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The Full Confirmed Cast Of The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping And Who Plays Young Haymitch

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The anticipation for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping has reached a fever pitch, especially with the latest wave of major casting announcements that have solidified the film’s ensemble. As of December 2025, the picture is becoming much clearer regarding who will be bringing the brutal 50th Hunger Games—the infamous Second Quarter Quell—to life. This prequel will chronicle the harrowing journey of a 16-year-old Haymitch Abernathy from District 12, an event that forever changed the character fans came to know as the cynical mentor played by Woody Harrelson.

The film, directed by franchise veteran Francis Lawrence, promises a fresh, yet familiar, look at the Capitol’s darkest spectacle. The casting choices blend exciting newcomers with established, Oscar-nominated talent, ensuring the high-stakes drama and political intrigue that define Suzanne Collins’ world remain intact. The most crucial role, that of the young Haymitch, has finally been filled, along with surprising choices for younger versions of beloved Capitol characters like Effie Trinket and Plutarch Heavensbee.

The Confirmed Main Cast and Key Characters

The casting for Sunrise on the Reaping is a strategic mix of fresh faces to embody the young tributes and seasoned actors to portray the early careers of iconic Capitol figures. The film is set 40 years after the events of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and 24 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers for the 74th Hunger Games.

  • Joseph Zada as Haymitch Abernathy: The Australian newcomer is tasked with the pivotal role of the 16-year-old Haymitch, the future victor of the 50th Hunger Games. Zada steps into the shoes of the character originally played by Woody Harrelson. His performance will show the moment Haymitch’s cynicism and fighting spirit are forged.
  • Mckenna Grace as Maysilee Donner: Grace, known for her roles in *Ghostbusters: Afterlife* and *Gifted*, is cast as Maysilee Donner, the female tribute from District 12 who enters the arena alongside Haymitch. Maysilee is a fan-favorite character from the novel, and her partnership with Haymitch is central to the story.
  • Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee: Oscar-nominee Jesse Plemons has been confirmed to play a younger version of Plutarch Heavensbee. In this timeline, Plutarch is likely a young cameraman or rising star within the Capitol’s Gamemakers, long before he becomes the Head Gamemaker seen in the original trilogy (originally played by Philip Seymour Hoffman).
  • Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket: In a surprise move, Elle Fanning has been cast as the younger Effie Trinket. Before she became the flamboyant escort of District 12 (originally played by Elizabeth Banks), Effie was a Capitol stylist. Fanning’s portrayal will likely explore Effie’s early career and her relationship with the games before her iconic pink hair and Capitol enthusiasm.
  • Whitney Peak as Lenore Dove Baird: Peak, known for the *Gossip Girl* reboot, is cast in an as-yet-undisclosed key role as Lenore Dove Baird, a new character not explicitly named in the original novel’s account of the Games, suggesting an expansion of the story’s scope.
  • Ralph Fiennes as President Coriolanus Snow: Fiennes, who played the tyrannical President Coriolanus Snow in *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, is listed to reprise his role. Given the timeline, Snow would be in his early 40s, having already secured his power base in the Capitol.
  • Billy Porter as Magno Stift: The Emmy-winner joins the cast as Magno Stift, a Capitol stylist. His presence suggests a focus on the elaborate and grotesque fashion of the Capitol during the Quarter Quell.

The Second Quarter Quell: A Deeper Dive into the Plot

The core of Sunrise on the Reaping is the 50th Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell. This event was designed to be twice as brutal as any standard Games. The rules dictated that each of the 12 districts must send four tributes—two boys and two girls—instead of the usual two. This meant 48 children were forced into the arena, doubling the carnage.

Haymitch Abernathy, alongside Maysilee Donner and two other unnamed tributes from District 12, was thrown into this terrifying spectacle. The sheer number of competitors and the Quarter Quell’s unique, undisclosed twist made it one of the most memorable and devastating Games in Panem's history.

The film’s narrative will explore the political climate of the time, the Capitol’s escalating cruelty, and the psychological toll on a young Haymitch, who must use his cunning and survival skills to navigate a field of 47 other tributes. The plot is expected to follow the novel closely, detailing the events that led to Haymitch’s controversial victory and his subsequent fate as the only living victor from District 12 until the arrival of Katniss.

Rising Stars and Iconic Character Reimaginations

The casting department has clearly focused on finding actors who can embody the characters’ iconic traits while offering a fresh take for the prequel’s timeline. The choice of Joseph Zada as Haymitch is particularly exciting. Zada is a relatively new name, which gives him the freedom to define the character without the heavy baggage of prior expectations, a strategy that worked well for Tom Blyth in *The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*.

The New Generation of Capitol Power Players

The inclusion of Jesse Plemons and Elle Fanning in the cast is a major coup for the film. Their roles as younger versions of Plutarch Heavensbee and Effie Trinket will provide crucial insight into how these characters evolved into the figures we know from the original trilogy.

For Plutarch, Plemons will portray a man who is likely a young, ambitious member of the Capitol elite, fascinated by the mechanics of the Games. This is a crucial period where his political leanings and future role as a revolutionary strategist are likely being formed.

Fanning’s Effie Trinket will be a stylist, a role that places her in the heart of the Capitol’s superficial culture. This gives the film an opportunity to explore Effie’s early, more naive interactions with the tributes and the Games themselves, before she develops her distinct, highly stylized persona.

Additional Key Entities and Supporting Roles

To build out the world of the 50th Hunger Games, several other talented actors have been confirmed, adding depth to the Capitol and the districts. These supporting roles are essential for establishing the topical authority and rich tapestry of Panem.

  • Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow
  • Molly McCann as Louella McCoy
  • Iona Bell as Lou Lou
  • Devon Singletary as Blair (Winner of a fan casting call)
  • Kieran Culkin (Role undisclosed)
  • Maya Hawke (Role undisclosed)
  • Kelvin (Full name and role undisclosed)

The presence of these diverse entities, from the tributes of District 12 to the Capitol’s emerging power brokers, confirms that the film is poised to be a comprehensive and compelling adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ highly anticipated novel. With a release date slated for November 20, 2026, the countdown has officially begun for fans to witness the defining moment in Haymitch Abernathy’s life.

The Full Confirmed Cast of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and Who Plays Young Haymitch
sunrise on the reaping casting
sunrise on the reaping casting

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