The Hunger Games Sunrise on the Reaping Teaser Trailer Cast

The teaser trailer for 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' shows the key cast for the upcoming prequel. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on November 20, 2026.

The teaser features Glenn Close as Drusilla, Joseph Zada as Haymitch, Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove, McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Elle Fanning as a younger Effie Trinket, and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow. Billy Porter joins as Magno Stift, while Maya Hawke plays Wiress and Lili Taylor portrays Mags. Kelvin Harrison Jr. Will appear as Beetee Latier. Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will reprise their roles as Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark.

Joseph Zada said: "I am honored to play Haymitch Abernathy in this next chapter of The Hunger Games."

Other cast members include Jhaleil Swaby as the career tribute Panache and Molly McCann and Iona Bell in dual roles. Francis Lawrence, who directed the previous three films and the last prequel, returns to direct from a script by Billy Ray. The film is produced by Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson.

Haymitch's 50th Games Explore New Rules

The prequel centers on Haymitch Abernathy's experience in the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. The special rule for these games required each of Panem's 12 districts to send double the usual number of tributes.

This resulted in 48 competitors entering the arena instead of the standard 24. Haymitch, who was later portrayed by Woody Harrelson as the mentor to Katniss and Peeta, is the victor of this particularly brutal game.

Franchise Continuity and Release Details

This film is the sixth installment in The Hunger Games series. It is based on Suzanne Collins's novel of the same name. Lionsgate announced the film in conjunction with the novel's announcement and ordered it before the book was released.

The first teaser arrived on November 20, 2025, exactly one year before the film's release date. A fuller trailer followed in April 2026, with another trailer hinting at gruesome scenes from the novel released in mid-September 2026. Filming began in the summer of 2025.

Returning Faces and New Roles

The cast features several actors taking on roles originally played by others in the franchise. The table below outlines some key recast and returning characters.

Whitney Peak plays Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch's love interest and a descendant of the Covey, the same musical group that included Lucy Gray Baird from the previous prequel. The film's tagline is 'Challenge authority. Capitalize power.'

Music and Production

Noah Kahan wrote the song 'Draw You Out' as the lead single for the companion album to the film. He said: "I have written 'Draw You Out' as the lead single for the companion album to the film." Other artists attached to the soundtrack include Lizzie McAlpine and Hozier, though no further lineup has been confirmed.

The teaser trailer ends with a voiceover from Woody Harrelson, following the pattern set by Donald Sutherland's voice in the teaser for 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.' The film will be released ten years after the main Hunger Games trilogy concluded. 'The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping' arrives in theaters on November 20, 2026.