The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, is about to hit theaters subsequent 12 months.
Though it’s the most recent movie within the collection, the story takes us again in time, many years earlier than Katniss Everdeen, performed by Jennifer Lawrence, volunteered as tribute. This prequel facilities on a younger Haymitch Abernathy, the character portrayed by Woody Harrelson within the unique movies, and the brutal fiftieth Hunger Games, also referred to as the Second Quarter Quell.
“Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise,”co-president of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Erin Westerman mentioned in a press launch. “We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
Led by Joseph Zada as younger Haymitch, the prequel introduces a recent solid of rising stars and acquainted faces moving into the world of Panem. Here’s a take a look at who’s starring on this long-awaited return to the world.
Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy
Zada, a 20-year-old Australian actor, takes on the function of younger Haymitch Abernathy, the only real male tribute from District 12 within the fiftieth Hunger Games. Zada has beforehand appeared in Australian productions reminiscent of Invisible Boys and Total Control. He’s additionally set to look within the upcoming collection We Were Liars and East of Eden, starring alongside Florence Pugh.
Casting a youthful model of such a well-established character was no small process. In a March 2025 interview with Variety, producer Nina Jacobson acknowledged the problem of discovering somebody who might embody the essence of Haymitch with out mimicking Harrelson’s unique portrayal.
“Nobody can be Woody Harrelson but Woody Harrelson,” she mentioned. “You don’t want somebody who’s impersonating Woody, but you want somebody who very credibly feels like they could be a young version of this character, before the trauma and grief and rage that the fallout of the Games create.”
Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird
Whitney Peak, 22, portrays Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch’s girlfriend and a member of the Covey, a musical group from District 12. Peak is thought for her roles within the Gossip Girl reboot and Hocus Pocus 2.
Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner
Mckenna Grace performs Maysilee Donner, one other tribute from District 12 and a short lived ally of Haymitch throughout the Games. At simply 18, Grace is already a seasoned movie and tv actor, with standout roles in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Young Sheldon.