News The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson Will Return for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping The next movie is still a year away By Molly Templeton | Published on December 11, 2025 Screenshot: Lionsgate Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Lionsgate It already seemed like everyone under the sun had been cast in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping—everyone including Elle Fanning, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Billy Porter, Kieran Culkin, Lili Taylor, Jesse Plemons, Mckenna Grace, and Maya Hawke. But two more big names are now on board, making their return to the massive franchise: Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson will return to the roles of Katniss and Peeta. This, on paper, sounds very odd, as Sunrise on the Reaping takes place 24 years before The Hunger Games. But you can probably guess how this plays out. It is not a spoiler to say that Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) survives his games; we’ve already met older, traumatized Haymitch in the original stories. But just in case, here’s some spoiler space (Though it’s really not a big spoiler, I promise!). * * * * A brief epilogue after the events of the second Quarter Quell flashes forward to Haymitch, years later, spending time with the people who are his family now: Katniss and Peeta. It’s a bittersweet and lovely scene, and a much-needed moment of grace for all of them. It’ll be sort of nice to see Katniss and Peeta a little grown-up, you know? The first teaser for Sunrise on the Reaping was released last month, a full year ahead of the film’s premiere. It’s a vicious tease for those who’ve read the novel, full of quick clips of major moments from the story—all edited into careful vagueness that gives nothing away. This prequel is directed by franchise stalwart Francis Lawrence, from a script by Billy Ray, which is of course based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. The games begin (again) on November 20, 2026.[end-mark] The post Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson Will Return for <i>The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping</i> appeared first on Reactor.