Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak Lead ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ in New ‘Hunger Games’ Prequel
Lionsgate has named the main cast for Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel in The Hunger Games series. New stars Joseph Zada and Whitney Peak will breathe new life into the series by playing important parts in this exciting return to the world of Panem.
Zada will pretend to be a young Haymitch Abernathy, the clever winner viewers first encountered in The Hunger Games series. Lenore Dove Baird, his arena district companion, will be cast at Whitney Peak.
Based on Suzanne Collins’ Latest Novel
Based on Suzanne Collins’s most recent book, Sunrise on the Reaping, released on March 18, 2025. The movie is the narrative that goes back almost four decades after The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Panem 24 years before the first series. It revolves around the events of the 50th Hunger Games, also referred to as the Second Quarter Quell, and tracks a 16-year-old Haymitch as he is unintentionally thrown into a lethal arena where 48 tributes fight one another in a cruel twist.
Rising Careers of the Leads
Now helming this important franchise, Australian actor Joseph Zada has a full slate ahead. Premiering in June 2025, he is scheduled to show in the much-awaited Prime Video series We Were Liars. Along with Florence Pugh, Tracy Letts, Mike Faist, Chris Abbott, and Martha Plimpton, Zada concluded filming for Netflix‘s East of Eden adaptation. He now stars in Invisible Boys, a Stan Original Series based on the highly regarded book by Holden Sheppard.
Renowned for her breakthrough performance in the Gossip Girl revival, Whitney Peak will shortly front Sony Pictures‘ next shark thriller, Shiver. She will also feature in 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank for Amazon MGM’s Orion label, sharing the screen alongside Teresa Palmer and Liam Neeson.
Narrative Focus
Sunrise on the Reaping centres on the 50th Hunger Games, a particularly cruel variation also called as the Second Quarter Quell. The Capitol quadrupled the tributes in this ceremony, choosing two boys and two girls from every district. As Haymitch negotiates the lethal arena, his strategic sense and moral fortitude are tested, providing viewers an understanding of the events that shaped his subsequent character.
Production Team
The film reunites key figures from previous instalments:
- Director: Francis Lawrence, who directed Catching Fire and both parts of Mockingjay, returns to helm this prequel.
- Screenwriter: Billy Ray, known for his work on the original Hunger Games film, is responsible for adapting Suzanne Collins’ novel.
- Producers: Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson keep their responsibilities to guarantee consistency and respect to the original content.
This seasoned crew wants to create a movie honouring the tradition of the franchise while venturing into fresh conceptual ground.
Release Date
Sunrise on the Reaping is a worldwide theatrical release scheduled on November 20, 2026.
As the prequel explores the beginnings of one of Panem’s most famous heroes, fans of the series should anticipate yet another exciting and emotionally packed tale.
