The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping Casts Its Haymitch and Lenore Dove
Lionsgate has cast the roles of Haymitch Abernathy and Lenore Dove Baird in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
According to Deadline, Joseph Zada has been cast as the protagonist from District 12, Haymitch, while Whitney Peak will play Lenore Dove, his girlfriend.
Zada has previously acted in Total Control (2019) and his next project will be Prime Video series We Were Liars, which premieres in June. Meanwhile, Peak is known for her roles in Molly’s Game (2017) and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018).
Woody Harrelson previously portrayed Haymitch in the original The Hunger Games trilogy.
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erin Westerman told Deadline: “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.
“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. Haymitch has always been a fan favorite, and his origin story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. His relationship with Lenore Dove is deeply woven into the emotional history of Panem. We can’t wait for fans to experience the story that shaped one of the most compelling characters in the series.”
The novel the film will be based on was released by Suzanne Collins in March and takes place during Haymitch’s games, the Second Quarter Quell or 50th year. It is set 40 years after the events of A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (the fourth instalment in the series but also a prequel to the trilogy) and 30 years before the original The Hunger Games.
Sunrise on the Reaping will be directed by Francis Lawrence (who also directed every The Hunger Games film other than the first) while Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are producing. Billy Ray is writing the script, and filming begins in July in Germany. Rumours abound last month that Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Kieran Culkin and Jesse Plemons may also be part of the cast, though unconfirmed.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping will be released on November 20th, 2026.
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