Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is aiming for a 2026 launch. This series never skimps on intense survival moments, emotional twists, or power struggles behind the scenes. That’s why excitement’s been building fast around this next movie – especially since it dives into the brutal 50th Games, showing how a younger Haymitch fought his way through.
Today, a report revealing that the iconic pair from the original movies will join the cast of ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ has heightened curiosity for the prequel.
Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence Reunite in Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping
According to Deadline, Josh Hutcherson alongside Jennifer Lawrence are returning for Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping. Since their last appearance in Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, this famous duo disappeared from Panem – until now. Fans will soon spot them again in the upcoming prequel diving into Haymitch’s backstory, the mentor who guided Katniss and Peeta back in District 12.
The story takes place 24 years before the events of the first film and introduces fans to a 16-year-old Haymitch, portrayed by Joseph Zada.
Sunrise on the Reaping is a prequel movie, which will center on the young Haymitch, so it’s obvious that Lawrence and Hutcherson won’t fit directly in this storyline. However, according to a scene in Suzanne Collins’s new book, an older Peeta (Hutcherson) and Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) will be listening to Haymitch as he shares his experiences in the Hunger Games. They will likely appear in a bonus sequence in the prequel film.
Directed by Francis Lawrence, Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping will kickstart on the morning of the Second Quarter Quell, which is popularly known as the 50th Hunger Games. The film will be released on November 20, 2026, in the United States and Canada.