Sunrise on the Reaping is inarguably one of, if not the best, young adult books of the year. So many of us are still rightfully in awe of it, and it feels especially appropriate in the current world we’re living in to understand the importance of rebellion. And now, we’ve officially got a majority of the Sunrise on the Reaping cast.
First up, the man, the myth, the legend, the ultimate sad boy. Joseph Zada will be taking up the mantle to play Haymitch Abernathy, and I’m already so emotional that I genuinely don’t know how I’m going to handle the movie. Despite the fact that I’ve never seen Zada in a previous role, there’s something really fascinating about casting actors who aren’t yet as known. More often than not, they’re the ones who end up bringing their A-game and layering the character in a way that’s so fitting it’s impossible to think of anyone else. Zada has big shoes to fill with Woody Harrelson, but something tells me he’s got this in the bag. Tom Blyth also had big shoes to fill in his portrayal of Snow in A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and he nailed it so perfectly that we have no choice but to appreciate the casting department here.
But the immediate tears came upon seeing the casting for Lenore Dove Baird. Again, I’ve never seen Whitney Peak in anything, but sometimes, all it takes is one look at an actress to say yes. Or, in the words of Jane Bennet (Pride and Prejudice 2005), “Yes, a thousand times, yes.”
The Sunrise on the Reaping casting also includes Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman, Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, Elle Fanning as Effie Trinket, McKenna Grace as Maysilee Donner, Maya Hawke as Wiress, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Beetee Latier, Lili Taylor as Mags Flanagan, Ben Wang as Wyatt Callow, Molly McCann as Louella McCoy, Iona Bell as Lou Lou, and Ralph Fiennes as President Snow. The official Hunger Games Twitter account is updating periodically with excerpts from the book, and it’s making it twice as emotional to witness every time we get a new announcement.
Related Content: Everything We Know About The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
Sunrise on the Reaping is coming to theaters on November 20, 2026. Are you excited about the new casting? Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Suzanne Collins