It’s no secret that Suzanne Collins has gifted us one of the greatest book franchises of all time with The Hunger Games. The series currently consists of three main books and two prequels, with the newest one being Sunrise on the Reaping, which was released in 2025.

Lionsgate / Everett Collection

Sunrise on the Reaping is the second prequel novel in Collins’s series and is set 24 years before the first book’s events. It tells the story of the 50th Hunger Games, aka the Second Quarter Quell, and notably the Games that Haymitch Abernathy competed in and won.

Scholastic

For years, fans have begged for a book detailing Haymitch’s games, and Collins delivered in every possible way. It’s honestly one of the saddest stories in this entire book series.

x.com / Via x.com Haymitch’s games were mentioned and discussed in Catching Fire, sparking so many fans to wonder what really happened in that arena. It even inspired a beloved fan-made film that has over 14 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded 13 years ago.

And just like her previous four books — The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes — Sunrise on the Reaping is already scheduled to be adapted into a film by Lionsgate, with a release date set for Nov. 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence will direct the movie and Billy Ray will write the script.

Lionsgate / Everett Collection Lawrence has previously directed Catching Fire, Mockingjay — Part 1, Mockingjay — Part 2, and The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Meanwhile, Ray previously wrote The Hunger Games.

Production is set to begin in 2025, which means casting is underway for the beloved characters. So here’s who is playing who, what you’ve seen them in before, and more:

Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy

Hugh Stewart / Lionsgate Who he’s playing: Haymitch is a teenager living in District 12 when he’s suddenly reaped for the 50th Hunger Games, aka the Second Quarter Quell, which saw 48 tributes enter the arena instead of the typical 24. Of course, Haymitch ultimately wins the games, too.

What you’ve seen him in: Joseph recently starred in the Australian limited series, Invisible Boys. Next, you can catch him in We Were Liars, a TV adaptation of E. Lockhart’s bestselling book, and East of Eden, a Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel. He’ll star in East of Eden alongside Florence Pugh, Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, and more. 

You can read even more about Joseph here.

Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird

Weiss Eubanks / NBCUniversal / Getty Images Who she’s playing: Lenore Dove lives in District 12 and is Haymitch’s girlfriend. She’s a member of the Covey, which was first introduced in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes as the musical group Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) belonged to. 

What you’ve seen her in: Whitney is best known for starring as Zoya Lott in Max’s short-lived reboot of Gossip Girl. She also starred in Hocus Pocus 2 and appeared in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Notably, in 2021, she was named a brand ambassador for Chanel, and in 2023, she was appointed the face of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle fragrance, making her the first Black woman to do so. 

You can read even more about Whitney here.

Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner

Pablo Cuadra / Getty Images Who she’s playing: Maysilee was one of the female tributes from District 12. She’s the twin sister of Merrilee Donner.

What you’ve seen her in: Mckenna has starred in countless movies and TV shows. She notably earned widespread recognition when she starred opposite Chris Evans in Gifted. She’s also starred in I, Tonya, Troop Zero, Captain Marvel, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and many more. For TV, she’s best known for starring in shows like Crash & Bernstein, The Young and the Restless, The Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time, The Haunting of Hill House, Fuller House, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Handmaid’s Tale, and many more. 

In terms of upcoming projects, Mckenna can be seen in Regretting You, Scream 7, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and more.

Well, that’s all we know for now! We’ll update this post as more casting is announced.

Are you excited for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping? Tell us everything in the comments below!

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