Lionsgate dropped a new featurette for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, offering fans a closer look at Joseph Zada (We Were Liars, Invisible Boys) as a young Haymitch Abernathy, the fan-favorite victor originally portrayed by Woody Harrelson in The Hunger Games trilogy films.
Set 24 years before the events of The Hunger Games, the prequel begins on the morning of the reaping for the 50th Hunger Games—the infamous Second Quarter Quell—and explores the brutal competition that forever shaped Haymitch’s future. Arriving in theaters on November 20, the film has an ensemble cast featuring younger versions of several characters from the original franchise.
Jesse Plemons (Bugonia, Love & Death) takes on the role of Plutarch Heavensbee, long before he becomes the Head Gamemaker, portraying him as a cameraman covering the Games. The character was memorably played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the original film series.
Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value, The Great) plays Effie Trinket, years before audiences met the flamboyant Capitol escort. Elizabeth Banks famously portrayed the beloved character throughout the original Hunger Games films.
Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain, Succession) will portray a younger Caesar Flickerman, the charismatic television personality and longtime host of the Hunger Games, a role previously brought to life by Stanley Tucci. Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes (28 Years Later, Conclave) takes on the role of President Coriolanus Snow, depicting the ruthless Panem leader decades before the events of the original films. Donald Sutherland portrayed the iconic villain throughout the original franchise, while Tom Blyth played a younger Snow in the prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023).
Maya Hawke (Stranger Things, Inside Out 2) will play a young Wiress, the brilliant victor of the 49th Hunger Games from District 3. Fans will remember the character from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, where she was portrayed by Amanda Plummer. Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Chevalier, Waves) plays a young Beetee Latier, the victor of the 34th Hunger Games from District 3. Jeffrey Wright previously played Beetee in the original film series.
Lili Taylor (Daredevil: Born Again, The Conjuring) plays Mags Flanagan, the beloved victor of the 11th Hunger Games from District 4, who was previously played by the late Lynn Cohen in the 2013 film.
The cast also includes McKenna Grace (Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, Regretting You), Whitney Peak (Thrash, Gossip Girl), Iona Bell (Fing!, Savage Flowers), Laura Marcus (Death by Lightning, The Jetty), Glenn Close (Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, The Wife), Ben Wang (The Long Walk, Karate Kid: Legends), Molly McCann (Bad Sisters, The Vanishing Triangle), Billy Porter (Pose, Cinderalla), Percy Daggs IV (Paradise, Never Let Go), Iris Apatow (Tell Me Lies, Pretty Lethal), and Edvin Ryding (28 Years Later, Young Royals).
Watch the new featurette below.
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