wiress to be unpredictable and clever. Also, possibly key to Haymitch’s survival.
7) Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan
Another mentor is Emmy nominee Lili Taylor (Daredevil: Born Again, Fear Street), who will play Mags, the District 4 victor who mentored both Haymitch and, later, Finnick Odair. Lynn Cohen‘s version in Catching Fire was beloved. Taylor’s Mags is expected to be fiercely wise, protective, and quietly defiant.
8) Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow
Ben Wang, better known for Karate Kid: Legends and American Born Chinese will play Wyatt Callow, the other District 12 male tribute. For the second Quarter Quell, the Capitol demanded that twice the number of tributes be reaped, to remind the districts that for every Capitol citizen that was killed during the Dark Days, two rebels were also killed.
9) Ralph Fiennes as President Snow
Taking over a role played by Donald Sutherland in The Hunger Games movies and Tom Blyth in The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Ralph Fiennes is perhaps better known for Schindler’s List, though he recently appeared in the Oscar-nominated Conclave. His character of President Snow needs no introduction; suffice it to say he is the villain of this tale.
10) Molly McCann as Louella McCoy
Rounding out the four District 12 tributes is Molly McCann (Bad Sisters) as Louella McCoy, an early ally of Haymitch in the games who suffers a cruel fate. Her storyline in the movie is sure to shock people and leave them emotional.
11) Iona Bell as Lou Lou
The less we say about Lou Lou, the better, but Iona Bell is a relative newcomer who will get the chance to act in her first big movie with Sunrise on the Reaping. And let’s just say that her fate and that of Louella are very much intertwined.
12) Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket
Playing a younger version of the character originated by Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games. She’ll go on to become the escort for the District 12 Hunger Games tributes, but this movie picks up way before that. We’ll see what Elle Fanning, better known for Maleficent and The Great brings to a character that fans have always had a lot of thoughts on.
13) Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman
Another familiar face, Caesar Flickerman, originally played by Stanley Tucci, returns in Sunrise on the Reaping with another face. And what a face it is, as Culkin just won an Oscar for A Real Pain and is still perhaps better known for his work on the HBO show Succession.
14) Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle
The escort for the District 12 Tributes during the 50th Hunger Games, Drusilla Sickle, will be played by acting legend Glenn Close. Close is better known for her roles in Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons.
15) Billy Porter as Magno Stift
The District 12 stylist during the time of the 50th Hunger Games, Magno Stift will be played by Billy Porter. Porter is perhaps better known for Pose. Stift is married to Drusilla Sickle.
16) Panache, Silva, Ampert & Wellie
Every Hunger Games has to have a lot of tributes; it just is what it is. And here are some of the faces we’ll have to say goodbye to.
17) Maritte, Ringina, Kerna, Clayton, Buck, Hull
More tributes, more pain.
18) Willamae, Sid, Clerk Carmine, Woodbine Chance
These are characters that continue to populate Haymitch’s world outside of the games, including his mother and brother.
19) Burdock, Asterid, Hattie Meeney, Mr. McCoy
More District 12 inhabitants who interact with Haymitch.
20) Proserpina, Vitus, Tibby, Hersilia
And people Haymitch will meet at the Capitol, including his prep team.
With the cast looking this good, Sunrise on the Reaping is set to break hearts (have you read the book? bring tissues!), and maybe even a few Capitol rules. This prequel won’t be a reaping, it might just end up being a reckoning.
NEXT: Hunger Games Fanvids to Watch After Reading ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’
