The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a film adapted from the prequel novel of the same name. It is the sixth installment in the film franchise, set to theatrically release on November 20, 2026.[3] It will explore the world of Panem 24 years prior to events of The Hunger Games, beginning on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.[2]
Production
The book and the movie adaptation for Sunrise were both announced on June 6, 2024.[3] Nina Jacobson returned as a producer alongside Brad Simpson[2], and Francis Lawrence would direct.[1] In response to a fan-posted rumor that the film was slated to begin shooting in January 2025, two months before the book’s release, Nina Jacobson stated that the book would be published months before production on the film begins.[4] In an interview with ComicBook.com, director Francis Lawrence discussed the challenges of casting a young Haymitch Abernathy for the film, comparing to the process of ultimately casting Tom Blyth as a young Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. He stated that his thinking was “How am I going to cast a young person who is believably going to become Donald Sutherland? Who’s going to have that sort of intelligence, sophistication, a little irreverence, gravitas, all of that. Who is going to embody and be believable in the fact that he’s going to turn into that guy and become the president of Panem? And it’s the same thing [with Haymitch].”[1]
Filming for the title was originally set to begin on January 31, 2025 in Los Angeles.[5] The location was moved to Germany and filming was further delayed to July 1, 2025.[6]
On April 1, 2025, it was reported that the film’s screenplay would be written by Billy Ray[7], who did rewrites of the initial script for the original The Hunger Games film; this script was ultimately replaced by a new one written by Collins and director Gary Ross.[8] As of early April 2025, casting was still underway for the character of Haymitch Abernathy, with Francis Lawrence reporting that the process had been, to some degree, handcuffed by the book not being released at the time.[9]
On April 23, 2025, Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak were the first to be cast as Haymitch Abernathy and Lenore Dove Baird.[10] On the following day, Mckenna Grace was cast as Maysilee Donner.[11] Jesse Plemons was cast as young Plutarch Heavensbee.[12] On May 14, Maya Hawke joined the cast as young Wiress[13] and Lili Taylor was cast as Mags Flanagan.[14] On May 20, Molly McCann was cast as Louella McCoy, Iona Bell as Lou Lou, and Elle Fanning as young Effie Trinket.[15] On May 21, Kieran Culkin was cast as Caesar Flickerman.[16]
On June 16, 2025, it was announced by Lionsgate at CineEurope that Glenn Close and Billy Porter were cast as Drusilla Sickle and Magno Stift.[17] On June 17, Jhaleil Swaby was cast as Panache.[18] On June 20, Laura Marcus was cast as Silka Sharp, Percy Daggs IV as Ampert Latier, and Rada Rae as Wellie.[19]
On July 15, 2025, Sky Frances was cast as Maritte, Tatyana Muzondo as Ringina, Alina Reid as Kerna, Salimou Thiam as Clayton, John Doeble as Buck, and Kaine Buffonge as Hull. [20]
On July 22, 2025 Kara Tointon was cast as Willamae Abernathy, Smylie Bradwell as Sid Abernathy, Jeffrey Hallman as Clerk Carmine and Serafin Mishiev as Woodbine Chance.[21] On July 23, Scot Greenan was cast as Burdock Everdeen, Grace Ackary as Asterid March, Melody Chikakane Brown as Hattie Meeney, and Jefferson White as Mr. McCoy.[22] Two days later on July 25, Iris Apatow was cast as Proserpina Trinket, Edvin Ryding as Vitus, Jax Guerrero as Tibby, and Sandra Förster as Hersilia.[23] The film was also confirmed to have started production on the same day.[24]
On October 24, 2025, it was revealed that the winner of the fan casting call for a role was Devon Singletary as Haymitch’s friend Blair.[25]
On November 20, 2025, a year from the release, the first trailer was dropped along with two first look pictures.[26]
On December 10, 2025, it was announced that Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson are returning to reprise their roles as Katniss and Peeta, in likely a flashforward scene.[27]
Cast
- Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
- Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird
- Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner
- Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee
- Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier
- Maya Hawke as Wiress
- Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan
- Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow
- Ralph Fiennes as Coriolanus Snow
- Molly McCann as Louella McCoy
- Iona Bell as Lou Lou
- Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket
- Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman
- Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle
- Billy Porter as Magno Stift
- Jhaleil Swaby as Panache Barker
- Laura Marcus as Silka Sharp
- Percy Daggs IV as Ampert Latier
- Rada Rae as Wellie
- Sky Frances as Maritte
- Tatyana Muzondo as Ringina
- Alina Reid as Kerna
- Salimou Thiam as Clayton
- John Doeble as Buck
- Kaine Buffonge as Hull
- Kara Tointon as Willamae Abernathy
- Smylie Bradwell as Sid Abernathy
- Jeffrey Hallman as Clerk Carmine
- Serafin Mishiev as Woodbine Chance
- Scot Greenan as Burdock Everdeen
- Grace Ackary as Asterid March
- Melody Chikakane Brown as Hattie Meeney
- Jefferson White as Mr. McCoy
- Iris Apatow as Proserpina Trinket
- Edvin Ryding as Vitus
- Jax Guerrero as Tibby
- Sandra Förster as Hersilia
- Devon Singletary as Blair
- Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen
- Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark
Videos
Trivia
- This marks the first time in the franchise that both the book and film adaptation were announced the same date. The first film was not announced until all books in the original trilogy had been released. Lionsgate was already in talks to produce The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes before the novel was published, but the film was not officially announced until April 2020, the month before the book’s release in May.
- Both Jesse Plemons and Kelvin Harrison Jr. have co-starred with the actor who played the older version of their character in the original film trilogy and played the original actor’s son in a movie.
- Jesse Plemons, who plays young Plutarch Heavensbee, co-starred with the late Philip Seymour Hoffman (who played Plutarch in the original film trilogy) in the movie The Master (2012). Jesse played Philip Seymour Hoffman’s son in The Master.
- Kelvin Harrison Jr., who plays young Beetee Latier, co-starred with Jeffrey Wright (who played Beetee in the original film trilogy) in the movie Monster (2018). Harrison played Wright’s son in Monster.
- Merrilee Undersee is confirmed by Billy Ray to be included in the movie. Fans held questions about whether or not she would be included due to her daughter, Madge Undersee, not being in any of the films.[28]
- The filming location for the 50th Hunger Games arena is at Somiedo Natural Park.[29]
