Haymitch's Origin Story Unveiled in Sunrise on the Reaping Featurette

Lionsgate just unleashed a new behind-the-scenes featurette for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, finally giving fans a glimpse of Joseph Zada stepping into the formidable shoes of a young Haymitch Abernathy. This prequel dives into the brutal 50th Hunger Games, known ominously as the Second Quarter Quell – the very arena that forged the cynical mentor we all know.

The success of The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes proved that not all prequels are cynical cash grabs; sometimes, they're exactly what fans want. Sunrise on the Reaping seems poised to continue that trend with a truly stacked cast. Zada as Haymitch is the obvious draw, but he's joined by Mckenna Grace as District 12 tribute Maysilee Donner and an impressive roster including Jesse Plemons as a young Plutarch Heavensbee, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee, Maya Hawke as Wiress, and Lili Taylor as Mags. Even Ralph Fiennes returns as President Snow, alongside Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman and Glenn Close as Drusilla Sickle.

Francis Lawrence, a familiar hand at the helm of the Hunger Games universe, directs this highly anticipated entry. Get ready to revisit Panem's darkest history when The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping hits theaters on November 20, 2026.