Jennifer Lawrence to Appear in ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel

The pair is set to reprise their iconic roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark in the next ‘Hunger Games’ outing, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping.’

(L to R): Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson in 'The Hunger Games.' Photo: Lionsgate.

Preview:

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will appear in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.’
Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak are playing the lead roles.
Francis Lawrence is again directing the movie.

Here’s some big news for ‘Hunger Games’ fans starving for any update on the next prequel movie, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping,’ directed once more by regular filmmaker Francis Lawrence.

Variety reports that Jennifer Lawrence (no, no relation) and Josh Hutcherson, who were two of the key roles in the original movies, will be back to reprise their iconic characters.

Lawrence will be Katniss Everdeen and Hutcherson will return as Peeta Mellark. “But Moviefone,” we hear you ask, “the new movie takes place years before their films. How will this work?”

Simple: Suzanne Collins’ book includes an epilogue set during Katniss and Peeta’s time where they appear with Haymitch (which suggests Woody Harrelson, who plays the older Haymitch, will also make an appearance, although his voice does appear in the teaser trailer.)

What’s the story of ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

While the previous prequel took place 64 years before the events of the original trilogy, ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ is set 24 years before that trio of original films in the world of Panem, commencing on the morning of the reaping of the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

Those games are an important event in the canon as the victor was Haymitch Abernathy, the only winner from District 12 before Lawrence’s Everdeen and Hutcherson’s Mellark’s tie win. Haymitch continues on to become a mentor, a character in the original movies played by Harrelson.

Who else has been cast in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’?

(L to R) Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy and McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.

The cast already includes included Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak, who will play Haymitch Abernathy and the woman he loves, Lenore Dove Baird.

In addition to the two leads, we also now know that McKenna Grace, who has appeared in the recent ‘Ghostbusters’ movies, will be in the movie as Maysilee Donner, Haymitch’s fellow District 12 Tribute, while Jesse Plemons has the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, as brought to life by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original movies.

Ralph Fiennes is the calculating President Snow while Kieran Culkin will be Caesar Flickerman (the eccentric host character played in the first film series by Stanley Tucci.)

Elle Fanning is on to be a younger Effie Trinket; the effusive stylist as portrayed by Elizabeth Banks in the original ‘Hunger Games’ movies.

Glenn Close is Sickle, the cruel escort to the District 12 Tributes, and Billy Porter is playing Magno Stift is her estranged husband and the Tributes’ uninspired designer.

When will ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’ be in theaters?

Lionsgate will have the new movie in theaters on November 20th, 2026.

(L to R) Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird and Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy in 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping'. Photo Credit: Murray Close.