The Hunger Games Prequel Movie Casts Young Effie Trinket

The odds are in our favor. A new Hunger Games movie is on the horizon — an adaptation of author Suzanne Collins’ latest book in the franchise, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. The book just dropped in March, but plans for a film version were announced well before its release.

“Suzanne Collins is a master storyteller and our creative north star,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said in June 2024, when the new novel and film were both confirmed. “We couldn't be more fortunate than to be guided and trusted by a collaborator whose talent and imagination are so consistently brilliant."

Sunrise on the Reaping dives into the journey of Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s mentor in the original books, making it the second prequel in the Hunger Games universe. The new book follows The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which tells President Snow’s origin story, detailing his childhood and connection to the Hunger Games.

Already, production is starting to ramp up ahead of filming, which is set to begin in summer 2025. Read on for everything to know about the Sunrise On The Reaping movie, including the release date, cast announcements, and more.

Sunrise On The Reaping Cast & Crew

On April 23, Lionsgate announced the first Sunrise on the Reaping cast members on the official Hunger Games social media platforms.

Joseph Zada will play the lead role of young Haymitch Abernathy, taking the reins from Woody Harrelson.

Whitney Peak — best known for playing Zoya on Max’s Gossip Girl reboot — has been cast as Haymitch’s love interest, Lenore Dove Baird. Lenore is the descendant of Lucy Gray, who was played by Rachel Zegler in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

The next day, it was revealed that Mckenna Grace will take on the role of Maysilee Donner, one of Haymitch’s fellow District 12 tributes. 

On April 25, Lionsgate announced that Jesse Plemons will play Plutarch Heavensbee, a Games worker who secretly sides with the Districts, in the upcoming prequel. The role was originated by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the Hunger Games trilogy.

A couple weeks later, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Maya Hawke were confirmed for the roles of Beetee and Wiress, respectively; both are victors who end up aiding Haymitch in the Games. Jeffery Wright and Amanda Plummer played the characters in the original series. This news was revealed at midnight and noon, in a nod to the characters’ storylines in the second Hunger Games film, Catching Fire.

Later that day, it was announced that Lili Taylor would play Mags Flanagan, another winner-turned-mentor, a role originated by the late Lynn Cohen in Catching Fire. On May 15, Ben Wang was cast as Wyatt Callow, another one of Haymitch’s fellow District 12 tributes.

On May 16, Lionsgate confirmed that Ralph Fiennes had been cast as President Snow. He’ll follow in the footsteps of the late Donald Sutherland, who portrayed an elderly Snow in the first four films, and Tom Blyth, who played him as a high schooler in Songbirds and Snakes.

On May 20, Molly McCaan and Iona Bell were cast as Louella McCoy and Lou Lou, respectively, portraying two versions of the same District 12 tribute. Later that day, it was announced that Elle Fanning would step into the heels of Effie Trinket, who turns out to be Haymitch’s stylist in the Games, taking on Elizabeth Banks’ role from the original series.

Sunrise On The Reaping Plot

Sunrise On The Reaping is set 24 years before the original Hunger Games book and tells Haymitch’s story before, during, and after the 50th Hunger Games, outlining how he became Katniss and Peeta’s drunken yet lovable mentor. A key feature is his relationship with his girlfriend, Lenore Dove, which was never mentioned in the original books.

Haymitch’s Games featured twice the normal number of participants, meaning Haymitch was one of four tributes who were selected to represent District 12. His fellow tributes are “a young friend who’s like a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker and the most uppity girl in town,” as explained in the book’s synopsis.

Francis Lawrence, who has directed every film in the Hunger Games franchise except for the first, will once again return to helm Sunrise on the Reaping. Billy Ray, the screenwriter behind the original 2012 film, will write the script.

Sunrise On The Reaping Release Date

The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping is scheduled to premiere in theaters on November 24, 2026, just a year and a half after the novel was published. Within the franchise, this will be the quickest-ever turnaround between a book’s publication and the release of its accompanying film.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.