With the upcoming prequel movie Sunrise on the Reaping, which will explore the past of beloved figure Haymitch Abernathy, the Hunger Games franchise is poised to grow. The young Haymitch, who was first played by Woody Harrelson, has been replaced by Joseph Zada. Zada's most recent credits were East of Eden on Netflix and We Were Liars on Prime Video. Whitney Peak will portray Haymitch's girlfriend, Lenore Dove Baird. In addition to being a Chanel spokeswoman, Peak is well-known for her parts in the Gossip Girl revival and Hocus Pocus 2.
Based on Suzanne Collins' fifth Hunger Games novel, which takes place during the 50th Hunger Games, 24 years prior to Katniss Everdeen's saga, the Lionsgate-produced movie is slated for release on November 20, 2026. In its first week of publication, the book sold 1.5 million copies. Lionsgate claims that despite the fierce competition for the roles, Zada and Peak stood out for their emotional depth. The success of 2023's The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which brought in over $348 million globally, is followed by this prequel.
The franchise's previous director, Francis Lawrence, recognized the difficulty of casting a youthful Haymitch. Instead than just copying Harrelson, he stressed the importance of finding an actor who reflects the intelligence, comedy, and underlying darkness that define his portrayal. In order to capture the essence of the character's evolution over time, Lawrence compared this casting procedure to that of locating a young Donald Sutherland for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
A logo and a view of the arena with a volcano that erupts into a snake are included in the Sunrise on the Reaping teaser, which was unveiled at CinemaCon. Notably, the teaser features a voice-over by Woody Harrelson, suggesting possible appearances by the original Katniss and Peeta characters.
By returning to the rich narrative world of Panem and featuring an engaging cast, Sunrise on the Reaping seeks to enhance the Hunger Games epic by giving viewers a better grasp of Haymitch Abernathy's personality and the circumstances that created him.