Lionsgate has revealed the stars of its highly anticipated prequel “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” with Joseph Zada cast as young Haymitch Abernathy and Whitney Peak as his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.
The film, adapted from Suzanne Collins’ bestselling novel released earlier this year, chronicles events 24 years before Katniss Everdeen’s story begins and focuses on the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell. Fans will witness the origin story of one of the franchise’s most beloved characters as Haymitch competes in the deadly competition that shaped him into the mentor audiences first met in the original series.
Francis Lawrence returns to direct his fifth consecutive film in the franchise, working from a screenplay by Billy Ray. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will produce through Color Force, with Cameron MacConomy executive producing. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on November 20, 2026.
“‘The Hunger Games’ franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman. “After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out—not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles.”
Producer Nina Jacobson described the casting process as “exhaustive” but ultimately rewarding: “Jo prepared like crazy and stole our hearts. Then Whitney took our breath away as Lenore Dove. When we put the two of them together, it was one of those magical casting moments when you know your search has led you home.”
Jacobson had previously acknowledged the challenge of casting a younger version of the character immortalized by Woody Harrelson. “Nobody can be Woody Harrelson but Woody Harrelson,” she told Variety earlier this year. “But you have to find that mischief that he has in him inherently and try to understand, if you turn back time from the man you meet at the beginning of ‘The Hunger Games,’ who he was before all of that, and why he became that.”
Zada’s rising career includes the upcoming Prime Video series “We Were Liars” premiering in June and Netflix’s adaptation of “East of Eden” alongside Florence Pugh and Mike Faist. He currently stars in the Stan Australia Original Series “Invisible Boys.”
Peak, a global Chanel ambassador who made history as the first Black face of the Coco Mademoiselle fragrance, is best known for her starring role in Max’s “Gossip Girl” reboot. Her upcoming projects include Sony’s shark thriller “Shiver” opposite Phoebe Dynevor and Amazon MGM’s “4 Kids Walk into a Bank” with Liam Neeson.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” has already demonstrated its commercial appeal, selling 1.5 million copies in its first week across six English-speaking markets, with U.S. sales outpacing “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” by twofold and “Mockingjay” by threefold.
The film continues the expansion of a franchise that has grossed over $3.3 billion globally across five installments and attracted top-tier talent including Viola Davis, Julianne Moore, and Donald Sutherland.
