“The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaging” has found its tracks. Joseph Zada will play as a tribute District 12 Haymitch Abernathy, while Whitney Peak will play his girlfriend Lenore Dove Baird.
The Lionsgate film, based on the best -selling novel by the same name of the author of “Hunger Games” Suzanne Collins, takes place 40 years after the events of the prequel “The ballads of singing birds and snakes” and 24 years before the time of Katniss Everdeen in the arena.
“Sunrise on the Reaping” will be released on November 20, 2026. Francis Lawrence, who directed each episode of the franchise from “Catching Fire” of 2012, will direct an adaptation of Billy Ray scenario. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson by Color Force will produce. Cameron Macconomy will be executive products.
Published on March 18, “Sunrise on the Reaping” revisits the world of Panem 24 years before the events of “The Hunger Games”, from the morning of the 50th Hunger Games harvest, also known as the second quarter.
Zada will then be seen in the premium video series “We was liars”, which will be presented in June. He has also just finished the production of Netflix’s “East of Eden”, in which he plays alongside Florence Pugh, Mike Font, Martha Plpton, Tracy Lets and Chris Abbott. Zoe Kazan wrote and is executive producing the series limited to seven episodes based on the novel by John Steinbeck of 1952. Zada is currently playing in the main role of Charlie in the next original series of Stan Australia “Invisible Boys”, based on the successful novel by Holden Sheppard.
The peak will then be considered the head of Sony Pictures “Shriver” shark thriller opposite Phoebe Dynevor. She will also play alongside Liam Neeson and Teresa Palmer in “4 Kids Kning Into a Bank” for the Orion label of Amazon MGM. It is best known for its main role in the restart of Max of “Gossip Girl”, playing Zoya Lott. She also appeared in “Hocus Pocus 2” opposite Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimi. Peak is currently a global ambassador by Chanel: in 2023, she was named the last face of the Mademoiselle Coco Mademale perfume, making her the first black face of a Chanel perfume.
“The franchise” The Hunger Games “has long been a launching ramp for young remarkable actors, and Jo and Whitney wear this legacy in front with an incredible heart, depth and fire,” said Erin Westerman, co-president of the Lionsgate film group, Erin Westerman. “After having auditioned hundreds of gifted artists from around the world, these two stood out – not only for their talent, but for the emotional truth that they brought to these emblematic roles. Haymitch has always been a favorite of fans, and its original story is one of the most anticipated in the franchise. series.”
“The jury Deb Zane and Dylan supervised an exhaustive (and exhausting!) Research to find a young actor with skill and imagination to embody the young Haymitch,” added Jacobson. “Jo prepared itself like crazy and stole our hearts. Then Whitney breathes us while Lenore Dove. When we assemble them, it was one of those moments of magic casting where you know that your search has led you to the house.”
The five films in the franchise “The Hunger Games” collected more than $ 3.3 billion at the box office and attracted acclaimed talents, notably Viola Davis, Julianne Moore and Donald Sutherland.
Jacobson opened up to Variety Earlier this year on the unique challenge of launching a young Haymitch, depicted by Woody Harrelson in the four original films. “No one can be Woody Harrelson but Woody Harrelson,” she said. “But you must find this mischief that he has him intrinsically and try to understand, if you come back from the time of the man you meet at the beginning of” The Hunger Games “, which was above all that, and why he became that.”
“Sunrise on the Reaping” sold 1.5 million copies during its first week of sales in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The 1.2 million copies sold in the United States are twice the first week of sales of “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, and three times the first week of the original trilogy “Mockingjay”.
Meredith Wieck and Scott O’Brien supervise the Lionsgate project. Robert Melnik negotiated transactions for the studio.
Zada is represented by CAA, Unitled Entertainment, RGM and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Peak is recommended by CAA, Canopy’s media partners, game management, initiative group, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner aterbach Hynick Jaime Levine Sample & Klein.
