Meet the Cast of the Newest Hunger Games Film, ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’

The Hunger Games franchise is set to return with' Sunrise on the Reaping,' a prequel film slated for release on November 20, 2026. Based on Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel, the story delves into the 50th Hunger Games, known as the Second Quarter Quell. The narrative centers on a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy, exploring his traumatic experiences that later shape his role as Katniss Everdeen's mentor. 

The excitement for the novel was already high, and anticipation for the film’s casting reached another level. Since the book’s release, fans have eagerly waited to see who would bring the story to life—and the reveal didn’t disappoint. Instead of leaning on familiar A-listers, the film spotlights a cast of rising talents, a refreshing move that's been widely praised online amid ongoing calls for Hollywood to invest in new faces.

With director Francis Lawrence returning to helm the project and screenwriter Billy Ray adapting the screenplay, The Sunrise on the Reaping movie aims to offer a compelling addition to The Hunger Games universe. As anticipation builds, L'OFFICIEL provides an in-depth look at the new cast members and their journeys leading up to the film.

Joseph Zada 

Meet Joseph Zada, the newest star of The Hunger Games franchise. Zada is set to play the iconic Haymitch Abernathy, the District 12 tribute who survives the 50th Hunger Games. In the original series, Haymitch (famously portrayed by Woody Harrelson) goes on to mentor Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark during the 74th Games.

Outside Sunrise on the Reaping, Zada’s star is quickly rising—he’ll soon appear in Amazon Prime’s We Were Liars, Stan’s Invisible Boys, and Netflix’s East of Eden alongside Florence Pugh and Mike Faist. 

Whitney Peak

Whitney Peak will play Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch’s girlfriend in Sunrise on the Reaping.

Born in Kampala, Uganda, and raised in Vancouver, Peak now resides full-time in New York. Best known for starring as Zoya Lott in Max’s Gossip Girl reboot, Peak first broke out after landing the role at 17. She later appeared in Hocus Pocus 2 alongside Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker.

McKenna Grace

Mckenna Grace will take on the role of Maysilee Donner, one of District 12’s tributes alongside Haymitch in Sunrise on the Reaping.

Grace is already a familiar face, known for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Gifted, and her Emmy-nominated turn in The Handmaid’s Tale. She’s also set for a packed 2025, with roles in Regretting You, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, and Scream 7.

Jesse Plemons 

Jesse Plemons will play a young Plutarch Heavensbee, the future Head Gamemaker and key figure in the rebellion.

The role was originally portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, with whom Plemons previously shared the screen in The Master. Besides the two having a connection, the resemblance is also quite uncanny. 

Plemons, praised for roles in The Power of the Dog and Killers of the Flower Moon, is also married to actor Kirsten Dunst.